This study researches the relationship between short writings of Late Joseon and Regimen. The basis of this research is the following: Huh Kyun's Hanjeongrok, the precursor of short writings of late Joseon period, which is mainly about artistry and pr...
This study researches the relationship between short writings of Late Joseon and Regimen. The basis of this research is the following: Huh Kyun's Hanjeongrok, the precursor of short writings of late Joseon period, which is mainly about artistry and preservation of health. Won Kwengdo, who was a major influence on the short writings of late Joseon, as well as Park Jiwon, Lee Dukmoo, Nam Gongchul also had great interest in the preservation of health.
Huh Kyun had suffered from diabetes, which is still an incurable disease. Lee Dukmoo was advised by a doctor to read the books on the preservation of health since he was frequently ill due to eye problems and intemperate surges. Park Jiwon suffered from depression, and Nam Gongchul was so ill that he had to ask doctor's advice on a daily basis. Their history of illness greatly influenced their taste in reading and lifestyle as well. Since short writings are largely related with daily life, it is reasonable for those who were frequently ill or who read many books on the preservation of health to write more on recuperation. For example, Huh Kyun wrote Lim-no-in-yang-saeng-seol(任老人養生說) and Byuk-gok-byun(辟穀辨). Park Jiwon wrote Kim-shin-seon-jeon(金神仙傳). Lee Dukmoo wrote Yi-mok-gu -shim-seo, which is about Moonsaeng, who made an effort to preserve his health and about Kim Honggi, who is the main character of Kim-shin-seon-jeon.
Hanjeongrok, a book mainly about artistry and preservation of health, influenced writers of short pieces during Late Joseon. "Bo-yang-ji" from Lim-won-shib-yuk-ji(林園十六志), is a very important literature on the relationship between short writings of Late Joseon and preservation of health. Lee Dukmoo wrote comments on each chapter of Poong-sok-go-hyub-jib(楓石鼓篋集), written by Seo Yoogu, who wrote the preface for Lee Dukmoo's Cheong-ryung-guk-ji(蜻蛉國志). Not only Lee Dukmoo and Seo Yoogu were friends, but also the contents of Lim-won-shib-yuk-ji which are inseparable from Yowha, Daewha, and Gansan like Byung-sa and Myung-san-gi. "Su-chin-yang-ro" chapter of "Bo-yang-ji" is aware of Su-chin-yang-ro-seo, which is closely related to nature excursion.
This study researches the relationship between short writing and preservation of health, focusing on the influence short writing made on Late Joseon writers and their works. In addition to finding the relationship, this research also aims to find out that these grafted flowers, aesthetic trees and nature excursions are not mere tastes but a style of recuperation by showing examples of Kim Yiman and Shin Jeongha, both active 50 years ahead of Park Jiwon. Byung-sa and Myung-san-gi provided momentum to get excited over Won Kwengdo's literature. The meaning of this study is to provide clues to expand the study area of short writings of Late Joseon back to late 17th century writers such as Kim Yiman and Shin Jeongha by showing connections like Byung-sa and Myung-san-gi. More research is needed in this area.