Korean Literature PDF

# Korean Literature ## Early Korean Literature - Early Korean literature was heavily influenced by Shamanism, Buddhism and Confucianism. - Began as an oral tradition. - Good was rewarded and evil was punished. - Values like loyalty to the King, filial piety, respect for ones elders, true friendshi...

# Korean Literature ## Early Korean Literature - Early Korean literature was heavily influenced by Shamanism, Buddhism and Confucianism. - Began as an oral tradition. - Good was rewarded and evil was punished. - Values like loyalty to the King, filial piety, respect for ones elders, true friendship and chastity were emphasized. - Korean writings were poems called hyangga. ## Goryeo Dynasty or Koryo - Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. - The name "Goryeo" is derived from "Goguryeo", one of the ancient Three Kingdoms of Korea, which changed its name to "Goryeo" during the reign of King Jangsu of Goguryeo (in the 5th century). - The English name "Korea" derives from "Goryeo." - Religion; Confucianism and Buddhism. - During Koryo period, hanshi, poem in Chinese characters developed to maturity, and toward the end of the dynasty, a new form of poetry called shijo gained wide acceptance. - Korean literature of the upper class, mostly written in classical Chinese was characterized by an emphasis on philosophic expositions on the Chinese classics, an art that was essential for government service, the only respectable avenue to success outside of teaching. ## Choson Dynasty - Also Choson, Choson, Chosun, Cho-sen, was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. - It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Dynasty at what is today the city of Kaesong. - The Choson period also saw a great outpouring of literature written in Han-gul which often centered on the concept that all men are equal and attacked social inequality, spurred by the introduction of Sirhak (Practical Learning) in the 17th century. - The shijo, a short three-line poem written in Han-gul (the Korean alphabet), remained popular throughout the Choson Dynasty. - The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean etiquette, cultural norms, societal attitudes towards current issues, and the modern Korean language and its dialects derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon. ## What is Shamanism? - Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to encounter and interact with the Spirit world. - A shaman is a person regarded as having access to, and influence in the world of benevolent and malevolent spirits, who typically enters into a trance state during a ritual, and practices divination and healing. ## What is Buddhism? - Buddhism is a religion indigenous to the Indian subcontinent that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs, and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as the Buddha (meaning "the awakened one" in Sanskrit and Pāli). ## What is Korean Buddhism? - Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. - When Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the 4th century CE, the Korean peninsula was politically subdivided into three kingdoms: Goguryeo in the north, Baekje in the southwest, and Silla in the southeast. There is concrete evidence of an earlier introduction of Buddhism than traditionally believed. ## Goguryeo - In 372, the monk Sundo(顺道, or Shundao in Chinese) was sent by Fu Jiān (苻堅) of Former Qin to the court of the King Sosurim of Goguryeo. He brought texts and statues with him and the Goguryeo royalty and their subjects quickly accepted his teachings. Buddhism in China was in a rudimentary form, consisting of the law of cause and effect and the search for happiness. ## Baekje - In 384, the Indian monk Marananta arrived in Baekje and the royal family received the similar strain of Buddhism he brought. King Asin proclaimed, "people should believe in Buddhism and seek happiness." In 526, the Baekje monk Gyeomik went directly to Central India and came back with a collection of Vinaya texts, accompanied by the Indian monk Paedalta. After returning to Baekje he translated the Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit into seventy-two volumes. The Vinaya School in Baekje was established by Gyeomik, about a century earlier than that of in China. As a result of the work, he is regarded as the father of Vinaya studies in Korea. ## Silla - Buddhism did not enter the kingdom of Silla until the 5th century. The common people were first attracted to Buddhism here, but there was resistance among the aristocrats. In 527, however, a prominent court official named Ichadon presented himself to King Pophung and announced he had become Buddhist. The king had him beheaded, but when the executioner cut off his head, it is said that milk poured out instead of blood. Paintings of this are in the temple at Haein-sa and a stone monument honoring his martyrdom is in the National Museum