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The Ways Kwon Yul is Described in Oral Folktales and Their Meaning

Kim Hye Jeong 1

1경기대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

Kwon Yul was a general who made significant contributions during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592 and there have been many folktales about him. However, study on the oral folktales about him has been lacking. This study aimed to find how Kwon Yul is described in oral folktales and to analyze the meanings behind it. The result of the study is as follows. First, folktales depict Kwon Yul as someone who was exceptionally clever from childhood. He amazed a Chinese envoy by solving a difficulty question, which the envoy asked and no high-ranking officials of Joseon royal court could solve. This kind of episode highlights his intelligence and reflects the mind of the general public that criticized the incompetency of government officials. One can read the criticism and wishes of the people that the future and hope of the Joseon Dynasty lie in clever children like Kwon Yul, not the men in power in the government. Second, Kywon Yul’s son-in law was Lee Hang-bok in reality but other characters like Shin Rip and Jeong Chung-shin are often set as his sons-in-law. Especially, Shin Rip frequently appears in stories. He was a general who received national attention and expectations but due to his self-righteousness and narrow-mindedness, killed his subordinates during the Japanese Invasion and eventually brought up the unfortunate result of royal flee. Folktales depict Kwon Yul as Shin Rip’s father-in-law who scolds him. He takes the role of enlightening the self-righteous Shin Rip and the ruling class. Third, in most folktales, Kwon Yul is depicted as an eccentric person with good judgment of characters and the power to foresee the future. This contradicts historical fact but the people admired him as an excellent general who led Joseon to victory using only one tenth of the military power usually needed for Siege of Haengju. Likewise, folktales describe him as an eccentric person with phenomenal capability. Fourth, in reality, Kwon Yul had two wives but did not have any heirs so adopted the son of his second eldest brother. Folktales, however, do not mention his adopted son. Instead, Kwon Yul appears frequently with Lee Hang-bok, his actual son-in-law. Sometimes he shows up with Shin Rip or Jeong Chung-shin as their father-in-law, though they were not in such relationship in reality. The in-law relationships depicted in folktales between Kwon Yul and various characters such as Lee Hang-bok, Shin Rip, and Jeong Chung-shin can be interpreted to reflect the woe of a man who had no heirs. Though he was a great general who distinguished himself at war against Japan, he was a lonely man without a son and the folktales keenly catch and describe this side of him.

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