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Korean literature is the body of literature produced in Korea. For much of history, it was written both in classical Chinese and in Korean, first using the transcription systems idu and gugyeol, and finally using the Korean script hangul. It is commonly divided into classical and modern periods, although this distinction is sometimes unclear. Image File history File links Information_icon. ...
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of very old forms of Chinese , making it very different from any modern spoken form of Chinese. ...
Idu munja is an archaic writing system which represents the Korean language using hanja. ...
Gugyeol is a system for rendering texts written in Classical Chinese into understandable Korean. ...
For other uses, see Hangul (disambiguation). ...
Classical literature
Classical Korean literature has its roots in traditional folk beliefs and folk tales of the Korean peninsula. Other influences include Confucianism, Buddhism and to some extent Taoism. Confucian temple in Jiading district, Shanghai. ...
Buddhism (also known as Buddha Dharma, Pali: बà¥à¤¦à¥à¤§ धमà¥à¤®, the teachings of the awakened one) is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a way of life, a practical philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of applied psychology. ...
Taoism (sometimes written as and actually pronounced as Daoism (dow-ism)) is the English name for: Dao Jia [philosophical tao] philosophical school based on the texts the Tao Te Ching (ascribed to Laozi [Lao Tzu] and alternately spelled Dà o Dé Jīng) and the Zhuangzi; a family of organized...
Traditional Korean literature, written in Chinese characters (hanja), was established at the same time as the Chinese script arrived on the peninsula. Korean scholars were writing poetry in the classical Chinese style as early as the 4th century. Some historians exclude these forms of literature from Korean literature, arguing that they were merely forms of Chinese literature. Others argue, however, that the fact that Chinese characters were used is not reason enough to exclude the literature from the classical Korean canon, particularly since it reflects Korean thought and experience. æ¼¢å— / æ±‰å— Chinese character in Hà nzì, kanji, hanja, Hán Tá»±. Red in Simplified Chinese. ...
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ...
// [edit] Classical texts Main article: Chinese classic texts China has a wealth of classical literature, both poetry and prose, dating from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BCE) and including the Classics attributed to Confucius. ...
Under Unified Silla, a national academy was founded to promote Korean literature. For most of the era, Korean upper classes were bilingual, speaking Korean but writing in Chinese. Unified Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla after 668. ...
Hyangga Hyangga poetry was written in Korean using modified Chinese characters in a system that is called [idu], literally "clerk's writings." Specifically, the variety of idu used to write hyangga was sometimes called "hyangchal." Idu was a clever system whereby Koreans, who spoke a language much different from Chinese, would use Chinese characters to express Korean. The key to the system was to use some Chinese characters for their intended purpose, their meaning, and others for their pronunciation, ignoring their pictographic meaning. On the surface, it appears to be a complicated, even incomprehensible system, but after using the system one become comfortable with certain characters consistently standing for Korean words, and others representing Chinese.
Hyangga was the first uniquely Korean form of poetry. Only twenty five survive. The Samguk Yusa contains 14 poems and the "Gyunyeojeon", a set of biographies of prominent monks, contains eleven poems. Both these classic works were written much after the Silla dynasty, in the subsequent Goryeo dynasty, yet the record appears to be based on no-longer-extant records actually from the Silla period. Samguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla), as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period. ...
Hyangga are characterized by a number of formal rules. The poems may consist of four, eight or ten lines. The ten-line poems are the most developed, structured into three sections with four, four, and two lines respectively. Many of the ten-line poems were written by Buddhist monks. And Buddhist themes predominate the poems. Categories: Buddhism-related stubs | Buddhist terms ...
Another dominant theme was death. Many of the poems are eulogies to monks, to warriors, and to family members -- in one case, a sister. The Silla period, especially before unification (668) was a time of warfare and the hyangga capture the sorrow of mourning for the dead while Buddhism provided answers about where the dead go and the afterlife.
A typical hyangga is the Ode for Life Eternal, or perhaps, the Ode for Nirvana. The poem is a song that calls upon the moon to convey the supplicant's prayer to the Western paradise, the home of Amita (or Amitabha -- the Buddha of the Western paradise). The poem's authorship is somewhat unclear; it was either written by a monk or, one source says, the monk's wife.
Ode to Eternal Life
Oh Moon!
As you go to the west this night,
I pray thee, go before the eternal Buddha,
And tell him that there is one here
Who adores Him of the deep oaths,
And chants daily with hands together, saying
Oh grant me eternal life, Oh grant me eternal life. But alas, can any of the 48 vows be kept
While still trapped in this mortal frame?
