KJCKorea
Journal Central

The current study aimed to examine the historical meaning of China's image described in <Oksugi> written in the 19th century. Tendencies and culture of the Han race representing the Ming Dynasty and the Ho race representing north barbarians are focused in <Oksugi>. Meantime, although a biased viewpoint ignoring the Ho race was presented, the viewpoint was transformed into a flexible one from a scene in which an empress admired two princesses of the Ho dynasty during a court joint wedding ceremony. In <Oksugi>, reality was granted for geographical setting while historical and customary factors were weakened and real places like Beijing and Yodong were located. Jinhoe in <Oksugi> was expressed as a space for entertainment and merrymaking based on realistic characteristics of Jinhoe during the Ming Dynasty. In addition, manners and customs described in <Oksugi> reproduced merrymaking daily life of the Sa race men realistically. The flexible view on the Ho race, reinforcement of contemporary real spaces or Nokaengmu or Hwaso are closely related with the conditions of the 18th and 19th centuries in which banquets were prevailing. The fact that Jinhoe of Geumreung region was selected as space for merrymaking entertainment was reflection of the writer's personal interest. In conclusion, characteristics of exotic taste expressed in the Chinese background of <Oksugi> was longing and taste of realistic connection related from historical trends in the 18th and 19th centuries. Also interests derived from the writer's personal experience and recognition were reflected first, which means personalization of exotic tastes. It is possible to say that this is an aspect of modern transitional Chinese background.

Exotic tastes, Flexible viewpoint, Geographical setting, Real places, Merrymaking daily life, Personalization of exotic tastes, Modern transitional Chinese background