Majority of current studies on Sameuidang’s literature have been completed through the edited and published versions. However, a comparison between the transcribed and the published version suggests that Sameuidang’s initial works have been altere...
Majority of current studies on Sameuidang’s literature have been completed through the edited and published versions. However, a comparison between the transcribed and the published version suggests that Sameuidang’s initial works have been altered by the editor’s intentions. In this context, a thorough analysis on Sameuidang and her works must be conducted so as to build a concrete clear foundation for research. To this aim, this study conducted a textual criticism to examine and compare how the transcribed and published works of Sameuidang have been created and handed down. The transcribed version of Sameuidanggo is seen to have been produced by an initial transcription followed by another transcription that created the title and identified an appropriate spot to place the work. Meanwhile, the edited version was created by compiling individual works under a series of literature with specific categories. Transcribed and published works can be differentiated from many aspects, which include: arrangement of poems, title of poems, whether or not the poem is part of a series, assumed time of creation, original language and tone of poem, intention of the transcriber and editor, etc. A review on these differences indicate the transcribed version to be more identical to the initial version while the published version went through alterations of the editor. Hence, in conducting research on Sameuidang’s literature, it is essential to regard the transcribed works as primary focus for study and the published versions secondary. However, most studies regarding Sameuidang’s works have been conducted through the lens of the published versions, which can lead to misinterpretations. This study hopes to contribute to the development of a critique on Sameuidanggo. Furthermore, this study hopes to shed light to the work of verifying the authenticity of Sameuidang and her work Sameuidanggo.