In 1998, a 16th-century letter from a grieving pregnant widow to her deceased husband Lee Eung-tae was discovered in Lee's tomb in, Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.[1]
The letter was written in 1586, during the Joseon period (1392–1897). It has since drawn significant domestic and international attention for what has been described as "its heartbreaking declarations of love and sorrow".[2] It and other materials from the tomb are also considered to be valuable historical pieces for understanding the language and customs of this era.
Lee Eung-tae lived from 1555 to 1586. He was a local nobleman of the Goseong Lee clan, and was the second son of father Lee Yo-shin. He died at the age of 31 (possibly from an epidemic, based on letters from Lee's father[3]), and was survived by a young son (possibly around 5–6 years old) and a pregnant wife. Not much is known about Lee's wife, the author of the letter, although the name of one of the two children is given as "Won" on the letter (it is unclear which child the name belonged to), so she is now often called "Won's mother" .
In April 1998, an urban renewal project was being conducted on the south bank of the Nakdong River in Andong. In preparation for this, an archaeological team from Andong National University was sent to excavate and move several earthen mound tombs on the top of a slope, in accordance with the wishes of some living descendents. On April 24, the team excavated Lee's grave.
Initially, the only known information about the occupant of the grave was Lee's name. His body had been mummified and was then still in good condition, although it was reburied elsewhere on the same day, in accordance with the family's wishes. Records from the Goseong Lee clan and documents from within a pouch in the grave were cross-referenced to piece together information about who Lee was.[4] The documents were written by a number of different people, with one of them being Lee's wife. The texts were often written affectionately towards Lee, which gave the archaeologists the impression that he was beloved in the family.
The tomb also contained around forty to fifty articles of clothing. The clothing included a mix of clothing from Lee, the infant child, and Won's mother. Examples of clothing included jeogori, baji, danryeong, jikryeong, aekjureum, and women's clothing such as jang-ot and dongja . Leaving clothes of the family inside a tomb was a common practice during this part of the Joseon period. The clothes left behind revealed physical characteristics about the family; Lee was around tall, and his wife was around .
Won's mother also wrote two other texts in addition to her letter. One was written on hanji (Korean paper) wrapped around a lock of hair. The legible text on the paper reads "Please bury this beside... do not discard this..." Another was written on paper wrapped around a pair of mituri (woven shoes) that were woven using a mix of hemp and hair. It reads "Using my hair, made these shoes... died before they could be worn". Handwriting analysis matched the writing on these papers to that on her letter. It is believed that she ritually wove the shoes using her hair in order to pray for her husband's health; a practice that has been attested to in other instances during the Joseon period.
All of the materials gathered from the tomb are now stored in the university's museum.[5]
The letter is written vertically and right-to-left, using a brush, and on a piece of hanji that measures NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches). After writing until the left end of the page, Won's mother wrote more on the top margin of the page, until she ran out of space for further writing. The letter had been placed on Lee's chest.[6]
| Byeongsul year (1586), sixth month, first day, from homeTo the father of Won, You always said to me, "We'll be together until our hair turns gray, then die together", so how could you go and leave without me? Whom should I and our child turn to; how should we live? How could you leave us all behind and go on your own? How did you feel about me, and how did I feel about you? Each time we lay together, I asked you "Dear, do other people love and cherish each other as we do? Are they like us?" How could you forget my words and abandon me? I cannot live without you. I want to go to you quickly, so please take me to you. I cannot forget the feelings I had for you in this life, there is no limit to my sorrow. I don't know if I can go on; where do I put these feelings that I have, while raising a child that misses their father? Please read this letter, then come to me in my dreams and reply to me in detail. I wrote this letter because I want to hear your detailed response in my dreams. Please read this closely and tell me. You told me that after our child was born, you would "see and have something to say". And now you've left like this; when the child in my womb is born whom will they call "father"? Is there anyone who can comprehend my feelings? Is there any other such tragedy under the sky? You are just somewhere else, are you really as sad as I am? There's so much more I want to say, but I can only write a rough outline. Please read this letter carefully and come speak to me in my dreams. I believe I will be able to see you. Please come secretly and show me. |
The letter is seen as having historical value. The word choice Won's mother employs has been described as fairly equitable; for example, the use of the term to refer to Lee, which was a term used to refer to equals. This reflects the relatively equal social status of wives during this part of the Joseon period, which later declined by the 17th century. Lee is also believed to have been living with his wife's family at the time, which was then common practice. This later became uncommon and frowned upon, as wives were expected to move in with their husbands.
Strong expressions of emotion were frowned upon by the Korean Confucian elite. The letter was almost certainly meant to be private.
The letter is now widely known in South Korea.
Information about the letter was published in the November 2007 issue of National Geographic, and was printed in the March 2009 edition of the archaeology journal Antiquity.
A statue of Won's mother was constructed and placed at the former site of the tomb. The story of the couple has been fictionalized in novels and plays. In 2009, it was reported that many visitors to the Andong National University museum were said to be members of the Goseong Lee clan that wanted to see the letter.