REWRITABLE RECORDING MEDIUM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording medium on which information can be written and erased only with thermal measures by using a liquid crystal composition containing a specific ratio of two stereosomers which have a difference from each other in the absolute configurations on their asymmetric carbon atoms. SOLUTION: An optically active liquid crystalline compound of formula III (wherein R1 is a 1-16C straight chain alkyl; R2 is a 2-18C straight chain alkyl; n is 1-10; and C* is an asymmetric carbon atom) having at least two asymmetric carbon atoms in the molecule is obtained by esterifying an optically active phenol compound of formula I and an optically active carboxylic acid compound of formula II in the presence of an agent for dehydrative condensation such as dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or the like. A stereoisomer having a ferroelectric liquid crystalline phase comprising this optically active liquid crystalline compound is blended with another stereoisomer having a difference from the former in the absolute configurations on the asymmetric carbon atoms in the ratio of 4:1-3:2, preferably 3:1-3:2.