Member-only story
The Prince Left To Starve In A Rice Box
The Tragic Story Of A Korean King Who Ordered His Own Son To Starve To Death In A Rice Box
On 12 July 1762, the Crown Prince of Joseon climbed into a wooden box at the order of his father, the reigning King Yeongjo. The box was then tied and the Prince was left to die in the blistering Korean summer. This is the tragic story of Prince Sado.
The Precious Prince
The birth of Prince Sado (birthname ‘Yiseon’) was a day of great celebration in the kingdom of Joseon (the last kingdom of Korea). The year was 1735, in the 11th year of the reign of King Yeongjo. King Yeongjo was already 40 and the birth of a son and heir had precious importance to the King and the Kingdom.
Yeongjo was overjoyed at Sado’s birth. He made sure that the new prince was brought up with the best teachers and resources to train Sado to be a worthy heir. Sado was a talented and studious prince. It seemed that the Kingdom of Joseon was blessed to have a great future King.