of Kyongju. - During the reign of the next king, King Chinhung, the growth of Buddhism was encouraged eventually being recognized as the national religion of Silla. - The monk Jajang (慈藏) is credited with having been a major force in the adoption of Buddhism as a national religion. Jajang is also known for his participation in the founding of the Korean sangha, a type of monastic community. - Another great scholar to emerge from the Silla Period was Won-hyo. - Buddhism was so successful during this period that many kings converted and cities/places were even renamed after famous places during the time of Buddha. ## What is Confucianism? - Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (孔夫子 Kong Fūzĭ, or K'ung-fu-tzu, lit. "Master Kong", 551-479 BC). Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han Dynasty. Following the abandonment of Legalism in China after the Qin Dynasty, Confucianism became the official state ideology of China, until it was replaced by the "Three Principles of the People" ideology with the establishment of the Republic of China, and then Maoist Communism after the ROC was replaced by the People's Republic of China in Mainland China. ## What is Korean Confucianism? - Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. One of the most substantial influences in Korean intellectual history was the introduction of Confucian thought as part of the cultural influence from China. Today the legacy of Confucianism remains a fundamental part of Korean society, shaping the moral system, the way of life, social relations between old and young, high culture, and is the basis for much of the legal system. Confucianism in Korea is sometimes considered a pragmatic way of holding a nation together without the civil wars and internal dissent that was inherited from the Goryeo dynasty, and before. ## Religion - A 2005 census showed half of the population actively practices religion. Among this group, Buddhism (43.0%), Protestantism (34.5%) and Catholicism (20.6%) comprise the three dominant religions. - The remaining 1.9% mostly practice Confucianism; Shamanism; Isam and Chondogyo (Heavenly Way), an indigenous religion. | Religion | People | |---|---| |Buddhism|10,726,463| |Protestantism|8,616,438| | Catholicism|5,146,147| |Won-Buddhism|129,907| |Confucianism|104,575| |Cheondogyo|45,835| |Others|201,401| ## Traditional - Korean literature shows a significant difference before and after Western influences. In the pre-Western period, literature was influenced by Shamanism, Buddhism and Confucianism. - Under these influences, individuals accepted the status quo and had a fatalistic view of life. - Early literature depicted a love of nature and man and held that nature and man are one. - Another special aspect of the early period of Korean literature was that it began as an oral tradition. - Therefore, many literary works, also tales and legends sung or spoken by the ancestors of various Korean tribes, were presented at tribal rites, religious festivals, sacrifices and political gatherings. - Influenced by social norms morals and customs, in Korean literature good is rewarded and evil is punished. - Early literature stresses behaviour patterns like loyalty to the king, filial piety, respect for seniors, true friendship and chastity of women. ## Modern: - After western influences, modern Korean literature has shown dissent both political and moral, and has deviated from traditionally restricted subject matters to encompass varied themes. - The first Korean writing was produced in the Shilla Kingdom in the 8th century. ## The Character of Korean Literature - Korean literature is usually divided chronologically into a classical and a modern period. - But the basis for such a division is still being questioned. - Great reforms swept Korea after the mid-19th century as its society actively absorbed Western things. - Korea's classical literature developed against the backdrop of traditional folk beliefs of the Korean people; it was also influenced by Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. - Modern literature of Korea, developed out of its contact with Western culture, following the course of modernization. - "New Education" and the "National Language" and "Literature Movement" developed. - **Han-gul - Korean script ** - Korean literature extends over a broad territory: literature recorded in Chinese; and literature written in Han-gul. - **Shinsosol - "new novel" ** - **Ch'anggok** - Music and classical poetry, formerly fused together in a kind of a song - Linguistic expression and manner of transmission are issues of utmost importance in the overall understanding of Korean literature. - Korean literature in Chinese was created when Chinese characters were brought to Korea. - In the Koryo and Choson cultures, Chinese letters were central to Koreans' daily lives. - The use of the Korean script began during the Choson period with the creation of the Korean