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The Cultural Icons of Jeonju Reflected in Sijo Poetry in the Late Joseon Dynasty

  • Korean Language & Literature
  • 2015, (94), pp.93-122
  • Publisher : Korean Language & Literature
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature

Kim, Seung-u 1

1전주대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This article aims to look into the cultural icons of Jeonju reflected in sijo poetry in the late Joseon Dynasty. The most frequently referred place of Jeonju in sijo poetry is Hanbyeokdang, but how to describe the daintiness of the bower are different from one another. A saseolsijo poem from Cheongguyeongeon(Jinbon) exceedingly expresses the pleasure at having a delightful party on Hanbyeokdang in a spring evening while the works of Kim Duseong and Sin Huimun concisely present the tranquil view of Hanbyeokdang and its neighborhood in an autumn day. Besides, An Minyeong links the clear landscape of Hanbyeokdang with the meditative sound of the bell from Namgo Temple that is just south of Hanbyeokdang. Mangyeongdae is a famous place not only for a spot which commands a panoramic view of Jeonju but also for the site where Jeong Mongju, a faithful retainer of Goryeo Dynasty, composed a patriotic poem. However, another saseolsijo poem from Cheongguyeongeon(Jinbon) only describes in the excess of mirth a splendid banquet on Mangyeongdae, regardless of the image of loyalty that Mangyeongdae has. In his two sijo poems, Yi Sebo, a royal family member, designated Deokjinji rather than Hanbyeokdang and Mangyeongdae as a representative spot of Jeonju with the praise for its most fascinating scene in Korea. In fact, he enjoyed boating through Deokjinji covered with full-blown lotus flowers in a summer evening. The reason why Yi Sebo got so much fond of Deokjinji can be found in his diary in exile, Sindoilrok. Several sijo poems portray gisaeng maids from Jeonju. For example, in a sijo poem, An Minyeong heartedly missed Myeongwol who was once in love with him, and in another, he was deeply moved when he unexpectedly met his lover Yang Daeun again in Seoul. In this manner, gisaeng maids were one of the main features of Jeonju to a man of taste like An Minyeong.

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