On Son’gok Yi Tal’s Farewell Poetry

Journal of Koreanology, 2022

The aim of this paper is to ruminate on Hŏ Kyun (許筠)’s writing style by examining two farewell prose (送序) written for envoys to China, as they appear in Sŏngsobubugo (惺所覆瓿藁). Two writings are worth ruminating for they exemplify two important traits of Hŏ Kyun’s guwen (古文) writing style, respectively as regular and irregular forms of farewell prose. “Sending Kim Chachung to the Capital of the Emperor” (送金子中赴京序) explains that Kim Siyang(Chachung) was appointed as the third envoy (書狀官; official in charge of documentation during envoy trips) to restore the climate of “abiding by the law and protecting righteousness (持法守正)” from Sŏngjong era. Dignified yet powerful argument is elaborately arranged through comparison and contrast, repetition of stress and ease, and transposition of subject and object, as well as reiteration and amplification. “Sending Cho Chise to the Capital of the Emperor” (送趙持世赴京序) forefrontly employs a narrative – interestingly, writer himself is the main character of the narrative, not the recipient. The writer reminiscences about how their hope of traveling to China together was frustrated a number of times due to the ‘disruption from the naught of fate’. Five instances of ups and downs appear before the denouement; in each stage, he repeats yet variegates the doubt about human desire and heaven’s will, and thereby impressively depicts his shift in mentality - from anticipation and doubt to frustration and disappointment. In this writing, one theme – to lament the arbitrariness of fate - envelops the another, inner theme - to congratulate a friend’s envoy trip; and the writer skillfully weaves two themes by constructing a layered structure. Both writings reveal his concern for the beauty of form, best expressed as ‘discipline’ (法), yet a brimming vigor (氣勢) can be sensed from between the lines. Such vigor comes from Hŏ Kyun’ having embodied the ability to arrange the forms in his writing habit. The “relentless energy” (滔滔) visible in Hŏ Kyun’s works – said in “Thoughts on Writing” (文說) - is based on his writing style, which involves elaborate logic and composition, plenty of changes, and unique structure of narrative.

고전과 해석, 2022

Sŏ Gŏ-jŏng (徐居正)’s opinion on the usefulness of poetry is a critical element which not only defines the fundamental character of Tonginsihua (東人詩話, “Criticisms on the Poems by Korean Poets”), but also influences the criteria of literary criticism in Tonginsihua. This is closely related to the intent of the work, which is to elevate the stature of literature. This study explores the discussions on the usefulness of poetry in Tonginsihua, and examines how they have manifested in actual literary criticism. The usefulness of poetry discussed in Tonginsihua, which be abridged to “having to do with teaching (關於世敎)”, comes from the creative perspective. In regards to the usefulness that is teaching, the most important principle of creation is to allegorize (諷諭). It is to enlighten and encourage the inferior, and tacitly advise the superior. In the aspect of the reader or appreciation, the usefulness of the poetry is ‘to be moved (感動) and to act subsequently (感發)’. The unique poetic mode of expression is one of the most effective instruments in conveying the earnest emotion of a person; poetic expression moves one’s mind, and brings out the transformation of thought and actions on an ethical level. By reading an allegorical or encouraging poetry, one becomes enlightened; should a ruler acts upon reading the allegorical poetry, a country might be saved. In short, the author’s intentions in writing – ’to teach (世敎)’ – could be materialized in ‘being moved (感動)’ and ’being pushed to act (感發)’. Such perspective on the usefulness of poetry has influenced the specific criteria of literary criticism in Tonginsihua. Throughout Tonginsihua, works with the messages of loyalty, patriotism and love for the people, and allegory were highly rated. It is revealed that theme of a poem is prioritized over the elegance of its expressions, and sometimes only the message of a poem is sported without commenting on the expressive side of the work. Also, pros and cons of a certain poetry are discussed centering on their connotations, and an emphasis is placed on the usefulness of the allegorical poetry. Next, the inquiry moves on to examine the bases for differentiating between renewals (點化) and imitation (蹈襲) of references, which has been a long time subject of debate in academia when discussing the arguments on yongsa (用事, using reference) presented in Tonginsihua. Successfully using an existing phrase while adding sophistication to expression and producing a new meaning constitutes a renewal, whereas a failed attempt constitutes an imitation. Sŏ Gŏ-jŏng differentiates the two in accords to these general standards; however, he applied relatively ‘lax’ standards to the works with messages of satire, encouragement, loyalty, and love for the people - which are beneficial in ‘teaching’ - and rated highly the works that showcased outstanding expressions and the usefulness of the teaching. Also, he argued that works by poets like Ch’oi Hae (崔瀣), who have great character, need not be concerned on whether they are a renewal or an imitation. This is an instance in which the thematic aspect – the implications of the theme - had been applied to the fullest. One of the main creative objective of Tonginsihua was to raise the stature of literature. To fulfill the aim of the Guo Feng (國風) and contribute to teaching was the ideal of literature shared by bureaucrat writers of the early Chosŏn period. Tonginsihua is a work which actualized such ideas in literary criticism. While the criteria of criticism which Sŏ Gŏ-jŏng employs on renewal/imitation may seem arbitrary, when bearing in mind that such criteria are based on the thematic aspects centering on the usefulness of teaching/moving, a structurality of some extent can be found. This provides important grounds in reevaluating the value of Tonginsihua as a professional literary criticism.

