@article{ART003270840},
author={Nam Yun hye},
title={The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-},
journal={Journal of Korean Literature},
issn={1598-2076},
year={2025},
number={52},
pages={67-92}
TY - JOUR
AU - Nam Yun hye
TI - The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-
JO - Journal of Korean Literature
PY - 2025
VL - null
IS - 52
PB - The Society Of Korean Literature
SP - 67
EP - 92
SN - 1598-2076
AB - This study illuminates the inner consciousness and perception of reality held by mid-Koryŏ literati, as projected onto the figure of Wonhyo within their literary works. During this era, when the freedom of the literati was constrained by the military regime, Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo—representative figures of contemporary literature and thought—each fashioned a unique image of Wonhyo, based on their respective self-consciousness, perception of reality, and literary competence. For these writers, the narratives and persona of Wonhyo served as a literary medium through which they projected their own lives. Through this resonance with Wonhyo, they were able to articulate their inner sentiments and elevate the aesthetic quality of their works. Ultimately, through the literary appropriation and artistic shaping by these three literati, Wonhyo acquired a distinct literary image.
Im Chun likened Wonhyo to Vimalakīrti(維摩詰), fashioning an image of uncompromising solitude. This encapsulate his own political isolation intertwined with literary pride, stemming from his alienation as a scion of a fallen powerful clan during the military regime. Yi In-ro depicted Wonhyo as uninhibitedly dancing and singing among the lowly in the marketplace, spreading his philosophy without hesitation. This image of Wonhyo, freely traversing the boundaries between the sacred and the secular, the noble and the base, is interpreted as a projection of Yi In-ro’s own anguish rooted in his reality—torn between official service in the secular world and poetic creation in the Bamboo Grove, and between political discontent and his unrivaled literary talent. Yi Kyu-bo’s characterization of Wonhyo’s life as “a single grand play(一場戱)” can be understood as an expression of his active determination to engage with reality and fully exercise his talents according to his convictions, while maintaining a relativistic attitude unconstrained by fixed social status.
KW - Wonhyo(元曉);Koryŏ literature;Im Chun(林椿);Yi In-ro(李仁老);Yi Kyu-bo(李奎報);self-consciousness;Literary Figuration
DO -
UR -
ER -
Nam Yun hye. (2025). The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-. Journal of Korean Literature, 52, 67-92.
Nam Yun hye. 2025, "The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-", Journal of Korean Literature, no.52, pp.67-92.
Nam Yun hye "The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-" Journal of Korean Literature 52 pp.67-92 (2025) : 67.
Nam Yun hye. The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-. 2025; 52 : 67-92.
Nam Yun hye. "The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-" Journal of Korean Literature no.52(2025) : 67-92.
Nam Yun hye. The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-. Journal of Korean Literature, 52, 67-92.
Nam Yun hye. The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-. Journal of Korean Literature. 2025; 52 67-92.
Nam Yun hye. The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-. 2025; 52 : 67-92.
Nam Yun hye. "The Literary Figuration of Wonhyo in the Mid-Koryŏ Period -Focusing on the Works of Im Chun, Yi In-ro, and Yi Kyu-bo-" Journal of Korean Literature no.52(2025) : 67-92.
