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The space narrative and meaning of Korean-Chinese goddess Hanga(Cháng’é) related novel - focusing on Sukhyangjeon and Three Tricks on BaiMudan

  • The Research of the Korean Classic
  • 2014, (30), pp.277-318
  • Publisher : The Research Of The Korean Classic
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature > Korean Literature > Korean classic prose

박마리아 1

1대진대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Korean Sukyangjeon is a novel with Chinese setting which commonly transmit the narrative of Hanga fly to the moon along with Chinese Three Tricks on BaiMudan. Here, a mutual similarity is noteworthy in the aspects of space narrative. These two novels explain that Hanga is doing her best to be born again as a perfected ego by purifying her body, while performing a ritual of atonement through the ordeal in this human world after being born with the sinful karma of taunting the opposite sex during her stay in heaven. Here, the narrative space of Yaochi-abode-body form a comparative structure with the meaning of identity-eliminating misfortune-rehabilitation. The space called Yoji (瑤池:fairyland of immortals), as the center of heavenly realm where XiWangmu is taking charge signifies holiness, order and authority and through violating the order of heavenly realm due to playing around with the opposite sex, they get to leave a blot on their own statuses. Seen from this fact, Yoji becomes the space where Sukhyang and BaiMudan testifies their karmas as well as their identities proving that Sukhyang and Baimudan was Hanga. The human world is also seen as the place where Sukhyang and BaiMudan are going through the ritual of purification, and where they are related to their fatalistic figures. Although, the love nest where they reside is the space where they can gain happiness and consolation through peaceful settlement, they get to face with the situation that they have to leave this comfort base when they are in crisis and danger. The other characteristics of space narrative shown in Sukhyangjeon and Three Tricks on BaiMudan is the symbolistic meaning of body. To Sukhyang and BaiMudan, the body is not the space where there should be a unity with purified spirit, but also a sacred pavilion where the ritual of purification should be completed through experiencing ordeals by themselves. In this meaning, the body is recognized as the space where they have to fulfill completion as well as the place where the eternity is guaranteed as a completeness itself. Seen from this, in Sukhyangjeon and Three Tricks on BaiMudan, Hanga’s sin and escape shows the possibility of infinite enlargement and development of narrative space through creatively reinterpreting the spatial room of Hanga fly to the moon, while overcoming the spatial simplicity which corresponds to the space of ‘kwanghanjeon’(廣寒殿) on the earth and in moon. Likewise, these two novels reveal differences in its consciousness of intention in that Sukhyangjeon and Three Tricks on BaiMudan strongly expresses Taoistic idea, while Sukhyangjeon intends for a combination of realistic consciousness seeking fortune as well as the meaning of Taoism.

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