2026, Vol., No.57

The Studies in Korean Poetry and Culture 2024 KCI Impact Factor : 0.67

pISSN : 2466-1759
https://journal.kci.go.kr/ksiga

This paper examines the significance of the complete translation of Seokbukjip. The complete translation of Seokbukjip, translated by the Chosun University Institute of Humanities, is based on a wooden type edition published in 1906, and contains 1,843 poems and 195 prose pieces. Before the complete translation of Seokbukjip was published, only about half of the works included in Seokbukjip had been translated. The significance of the complete translation of Seokbukjip can be summarized in three points. First, the complete translation revealed the overall picture of Shin Gwang-su's life and literature. Second, the level of translation has improved compared to previous translations. Third, it became possible to conduct full-scale research on Shin Gwang-su’s life, literature, and Seokbukjip. However, the complete translation of Seokbukjip is not without its problems, especially as many mistranslations of poetry were discovered. The complete translation of Seokbukjip provided an opportunity to comprehensively examine Shin Gwang-su's life and literature, but the 1906 edition that served as the basis for the manuscript contained many errors. Therefore, a follow-up work called ‘Complete Translation of the Seokbukjip in Critical Edition’ is necessary. In addition, in order to make Seokbuk's literature widely known to the general reader, anthologies and biographies should be published.

This paper analyzes the cultural iconography of Pyongyang in the mid-to-late 18th century as depicted in <Gwanseoakbu>. <Gwanseoakbu> is a collection of 108 long Akbu poems written by Seokbuk(石北) Shin, Gwang-su(申光洙) in 1774 at the request of his close friend Chae, Je-gong(蔡濟恭), who was about to take office as the Pyeongan governor. Chapter 2 explores Seokbuk and Pyongyang. Pyongyang was a special place for Seokbuk. It was here that his Gwageo answer style poem <Gwansanyungma(關山戎馬)> gained widespread acclaim, earning him literary fame. Furthermore, while he was forced to visit the city in 1760, burdened by poverty and a sense of alienation, it became a healing space that restored his self-esteem as a writer. Becoming known as the author of <Gwansanyungma> gave him the opportunity to enjoy the city's scenic beauty and the music and dance that accompanied it. These experiences in Pyongyang became a crucial foundation for the creation of <Gwanseoakbu>. Chapter 3 analyzes the use of Gagok(歌曲) as a Jeongjae(呈才) in Pyongyang's Gyobang(敎坊), as revealed in <Gwanseoakbu>. By reinterpreting the 15th poem of <Gwanseoakbu>, frequently cited in connection with the origins of Sijochang(時調唱), I raise the possibility that the “Sijo” mentioned therein refers to the popular song of the time, Gagok Isakdaeyeop(二數大葉). I also examine the widespread use of songs, along with Heonseondo(獻仙桃) and Iseonak(離船樂), in the Jeongjae of the Pyongyang Gyobang. Chapter 4 examines the tradition of the Daedong-River Boat Trip, a center of Pyongyang's official festivities. I demonstrate that Daedong-River Boat Trips originated from the royal boat trip tradition of the Goryeo(高麗) Dynasty. I also confirm that during the Joseon(朝鮮) Dynasty, governors hosted Daedong-River Boat Trips to entertain envoys, send off diplomatic missions, and celebrate successful candidates for the provincial civil service examination. This expansion into a welcoming event for the governor in the late Joseon Dynasty stems from the urban transformation of Pyongyang and the rise in commercial prosperity that elevated the status of the Pyeongan Governor. In addition, the Gyobang restored its former scale, and a grand boat festival was established to welcome the governor's appointment. This event became a representative image symbolizing Pyongyang as a city of elegance. Chapter 5 focuses on the seasonal customs of Gwanseo(關西) region captured by Seokbuk. He particularly focused on the Dano(端午) and ice lanterns of New Year's Eve. These vividly illustrate the cultural characteristics of the Gwanseo region, distinguishing it from the southern regions. Seokbuk's capture of these seasonal customs reflects his desire to perceive and document the culture of the Gwanseo region from an outsider's perspective. Through the above discussion, I have illuminated the process by which 18th-century Pyongyang, fueled by commercial prosperity, combined with the Gyobangjeongjae(敎坊呈才) and Gwanbyeonpungryu(官邊風流) to symbolize a splendid city of elegance. Accordingly, <Gwanseoakbu> was created at the request of Chae, Je-gong, who was appointed governor of Pyeongan Province, based on Seokbuk's personal experiences and imagination. However, it can be evaluated as a cultural and historical text that comprehensively portrays the image of Pyongyang in the late Joseon Dynasty.

In this paper, I studied Seokbuk Shin Gwang-su's Jeju journey and the psychological state revealed during the journey through his 『Tamnarok』. On January 16, 1764, Seokbuk received a royal order and headed to Jeju with his party on a mission to capture criminals. They crossed the sea and arrived in Jeju on January 26. He departed Jeju the day after completing his mission, but was caught in a storm and was forced to remain on the island for approximately 40 days. The poems included in『Tamnarok』 can be broadly divided into three categories based on chronology: those written on the way to Jeju, those written during his stay in Jeju, and those written during his journey from Jeju to the mainland. The night before leaving for Jeju, Seokbuk appeared anxious and timid due to fear of sailing, and prayed for a smooth voyage with the help of the king and the country's divine energy. However, as the journey went smoothly, he found psychological stability and enjoyed imagining the things he wanted to do in Jeju. Meanwhile, while he was forced to stay in Jeju due to the storm, he wrote many poems to soothe his depressed mind and shake off his boredom. In that poem, we can see various aspects of Seokbuk: his longing for his hometown, his weak side that tries to rely on a transcendent power, his suffering from illness, his compassion for the poor people, and his ambivalent feelings toward Jeju. When the waves of the Jeju sea calmed down, Seokbuk and his party left Jeju on March 13th, reached land on the 15th, and arrived in Seoul three days later. As Seokbuk boarded the departing ship, he felt a sense of relief, as if all his worries had vanished. As he cruised to Chuja Island, he felt the strong winds soften. However, as the moon set and fog thickened during the voyage, he dropped anchor and remained at sea. Seokbuk and his party were so frightened by the storms they couldn't sleep. The weather was so bad that they had to stay at sea for three days, but fortunately, they overcame the crisis and arrived safely on land. Through Seokbuk's 『Tamnarok』, we examined the psychological state of a person before and after suffering, and learned how he overcame fear and mental and physical pain to find peace of mind.