Life Current Heh: the tragic fate of the last Korean Princess

The history of the last Korean Princess from the Li dynasty is not like a fairy tale. Political games, betrayal, and loneliness accompanied the Current Xe throughout life, but nothing could break her spirit and love for their country. Details of the plight of the heiress of the Emperor, read our material.

Despite the fact that the youngest daughter on the 26th ruler of the Empire of Choson became his favorite, life Korean Princess Tok Hye from the very beginning was not easy.

The illegitimate daughter of Emperor Gojong too early faced with adult problems, which could not affect its personality, and spicy Korean-Japanese question left in her life only the pain of loss and ghostly memories of his native country, where she was faithful until the last breath.

In may 1912 in the family of Emperor Gojong and his concubine, whose name was Yang Kuei-Ying, a daughter. A girl named Tok Hye, and her mother received the official title of Bosnian.

Shot from a film "Princess Current Xe"

Bosnian-tan or anju, how else called Emperor's daughter from a concubine, since childhood, began to face hostility of the world. Instead of respect and deference Princess got ridicule from their peers and indulgence from their elders, which was associated with its origin — Korean people dearly loved the dead Queen Min earlier and was not ready to accept the Princess-breed.

Only in 1917, Emperor Gojong had achieved official recognition of the title of Princess for his daughter, and was also able to convince the Governor-General of the Empire to make the name of the younger daughter in the official roster, which meant to acknowledge her birth legitimate. However, the official title and recognition did not mean that the Princess finally fall in love and forgive her of her origin.

Current Hye childhood

Current Hye grew secretive and even a little closed — it is not enough with whom in contact, and partly due to the fact that in the Changdeokgung Palace was not her peers. Then the loving father, the Princess decided to ease the lonely existence of his daughter and founded at the Palace kindergarten for girls her own age from noble families, with whom the Princess could communicate and spend time.

The idea of the Emperor proved successful, and Current Xe began to appear, the friends that influenced her emotional state. However, happy and serene time in the life of the heiress of the Empire did not last long.

At the age of seven years, the childhood of the Princess was over — the relationship of Korea and Japan flared up again, and the Emperor, for fear of Japanese intervention, decided to protect his young daughter. Father found for Current of he groom, the marriage which would allow her to avoid pressure from the Japanese authorities.

Shot from a film "Princess Current Xe"

However, the plan of Emperor Gojong did not work — engagement, organized by the father of the Current Heh, suddenly fell, thanks to the efforts of the Japanese officials who had influence in Korea, and her husband, Kim Chang-Han closed the entrance to the Imperial Palace Deoksugung forever.

A few months after the failed wedding, dynasty Lee struck another test — seriously ill Emperor Gojong. Despite the attempts of doctors to save the life of the father of the Current Heh, 21 Jan 1919, he died within the walls of his Palace, and not being able to protect the life of his beloved daughter.

Among concerned citizens of Korea were rumors that the Emperor did not die a natural death but was poisoned by the Japanese conspirators, however this version has not received official confirmation. This event has become a personal drama, not only Princess, but throughout the country — in Korea it was a chaos, strife and a desperate struggle for power.

Difficult political situation in the Korean Empire was the reason for the Japanese to strengthen its influence in the former Joseon. Gradually gaining momentum for the third period of strengthening of the Japanese government, dubbed "Naisen Ittai" (inside the earth (Japan) and Korea is one).

Shot from a film "Princess Current Xe"

The new policy turned out to residents of Korea nightmare — increased penalties for protests and resistance to power, has continued to operate and print publications, citizens were forced to change Korean names to Japanese names and abandon their faith and culture. Men were enlisted to serve in the Japanese army, and many women were forced to work in brothels, where often "relax" the Japanese soldiers.

In 1925, something happened that was so afraid of Emperor Gojong — his beloved daughter, is forcibly sent to Japan. Current Hye began her studies in a prestigious local school, and she was forbidden to visit Korea and to see her mother.

In a foreign country a young girl it was difficult to get comfortable and find friends, so she often spent time in solitude. Isolation has adversely affected the status of the Current He — she became more and more withdrawn and detached, and the fact that anju forced to forget their culture and language only exacerbate the situation. However, this was not the worst.

After five years, the Current Hye again had to endure the loss — her mother died, the former concubine of the Emperor and the home for her people. The Princess was allowed to go to Korea for a funeral, as an exception, however, when the Current-Hye arrived home, she was not allowed to say goodbye to his mother — supposedly the Princess's appearance did not meet according to the traditions of the dress code.

A series of tragic events left a deep mark in the soul of the Current Xe and affected her mental health. In the spring of 1930 it was found that the Princess suffers from somnambulism — the girl was up in the middle of the night and wandering around the house bumping into objects. Because these night walks might do the Princess harm, it was decided to move her Highness to the Palace brother Ymin in Tokyo.