THE STUDY OF THE EASTERN CLASSIC, 2019

The Research of the Korean Classic, 2021

This study explores the problem of “name (myŏng, 名)” in Pak Chiwŏn’s prose works Sŏn’gyultanggi (蟬橘堂記), Kwanjaegi (觀齋記), Palsŭngamgi (髮僧庵記), and Yŏngjaejipsŏ (泠齋集序). While Sŏn’gyultanggi discusses the emptiness and constraints of names, it also expects that they will induce efforts to discover the “true form” of the things themselves. Kwanjaegi observes how all things, from the self(ah, 我) to the name(myŏng, 名), change and die through the teaching of “obediently receiving and conveying.” While both works talk about the emptiness of names, they paradoxically also demonstrate their possibilities. Moreover, Palsŭngamgi highlights the contradictory existential condition of humans’, particularly literary intellectuals, ceaseless attempts to make a name for themselves, while Yŏngjaejipsŏ explores what this means through literature. The analysis can also be contrasted with Pak’s political treatise Myŏngnon (名論) in which he describes how the property of pursuing fame, that is, making a name for oneself, is a fundamental element that decides human action. In sum, the aforementioned works do not refute the making of names and making a name for oneself, but reflect Pak’s anxieties regarding such actions. Within his strong repudiation and doubt, he indirectly expresses the possibilities and necessity of leaving a name behind through humor, concealment, reversal, and twists.

남명학연구 (The Nammyonghak Study), 2014

Hong Hyun-joo(洪顯周), a person of the Poongsan(豊山) Hong(洪) clan which was a representative Kyounghwa sejok(京華世族) of the 19th century Joseon, was a poet who played an important role in Joseon poetical circles and social intercourse with the Qing literary men. This paper will discuss the development of his Buddhistic thought appeared in his poems in an attempt to examine his overall literary world. Hong Hyun-joo became a son-in-law of King Jeong- jo(正祖) at the age of 12. He tried to overcome his inner conflict caused by his status of a son-in-law of the king through the way of contemplating his own destiny. Also, the relation with Shin Wui(申緯) lead him to be interested in Buddhism. In his thirties, Hong Hyun-joo was drawn to the teaching of Buddha by understanding of illusion, which led to his recognition of the frailty of human life. He would overcome a feeling of vanity through the idea of emptiness(空), and as a result, in his forties, he wrote many poems in which the ecstasy(法悅) from learning the idea of emptiness was described. It is found that he reached the stage of self-satisfaction which means he could recognize his place as a paradise, starting in his fifties. In conclusion, this process of overcoming inner conflict through the teaching of Buddha and acquiring the self-contented attitude can be said as an important aspect of Hong Hyun-joo’ poems. Furthermore, this analysis can provide an example of the 19th Kyounghwa sejok’s way of accepting Buddhism and using it in writing.

