신동엽의 시편 ‘하늘’ 의미와 동학사상 = Shin Dong-Yeop’s Poem ‘Heaven’ and the philosophy of Donghak

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper explores the relationship between the poetry of Shin Dong-Yeop and the philosophy of Donghak, focusing on the themes of Sicheonju (the belief in the divine within oneself) and Innaecheon (the belief that humans are the heavens). It reveals how Shin Dong-Yeop’s poem “Heaven” embodies the existential consciousness of humanism through the lens of Donghak, a philosophy not tied to religious dogma but rather supporting the idea of a self-reliant nation and its people. Shin Dong- Yeop’s engagement with Donghak provides a foundation for his literary works, where the spirit of Sicheonju, represented by the universal god Hanulnim, is a recurring motif. His poetry reflects the belief that the divine resides within each person and that humans themselves embody the heavens, blending the concepts of Sicheonju and Innaecheon. This study highlights how Shin Dong-Yeop’s poetry, especially his focus on “Heaven,” serves as a linguistic embodiment of the divine energy of Hanulnim, which he venerates.
Previous research has shown that Shin Dong-Yeop’s vision of an ideal society through Donghak manifests in his poetry as a form of human enlightenment. This reflects a literary response to the demands of the times and presents Donghak as a philosophy of resistance against the prevailing reality. While past studies have identified traces of Donghak philosophy in about ten of Shin Dong-Yeop’s poems, this paper argues that his work is fundamentally rooted in Donghak, not just through direct references to its motifs, events, or subjects but in its very essence.
This paper aims to expand and refine the existing scholarly discourse around Donghak by focusing on its representation in Shin Dong-Yeop’s texts, mainly through the lens of the Innaecheon philosophy. It categorizes the portrayal of Innaecheon in Shin Dong-Yeop’s “Heaven” into three aspects: a pantheistic salvation consciousness, a belief in the inherent equality and value of all life, and a historical and future-oriented human dignity. Through these, the study seeks to broaden the understanding of Donghak’s core concept of “Heaven” within the poetic works of Shin Dong-Yeop.