alphabet (Hunmin Chong-um). - The creation of the Korean alphabet in the 15th century was a crucial turning point in Korea's literary history. - Korean script made possible the broadening of the literary field to include women and commoners. - The Korean script (Han-gul) assumed its place of leading importance in Korean literature only during the latter half of the 19th century. - As soon as the linguistic duality of "Chinese" and "Native" within Korean life was overcome, literature in the Korean script became the foundation upon which the national literature developed. ## Korea's Classical Literature ### Hyangga from the Shilla period - The Hyangga poetry of the Shilla period signaled the beginning of a unique poetic form in Korean literature. - The Hyangga were recorded in the hyangch'al script, in which the Korean language was written using "sound" (um) and "meaning" (hun) of Chinese characters. - Fourteen poems in the Hyangga style from the Shilla period have been preserved in the Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). - This poetic form was passed down to the Koryo Dynasty, and 11 poems from that period are preserved in the Kyunyojon (Tales of Kyunyo). - 4-line, 8-line, and 10-line poems. - It is difficult to make general determinations about the personalities of the Hyangga poets. But it is thought that the 4-line poems with their ballad-like attributes may indicate that the poets came from a broad range of backgrounds. ## The Koryo Kayo (Koryo Songs) - The literature of the Koryo period is marked by an increased use of Chinese letters, the disappearance of Hyangga, and the emergence of Koryo kayo (Koryo songs) which continued to be transmitted as oral literature until the Choson period. - The new poetic form introduced by writers of the Koryo period was the Koryo kayo called pyolgok. - The identities of most of the Koryo kayo authors are unknown. - The songs were orally transmitted; only later in the Choson period were they recorded using the Korean script (Han-gul). - The Koryo Kayo are characterized by increased length and a free and undisciplined form. - The bold, direct nature of the songs make them distinctive. - They deal with the real world of humankind. But because the songs were transmitted orally over a long period and recorded only after the beginning of the Choson period, there is a strong possibility that they have been partially altered. ## Shijo and Kasa - The creation of the Korean alphabet in the early Choson period was one of the turning points in the history of Korean literature. - In the process of creating the Korean alphabet (Han-gul) and investigating its practicality, akchang (musical scores) were written in the Korean script, such as Yongbioch'bon-ga (Songs of Flying Dragons Through the Heavens) which celebrates the foundation of the Choson Dynasty(1392-1910), and which is complete with musical notation and instrumentation. - The shijo ("current tune") is representative of Choson period poetry. Its poetic form was established in the late Koryo period, but it flourished to a greater extent under the Choson period's new leading ideology, Song Neo-Confucianism. - The fact that a majority of the shijo poets were well versed in Confucianism, and that these poems of the late Koryo and early Choson periods for the most part dealt with the theme of loyalty, helps us to understand the historical function of the shijo. ## Korean Historical Timeline |Period|Years| |---|---| |Ancient Koguryo|37 BC-AD668| |Ancient Shilla|57BC-AD668| |Koryo Period|918-1392| |Ko Choson|2333 BC| |Paekche|18 BC-AD660| | Unified Shilla|668-935| |Choson Period|1392-1910| |Japanense Invasion|1910-1945| |Korea|1923-| |Korean War|1950-1953| ## Prose - Korean prose literature can be divided into narratives, fiction, and literary miscellany. - Narratives include myths, legends, and folktales found in the written records. - The most important myths are those concerning the Sun and the Moon, the founding of Korea by Tangun, and the lives of the ancient kings. - The legends touch on place and personal names and natural phenomena. - The folktales include stories about animals; ogres, goblins, and other supernatural beings; kindness rewarded and evil punished; and cleverness and stupidity. ## Fiction - Korean fiction can be classified in various ways. - There is fiction written in Chinese and that written in Korean. - There are the short works of one volume, "medium" works of about 10 volumes, and long works of more than 10 volumes. - There are works of yangban writers and those of common writers. - From the 17th century onwards, fiction became increasingly popular and more readily available through book rental schemes. - **Geumo Sinhwa** (New stories from Mount Geumo) by Kim Si-seup) - The first known classical work of Korean fiction - It was written in Chinese characters. - In the mid-Joseon period, parable-like stories were published. - By the end of the Joseon