The Comments on the Korean Classical Texts, 2020

This paper analyzes Yang Ju-dong(1903~1977)’s research on the Korean classical poetry, focusing on its contexts of the ‘Korean Parnassus’ group in the late Japanese colonial period of Korea, from the late 1930s to the early 1940s. At the time of the second Sino-Japanese war, writers of “Munjang”, a popular coterie magazine founded in 1939, tried to ‘invent’ the language and literature of Joseon(Korea). Yang Ju-dong’s research on the Korean classical poetry, particularly interested in lexicology of ancient Korean language and literature, were related to such tendency of Munjang and its writers at that time. Concerning the discourse of ‘Korean classical literature’, Yang ju-dong conceived double boundaries of the Korean classical literature, the diachronic ‘past’ and the spatial ‘Korea=Orient.’ By fusing these concepts of time and space, he organized a singular ‘function’ of space-time of the Korean literature, that the Korean classical literature was valuable because it came from the past(classical antiquity), which meant it preserved Korean=Oriental aesthetics very well. These imagined boundaries and their function relied on two inventions. The first was the invention of the continuity of Korean language, from the language of Silla dynasty to the modern Korean. The second was the invention of the genealogical extension of Korean language toward Manchurian or Mongolian, based on the hypothesis of ‘Ural-Altaic language family.’ It seems that Yang ju-dong’s research internalized, to a certain degree, the logic of Japanese Imperialism, especially on its Orientalism or direction of ‘post/anti-westernization.’ To quote Homi Bhabha’s words, however, the invention of Yang ju-dong’s research can be analyzed as ‘resistance,’ because it interpellated Joseon(Korea), which was completely eliminated, into the Japanese imperialistic initiative of ‘Greater East Asia’, and therefore, implied “the signs of cultural difference and reimplicate them within the ‘deferential relations’ of colonial power.”

한국학논집 (Keimyung Korean Studies Journal), 2019

This study examines the use of premodern Korean and classical Chinese Poetry in the Korean webtoon Kadamhangsŏl (Alleyway Rumors) and their significance. It first observes the role literature and language play in its world, and then dives into the significance of Kadamhangsŏl by examining specific examples of the poetry used in this piece. Premodern Korean and classical Chinese Poetry is an integral element of the series’ world, where language and literature, the oral and written word, carry significance weight. Brief and refined language has the power to change one’s state, while the ability to create and comprehend text is linked to carving seals and creating defenses. Thus, these abilities end up in deciding the power of the series’ characters. The use of premodern Korean and classical Chinese poetry can be divided into three categories: first, poetry is used as examples of refined language imbued with powerful magic. Poems and verses are quoted based on the ‘desires’ of the speakers in the texts, with their concise and metaphorical style carrying great power. Second, these texts are used as plot devices, with the quoted examples often representing the characters’ mindsets or character development by expanding the scope of their meaning. Third, the texts are used to show the power and role language and literature play in the setting and theme of the series. The use of classical literature by the series is significant due to the following: first, the quoted texts are deeply tied to the basic premise of the ‘power of language and literature’. Second, it uses them effectively by quoting texts widely taught in school curricula. It does not change the texts nor make wild interpretations of them, using them according to the context to strenghthen the series’ plot and themes. As a piece of popular art, Kadamhangsŏl is an interesting example of using classical content. This study’s analysis presents new possibilities for such content, while also demonstrating how classical content can raise the quality and distinctiveness of popular art.

