This study is to focus on the world of poetry and the historical poetic value of Cho Jung Park Je-ga , one of the most famous poetical critics and a poet himself. He had led the late Josun intellectual society with reformative and innovative minds. An...
This study is to focus on the world of poetry and the historical poetic value of Cho Jung Park Je-ga , one of the most famous poetical critics and a poet himself. He had led the late Josun intellectual society with reformative and innovative minds. And as the inspector of archive of Kyujang-gak, he took a great part on giving effects on King Jeongjo's 'Knowledge Management' policy and interchanging intellectual and private trades between Josun and Ching Dynasty. To look carefully at the world of his poetry, his life is divided into three periods: the early years, the middle years, and the late years. It is because his world of poetry changed by what his life track and interests has changed. Especially, each of「燕京雜絶」, 「懷人詩」, 「愁州客詞」are the representative works of Chojung.
Most of his early works talks about the sensitivity of young Chojung, containing his unfortunate and indignant years. And his righteous wrath indicates his virtuous ideals and positive thoughts that has been arose to get over isolation and rage. All of these was directly related to the intention of elegant and unworldly life. Chojung has born varieties of works that shows his keen insight and vital sensibility, but the most representative works are related with "novelness(新奇)". It is only due to Chojung's original and novel idea, and it takes a place in the history of 18th century sino-korean poetry, too.
His first experience as a retinue in 1778 and as an inspector of archive in 1779 influenced his life and thoughts deeply. In spite of class limitations, it was a great chance of entry in the bureaucracy for him to radiate his discretion freely. In his early years of inspector of archive, his works were at the summit of his prosperity. But once he have suffered from too much works and lost his presence of mind, his inner conflict became swelled out and he felt helplessness and frustration which entirely appears in his poetry in that period.
Chojung Park Je-ga had been traveled China four times. He learned 北學思想 through these trips and then these trips became turning point to his life and literature. Early Chojung's works included thrill of butterflies and curiosity about envoys. Also he was concerned about history and territories of Kogurye and Balhea dynasty and he experienced history of Josun dynasty about passing space. Futhermore he commented history of China in point of realistic view. This retinue experience wasn't just a trip to him, but it was a history experience of finding the I and the Others' and was a way to self-renewal.
After his third experience of visit to China, Chojung left his memories and sceneries of the trip in 140 poems of 「燕京雜絶」. He expressed his will to accept the Ching civilization which he thought to be derived from an advanced science culture and institution of convenience and utility. But this doesn't say that he insisted to accept everything they have. He reexamined the Ching civilization in an objective, reasonable, and critical attitude. Although there were many informations and reports about the Ching culture in that period, nothing is sensuously and strongly described more than Chojung's 「燕京雜絶」.
「懷人詩」, which deals with not only Josun but also Ching and Japanese literary artists, follows the tradition of poetry and creative intention of Chinese writers, but it comprehends the contemporary academic trends and encourages Josun learning these trends. Chojung's verse style was constantly adopted and followed by many scholars that time.
In works in the early exile period, Chojung's personal conflict about his situation of being an exile. After he gained some internal peace and mental composure, he started a overall investigation on geographic feature and history of Bukkwan area. This was a kind of acceptance of the exile as his own fate and Chojung wanted to improve reality positively. The 79 poems of 「愁州客詞」is the representative work of this period. This reported what he had seen in the place of exile, and he especially focused on border problems which gave 「愁州客詞」an important state not only as a valuable historical material but also as a essential part of Buksae(北塞) Literature.