The doctors who examined the girls, put a scary diagnosis — dementia praecox (schizophrenia). The disease is manifested in the fact that the Current Hye forgot to do the basic and essential things — eat, drink, go to the toilet. As treatment the doctor suggested for frequent walks in the fresh air.

However, life in the Palace brother unexpectedly good effect on the condition of the Princess. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Current Hye was there with her relatives and had the opportunity to properly communicate in a familiar it environment. Anyway, after about a year of living in Tokyo Palace, the Princess was able to return to a relatively normal lifestyle.

In 1931 the Empress of Japan, Tama decided to give the last Princess of the dynasty there to marry, and chose for the Current groom-Hye, the representative of the Japanese aristocracy Takeuchi With. Wedding Korean Princess and a Japanese aristocrat was to be held in may, but the wedding was postponed for several months due to poor health the Current Heh.

Princess Tok Hye with her husband Takeyuki With

Despite the delay, the ceremony took place, and the couple was married, and later at the Current Xe and Takeuchi With was born an only child — the daughter of Masae. It seemed that the Princess life will get better — she was married and raised a daughter. But the reality was different.

Between the newly made husband and wife did not observed a special love and attachment that, in General, was the norm for the time, but for the young Princess, unlike her husband, who was often interested in other women and didn't care about marriage, this has become a big problem.

Not to say that the husband of the Princess was a cruel man, and he was trying to provide the Current Hae a good life, however, doing it my way. Takeuchi With trying to instill the wife of the values of Japanese culture — offer to wear a kimono, learn Japanese, to respect the traditions of the people of the Country of the rising sun, to the Princess it was easier to live among the Japanese.

However, for the Current Heh it was acceptable. She stubbornly refused to obey the new principles of life, endlessly repeating that she is Korean and not Japanese. The woman refused to wear the national dress and follow the traditions, even his daughter she was the second Korean name is Ching Hai.

Just two years after the wedding at the Current Xe again manifested health problems, and this time more serious than before. The Princess again began to sleepwalk and forget about the basic needs of her body, her mental disorder was intensified.

Current Hye couldn't take care of his needs, and she could not entrust the education of his daughter, who remained in the care of his father and the Palace attendants. The only close person Current Xe in the Palace was her servant (of Nain), who understood her suffering and tried to help. Soon, however, the Princess was decided to be placed in a psychiatric hospital, where doctors could provide the needs and the necessary care, and Naing was expelled from the Palace.

In total, the Current Hae spent in a psychiatric hospital for fifteen years. All this time she was deprived of communication with her husband and daughter. While anju was in treatment, her daughter was raised by her father in Japanese traditions.

Shot from a film "Princess Current Xe"

The girl gradually grew up, interacted with their peers, called themselves Masae, and considered himself Japanese. Unlike his mother, Masae never tried to learn Korean culture, she was used to live by the laws of the people father.

A little growing up, Masae beginning to wonder about where her mother is, but Takeuchi With not allowed his daughter to know the truth. Current Hye was able to escape from a psychiatric hospital only with the help of her loyal Nain, which for all this time tried to release the lady.

After release, the Current-Hye finally met with her husband and daughter, but the fact that Masae fully took the side of the father, broke her heart. The Princess made several futile attempts to reason with the daughter, but her actions only made the chaos in the mind of a girl who was between two fires.

After the Second world war, Japan lost control over Korea, and with it, exhausted and marriage Current Xe and Takeuchi With, which was concluded for political purposes. The couple, initially do not experience each other no feelings, officially divorced only in 1953.

Shot from a film "Princess Current Xe"

Former husband of the Princess soon got married again, and the Current-Hye, who was in the clinic for several years, alone in an alien and hated country. However, the unfortunate Princess was waiting for another heavy twist of fate — three years later, after breaking up the Current Xe and Takeuchi With their only daughter committed suicide, unable to bear the oppression experiences of family breakdown and crisis of identity.

The death of a child caused a new surge of mental disorder — Current-Hye not only forget about the basic needs of the body, but didn't know anybody. In 1962, the Princess returned to her home in Korea using a South Korean reporter who referred to the new government to return to the last Korean Princess home.

Upon returning home, the sick woman, who for several years showed no emotion and did not respond to others, cried and even tried to remember court etiquette, welcoming the Korean people. The cherished desire of the Princess was fulfilled: after many years of a nightmare — she was finally home.

The Princess has spent several years in the Palace in Seoul, and presumably, this time was for her the most quiet and peaceful period in your life. Current Hye died in 1989, surrounded by relatives. She was buried near Seoul, to the cemetery in the town of Namyangju.

Long time residents of Korea, not remembering the last Princess of the dynasty while in 2016, the South Korean Director Ho Jin Ho made a film about her life called "Princess Current Xe" (The Last Princess).

The picture reminded the audience about the plight of the Current Heh, and despite the fact that much of the film was fiction, the people of Korea have understood it and finally accepted and forgave her latest Princess whose soul he loved his country and never deviated from his principles.