한민족어문학 (Hanminjok Emunhak), 2022

This research approaches the elegies (哀悼詩) of Yongjae Yi Haeng, en route to reading his classical Chinese poetry. There are 101 verses under 63 titles of elegies in Yongjaejip; most of these poems are mansi (挽詩; condolatory poetry), and are entitled “∼ mansa (挽詞; condolatory words)” or “gok (哭; mourning) ∼”. First, main texts of the elegies are categorized and probed in three. First are the poems that deal with bitter deaths during sahwa (士禍; the purge of literati); a sense of strong resentment on the unfair deaths that makes one question the Heaven’s way flows throughout these works. The expressions seek to emphasize the noble nature of the dead, or accurately describe the experiences during sahwa. Second are the poems that feature praise on the dead’s contributions written after Chungjong’s Restoration to Righteous Governance. Here, the writer displays an official attitude-stressing what kind of loss one‘s death brought to the king and the country, and to the people and the literati. Also, in elegies written for an acquaintance about their family member, Yi Haeng lauds the virtue of the passed and the prosperity of the family. Third are the poems about distinguished features and memories of personal connections. These poems are especially valuable in their authenticity and originality. Next, the aim of Yi Haeng‘s elegies are discussed in two aspects, with the first being the expressions of personal grief—which is especially visible on elegies about his friends. Yi Haeng expressed his sorrows through lamenting his loneliness after all his friends have left. Second is the emphasis on the good fortune and the achievements of the family’s trade. He consoles the passed by saying that their descendants would benefit from their virtues, and that an outstanding heir would assume the family’s trade. While this corresponds to the universal view on life and death based on Confucian values, Yi Haeng actively uses it to overcome the sense of meaninglessness in his elegies. This idea adds a temperate and peaceful aesthetic to his elegies. The unique historical situation called Kapchasahwa (The Kapcha[1504] Purge of Literati) endowed Yi Haeng‘s elegies with distinctive trait, setting them apart from the authors of different periods. The sense of loss and loneliness from losing mates is a sentiment that pierces through his literature in general; further discussions are warranted on what meaning the accomplishments of Yi Haeng’s elegies have on the history of literature in early Chosŏn. Special attention should be paid in deliberating how the real life context of sahwa is related to the literature and consciousness of the people of then.

The Research of the Korean Classic, 2022

This study aims to review the brush talks and poetry exchanges included in the 18th century travel journals produced by the T’ongsinsa (通信使, the Chosŏn envoy to Tokugawa Japan) of 1711 and 1719. First, the brush talks from the T’ongsinsa travel journals of each era were examined. The T’ongsinsa of 1711 produced three different records. Cho Tae’ŏk’s Tongsarok includes exchanged poetry—95 verses under 74 titles. Im Sukwan’s Tongsailgi contains an independent account of brush talk titled Kangguanp’iltam, while Kim Hyŏnmun’s Tongsarok only documented significant episodes from the brush talks and poetry exchanges. Regarding the T’ongsinsa of 1719, the letters exchanged while negotiating diplomatic procedures were included in Haesaillok by Hong Ch’ijung. Chung Hukyo‘s Pusanggihaeng, in its diary portion, provided summarized accounts of the brush talks and poetry exchanges that took place in each era, and then provided 74 verses of exchanged poetry and 11 verses of original rhymes written by the Japanese. Sin Yuhan’s Haeyurok contains nearly 70 entries in diary, and Munkyŏnjapnok provides 36 accounts of brush talks and poetry exchange, showing a clear difference from the records produced in the previous era. Three aspects of the inclusion of the brush talk in these travel journals—produced by the T’ongsinsa of 1711 and 1719—are noteworthy. First, the T’ongsinsa travel journals of this period include more accounts of brush talks, as more such talks were held then. Second, people were becoming more open to the idea of leaving records of the brush talks. The term “brush talk” (筆談) appears frequently in the travel journals of this era, implying its increased recognition as a mode of communication that could be distinguished from the spoken word. Such notion led to a greater focus on “what was being said” in the brush talks than the mere fact that they occurred. The third aspect relates to the characteristics of narrative style. There are two stylistic characteristics apparent in 18th century brush talks in T’ongsinsa travel journals: recapitulation and reproduction of conversation. The former was widely used in T’ongsinsa travel journals of this era, while the latter was partly employed in Pusanggihaeng, and openly utilized in Haeyurok. Haeyurok in particular strategically employed the records of the brush talks in relations to the purpose of writing his travel journal—an important characteristic succeeded by the travel journals of later eras, including Wŏn Chunggŏ’s Sŭingsarok. The most crucial trait of the records of brush talks in 18th century T’ongsinsa travel journals is that an active consciousness formed regarding the utility of “brush talks” as a means of communication, and that its end product came to be employed as an object “worth documenting.” These findings may well be given consideration when examining the accounts of brush talks from Chosŏn envoys’ travel journals produced in later periods.

Ceolhag (Han'gug ceolhaghoe), 2022