1. Preface
A study on Suh-po was begun in earnest from the notes on the Ku-woon-mong by Dr. Lee Ga-won April, 1955. Publishing notes on the Ku-woon-mong by Prof. Lee Myung-ku, July in 1955 and a study on Suh-po by me in 1959, a study on Suh-pa has be...
1. Preface
A study on Suh-po was begun in earnest from the notes on the Ku-woon-mong by Dr. Lee Ga-won April, 1955. Publishing notes on the Ku-woon-mong by Prof. Lee Myung-ku, July in 1955 and a study on Suh-po by me in 1959, a study on Suh-pa has been hastened from Korean Independence from Japan. The following are essays on Suh-po. Written in the order of the times;
(1) Notes on Nam-jung-ki(南征記論攷) in 1963.
(國語國文學 通卷 26號 丁奎福)
(2) A study on Sa-shi-nam-jung-ki in 1966.
(韓國 古典文學의 理論, 正音社, 全圭泰)
(3) A study on the Ku-woon-mong's thought in 1967.
(亞細亞硏究 No.4, 丁奎福)
(4) A study on the Ku-woon-mong in 1968.
(國文學硏究 第6輯, 金炳國)
(5) A study on the Background of the Ku-woon-mong's Thought in 1970. (東亞出版社, 朴晟義)
(6) Comparative Literary Study on the Ku-woon-mong in 1970.
(高大論文 集16輯, 丁奎福)
(7) Notes on the Ku-woon-mong in 1969.
(韓國 小說硏究中에서 宣明文化社, 李在秀)
The above mentioned essays have their own opinion But they are wanting in studying Suh Po extensively.
Throughoughout a criticism on the author Suh Po, his background, thought, and works, some scholars treat throughly a sphere.
Though Sa-shi-nam-jung-ki and the wu-moon-mong are written by same author, they say the latter is superior to the former in value and criticism. Prof. Chung's study on Sa-shi-nam-jung-ki, comparative study on the Ku-woon-mong, a study on a root of narration, a study on different copies of Suh Po's works give the learned circles much attention. And the mental analytical study on the Ku-woon-mong by Kim-byung-kook is a fine idea More over his attempt of new methodology is also excellent merits.
A study on the thought's background in the Ku-Woon-Mong by Prof. Park-sung-eu is not only a merit of him in seeking a sphere, but his Third Dogmatics of unity makes clear of his opinion.
The analysis on the Ku-woon-mong by Dr. Lee-jae-su and Prof. Chun Kyu Jae is very elaborate and systematical.
2. Suh-Po's Life and Character
I'm going to cast a look at dignity and family line of Suh Po Kim Man Jung, unforgettable being in the history of Korean literature. Kim Man Jung named. Jung Sook as his other name had the pen name of Suh-Po and Moon Hyo given by King Sook-jong while he had lived a checkered career for fifty six years since he was born in 1637, He who was born as a descendant of the Kwang-san-Kims had grand-grand father, Kim Chang-saeng named the pen-name of Sa Gye, and father named Ik Gyum.
His eldest brother, Sub-suk Man-kee, was father of queen In Gyung, and the governer Han Yu Ryang was his father-in-law.
The premier Yoon Du Soo, the late premier Bang whose pen-name given by king was Moon-ik, at that time, was grand father of his mother. Sin Ghee, king's son-in-law was father of his mother, and the princess Chung Hye who was daughter of King Suok-jong was mother of his mother. His maternal grandfather named Chee was home minister at that time, but his father Ik Gyum died for king while he was staying in Kang Hwa Island, where is his home.
At that time Suh Po, Kim-man-jung, was in the period of maternity, and his elder brother, Man Kee, five years old.
His mother always kept house for Mrs. Hong, who was her grand-mother, and she helped her father, who had no son, as if she had been son of her grand-parents' home. Her grand-father failed to think of his son owing to his daughter's duty to him, and he often told not only was always glad whenever he told with his grand-daughter, but he was a great-teacher of his home if she had been a son.
As her grand-father was always proud of her, Man-jung had a great mother, but he was always father in his mind while following his mother's stern teachings with his elder brother Man-kee.
And of his eldest brother's five sons Chin Ku and Chin Kyu were high and distinguished officials at that ttime, and they received the most stipend, but Chin Ku was banished to Che Ju island, Chin Kyu to Keu Jae island, when Suh Po was exiled to Nam-Hae island owing to Kee Sa year's political change. In that state rather than he ate humble pie, Suh-pa made stubbornly other attempt with redoubled effarts while exiling in Nam Hae Island. Sub-pa sent a secret letter to Choon-tack, Chin Ku's Son in Seoul, to restore the Suh In Party's rights.
After then Choon Tack was also banished to Che Ju Island on the suspicion of slaying King Kyung-jong.
At any rate even though he was endowed a great descent, Suh-Po couldn't over come his flexible home state alone. Though he led an obscure life as a politican, he lived firmly, as a writer, than any other writer in oriental history.
3. Sa shi-nam-jung-ki & the Ku-woon-mong
Suh Po wrote the two great works, Sa-shi-nan-jung-ki & the Ku Won Mong. But they have the different continents, in spite of the novels by same author.
Putting in prison, Suh Po wrote Sa-shi-nam-jung-ki with eager attempt for the restoration of the Suh In Party To appreciate the theme of Sa-shi-nam-jung-ki properly, we should not place it under the category of general home fiction's theme.
The theme of Home troubles in Nam-jung-ki can be found in many novels during Lee dynasty.
It is often called exposing, satirical novel with moral purpose, for it was written to make King Sook-jong repent Sub Po's exiling. Therefore it is not the conflict of the previous wife, but a novel with deep purpose for nation, peoples, administrative power and family power.
The Ku-woon-mong is not only the last accumulation of Suh-po's sweat and blood, but the theme of it is the mental task which keeps understanding and comment of him.
Being sceptic in life, he was indulged in Confucious & Fairy thoughts. Those novels are perhaps a kind of reduced copy which examines Suh-po's vision.
What on earth is the mental principle of Suh-po? It is real combination of his view of life & religion which led the second dimension world into the first dimension world.
Suh-Po expected to be well up in both literary and military arts and to live happily, and then not only he denied woman's independence but he accepted the class-conciousness of conventional feudal-society and polygamy. Joy and sorrow of life being an empty dream, Suh Po's Ku-woon-mong is the only nihilistic thought which his view of life & religion is united into the first dimension world from the second dimension world
4. Conclusion
Suh Po was born poor, learned confucious, and finally he failed in participating in the politic. As a writer he wrote 「Nam-jung-ki」 and 「the Ku-woon-mong」 Being sceptic in life, he was indulged in Confucious and Fairy thoughts.
Those novels is a kind of reduced copy which examines Suh-po's thought. Throughout them we can find Suh-po's life, thought, and religion. Moreover it tells his fate.
Though there are many novelists, there are few writers who wrote the different works by same author. One is 「Nan-Jung-Ki」, and the other 「the Ku-woon-mong」. The former is written to carry out his purpose, the latter is written to express nihilistic thoughts. Therefore Suh-po have always the differant essences in his works. Suh-po has. that is, always both-sided valuation throughout his life. And then all of his works and thoughts always keep both bright and seamy sides on life. At last he finished his life in the both sides.
That is just the Suh-po's fate, art, and the end of his life.