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A Study of Literature by the End of Japanese Rule: Kwangsoo Lee's Yukjanggi

  • Chunwon Research journal
  • Abbr : Chunwon Research journal
  • 2017, (11), pp.125-171
  • Publisher : Chunwon Research Society
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature > Korean Literature

Min, Byung- Jin 1

1삼육대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

“Yukjanggi(鬻庄記)” is a confessional letter in which Chunwon set up Hongjidong cabin outside of Jahamun in August 1934, dwelt there for six years, and sold the house. This essay was released in Munjang magazine in September 1939. He was under pressure on the ground that his mental fulcrum Dosan Ahn Changho was arrested for the reason of bombing attack by Yun Bong-gil and incarcerated at Daejeon detention center. He wrote that the year 1934 was “one of my despairing days in my life” due to the death of his son on February 1934 and the sudden death of Doctor Kim Changse who shared joy and sorrow in the provisional government at Shanghai and member of Heungsadan. He built Hongjidong cabin with a firm principle of “psychological treatment” due to his son's death and “live until I die away by writing letters.” Yet he had a hard time to admit his son's death. Thus, he hoped that his child would be somewhere and come back later, relying on the “rebirth” in Buddhism. His belief that “I would believe something that makes me believe I live now regardless of what it is” among all religions and philosophy in the world included “Jesus Christ” and “Buddha,” “The Bible,” and “Buddhist Scripture.” He wanted to be reborn and “good person” in the new house. He dedicated to identifying the re-establishment of strong life philosophy and life value in “art” and “religion.” He once confessed his ambition to “write distinguishing work with his utmost effort and present it not only in Korea but in the world.” He needed contemplation and self-discipline through “repentance” and “penitence” in order to have a realization on the fundamental and philosophical question on life and death posed by his dear son’ death. “National movement” or “Moral personality training movement” led by Ahn Changho and Chunwon mainly pivoted on “ideological philosophy” and “practical movement” for “the people.” Themes of released every article on behalf of imprisoned Ahn Changho aimed at “Dosan” and “national spirit.” Dosan referred to national spirit and Chunwon declared “national movement” against “the Japanese Empire” through Dosan Ahn Changho. A month before the Sino-Japan War broke out, the Japanese Empire triggered “Dongwoohoe event,” eliminated Korean antagonists by arresting national movement leaders (June 7, 1937), and utilized controlled security maintenance in performing war. Moreover, it delayed trial and forced him to surrender his integrity by conducting torture and persuasion. Chunwon assumed the responsibility of every process of “Dongwoohoe event” and results as well as comrade destiny into Chunwon after the death of Dosan on March 10, 1938. Chunwon declared his infinite responsibility and was aware of national views and Japanese threat on behalf of Dosan Ahn Changho by saying “So far I have just followed Dosan, but now I have to be a leader of this event.” He also recorded economic and social situation under Japanese rule in realistic and critical ways when he wrote “Yukjanggi.” He created “25-year-old unmarried carrier” and “19-year-old female factory worker Samcheori” and criticized debilitated economic situation and living condition of the lower class in city due to the implementation of “National spiritual mobilization” and ongoing war mobilization system. He deplored the pessimistic Korea under Japanese rule by saying “I can't forget his words. Isn't it life poem and sad poem?” through Korean young adults who had no alternative but to serve “assistant soldiers” and “laborers” for survival rather than starving to death and 16-year-old Korean girls who took charge of life for remaining family members. However, he was continuously afflicted with the idea of forthcoming days of Dongwoohoe members including him on trial and profound agony on his conduct. His work Yukjaggi was written in the moment when he was sorely distressed. He had to deliver his message in speedy monologue-type letter with ungrammatical words and rough calligraphy. Target readers were the Japanese Empire and his beloved readers who take care of national future and admire him. Despite the Japanese surveillance and menace, he completed long novel Love on April 1939 in which life philosophy is well reflected. Yukjanggi, a follow-up story, recounts sympathy over “people around the world” like “family” and unite each other with “fraternity.” Great love with human beings and hope for people are the source of his pantheistic humanitarianism. In the end, he intends to change the world with a flame of love he never abandoned in his hard life and attend the holy war to triumph with love and turn the universe into love kingdom. Now he will sing a song for gratitude and glorification in a country eternal with mercy and kindness; that is, new sky and new earth where lover’s fairness and truth are promulgated. By the end of the Japanese rule, he conveys hopeful messages to Korean compatriots in order to be with them until he passes away under more deploring and growing pressures by the Japanese Empire. After writing Yookjanggi, he served as a president of “Korea Writers Association” on December, and changed his name into “Kayama Mitzro (香山光郞)” in March 1940. He started to cooperate with Japan as requested. He said “What I speak of the emperor of Japan and Korea and Japan one policy is just for Korean people. If it is not the right way for them, I will begin the independence movement” in My Confession (1948). Some calls it coward “your excuse and justification.” People despised him. There are many implications from the ending parts of a hundred poems in the context of Buddhism in Yukjanggi. Perhaps he unconsciously revealed Christian afterlife view or integrated a variety of philosophical contents including Christianity into Buddhism. Furthermore, he intended to send hopeful messages to Koreans by reluctantly cooperating with the Japanese Empire that pushed him to be line with Pro-Japan position. Accordingly, another research on pro-Japanese conducts by Chunwon Lee Kwangsoo is needed in terms of reflecting confessional voice with metaphorical expressions towards people through Yukjanggi before he changed his name and proclaimed his forged integrity by the end of the Japanese occupation.

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