period, many writers had started to deviate from the orthodox conventions of classical Chinese literature, and literature about common people such as merchants, thieves, or gisaeng were commonplace. ## Oral literature - Oral literature includes all texts that were orally transmitted from generation to generation until the invention of Hangul (han'gul)--ballads, legends, mask plays, puppet-show texts, and p'ansori ("story singing") texts. - Orally transmitted texts are categorized as ballads and are classified according to singer (male or female), subject matter (prayer, labour, leisure), and regional singing style (capital area, western, and southern). - The songs of many living performers, some of whom have been designated as "intangible national treasures" by the South Korean government, are still being recorded. - Legends include all those folk stories handed down orally and not recorded in any of the written records. - The final type of folk literature is found in the texts of p'ansori of the Yi dynasty. - The texts evolved gradually from the legends, which provided their sources and were altered and expanded as they were passed from one performer to another. ## The early Joseon period - Yongbi eocheonga (hangul: 용비어천가, hanja: 龍飛御天歌) literally means "Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven". - It was compiled during the reign of Sejong the Great as an official recognition of the Joseon dynasty and its ancestral heritage as the forerunners of Joseon, the Golden Age of Korea. - This compilation was the first piece of Korean text to depart from a long history reliant on Chinese characters and be recorded in Hangul, the first and official alphabet of Korea. - Themes in addition to the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty: - linear events that took place in China - the apotheosis of virtuous Kings proceeding the fall of the Goryeo Dynasty - Confucian political and philosophical ideologies of the era in rejection to Buddhism - Each of the poems included in the work convey deep-seated feelings of nationalism and a proud proclamation of cultural independence from the Mongol empire. ## The late Joseon period - Modern Korean literature developed against the background of the Joseon Dynasty's fall. - This first period of modern Korean literature is often called "enlightenment". - This period was to a large extent influenced by the 1894 Gabo Reforms which introduced Western-style schools and newspapers emerged. - Many biographical works were published in the late Joseon period where the main character was often depicted as a hero. - **Jayusi** - formation of modern free verse poetry. ## Modern literature - Modern Korean literature gradually developed under the influence of Western cultural contacts based on trade and economic development. - The first printed work of fiction in Korean was John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (in Korean: 천로역정 Cheonno-yeokjeong), translated by James Scarth Gale (1893). - Christian religion found its way into Korea culminating in the first complete edition of the Bible in Korean published in 1910. - Mostly Western aesthetic schools that influenced Korean literature. - Music and classical poetry, formerly considered one as part of changgok, were increasingly perceived as old-fashioned and out of date. - Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which helped increase working class literacy rates. - Hangul it reached its peak of popularity in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major renaissance. Sinsoseol, for instance, are novels written in hangul. ## Colonial Period - During Colonial Korea (1910–1945), free speech and the press were restricted, thus influencing the literature of the time. - Many expressions of the late Joseon period, with their focus on self-reliance and independence, were no longer possible. - With the Samil Movement in 1919 came a new form of Korean literature. - Many writers exhibited a more positive attitude, trying to cope with the national situation at the time. - Literature focused on self-discovery, and increasingly on concrete reality. - Many novels of the time experimented with new literary styles and techniques. - In 1919 Kim Tong-in and Kim Hyok founded a literary magazine, Changjo (창조 Creation) marking the starting point of contemporary Korean literature. - The literary magazines which appeared during the 1920s and 1930s laid the basis for the future development of modern Korean literature. - Almost all of these magazines were ordered to discontinue publication in the 1940s as the Japanese tightened their grip with the spread of their aggressive war to the Pacific and all of Southeast Asia. - Many novels of the 1920s centered around themes of the suffering of intellectuals. - The lives of farmers were often depicted as pathetic. - As the Japanese government strengthened ideological coercion during the 1930s, Korean literature was directly affected.