(translation by Mark Peterson, 2006)
Goryeo songs The Goryeo period was marked by a growing use of Chinese characters. Hyangga largely disappeared as a form of Korean literature, and "Goryeo songs" (Goryeo gayo) became more popular. Most of the Goryeo songs were transmitted orally and many survived into the Joseon period, when some of them were written down using hangul. The Goryeo Dynasty established in 918 ruled Korea from the fall of the Unified Silla in 935 until replaced by the Joseon dynasty in 1392. ...
Joseon or Chosun (Korean: ì¡°ì„ ; Hanja: æœé®®; Revised: Joseon; McCune-Reischauer: ChosÅn; Chinese: CháoxiÇŽn; Japanese: ChÅsen) is a name for Korea, as used in the following cases: As part of the name of several ancient kingdoms (including Gojoseon, Gija Joseon, and Wiman Joseon); During most of the Joseon...
For other uses, see Hangul (disambiguation). ...
The poetic form of the Goryeo songs is known as byeolgok. There are two distinct forms: dallyeonche (단련체) and yeonjanche (연잔체). The former is a short form, whereas the latter is a more extended form. The Goryeo songs are characterized by their lack of clear form, and by their increased length. Most are direct in their nature, and cover aspects of common life.
Sijo and Gasa - See main entry: Sijo, Gasa
Sijo and gasa are closely linked to the development of hangul in the early Joseon period. As hangul was created, akjang was developed as a way to note musical scores using the Korean script. King Sejong himself is credited with a compilation of Buddhist songs. Sijo is a modern term for a Korean style of lyrical poetry, originally called tanga (literally, short song). The sijo strongly resembles Japanese haiku in having a strong foundation in nature in a short profound structure. ...
Gasa were a form of poetry popular during the Joseon Dynasty in Korea. ...
Sejong the Great (May 6, 1397 – May 18, 1450, r. ...
Sijo (literally current tune) was common in the Joseon period. Although its poetic form was established in the late Goryeo period, it did not become popular until the Joseon period. Many of the sijo reflected Confucian thought; the theme of loyalty is common. Sijo are characterized by a structure of three stanzas of four feet each. Each foot contains three to four syllables except on the third stanza, where the 1st foot is supposed to have 3 syllables and the 2nd foot can have as many as seven. Sijo are thought to have been popular with common people. Loyalty is faithfulness or devotion to a person or cause. ...
Gasa is a form of verse, although its content can include more than the expression of individual sentiment, such as moral admonitions. Gasa is a simple form of verse, with twinned feet of three or four syllables each. Some regard gasa a form of essay. Common themes in gasa were nature, the virtues of gentlemen, or love between man and woman. Verse is a writing that uses meter as its primary organisational mode, as opposed to prose, which uses grammatical and discoursal units like sentences and paragraphs. ...
An essay is a short work of writing that treats a topic from an authors personal point of view. ...
Fiction The first known classical work of Korean fiction is Geumo Sinhwa (Geumo's tales) by Kim Si-seup. It was written in Chinese characters. From the 17th century onwards, fiction became increasingly popular and more readily available through book rental schemes. Pansori was a particularly popular form of fiction, appearing in the late 17th and early 18th century. The contents of pansori are rooted in fiction. Pansori fiction is based on the orally transmitted pansori, and characterized by human stereotypes of ordinary people of the time. Kim Si-seup (1434-1493) was a Korean scholar and author. ...
Pansori is a genre of Korean music. ...
In the mid-Joseon period, parable-like stories were published. By the end of the Joseon period, many writers had started to deviate from the orthodox conventions of classical Chinese literature, and literature about common people such as merchants, thieves, or gisaeng were commonplace. An ill digested lesson The Governess. ...
A gisaeng is a female Korean entertainer similar to the Japanese geisha. ...
Modern literature Modern Korean literature gradually developed under the influence of Western cultural contacts based on trade and economic development. Christian thought found its way into Korea, but it was mostly artistic styles that influenced Korean literature. Music and classical poetry, formerly considered one as part of changgok, were increasingly perceived as separate realms. This article is becoming very long. ...
Modern literature is often linked with the development of hangul, which helped spread literacy from the dominant classes to the common people, including women. Hangul, however, only reached a dominant position in Korean literature in the second half of the 19th century, resulting in a major growth in Korean literature. Sinsoseol, for instance, are novels written in hangul. For other uses, see Hangul (disambiguation). ...
Joseon Modern Korean literature developed against the background of the Joseon Dynasty's fall. This first period of modern Korean literature is often called gaehwa gyemong (Enlightenment). The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) (also Choson), sometimes known as the Yi Dynasty, was a dynasty founded by General Yi Seonggye in what is modern day Korea, and lasted for five centuries as one of the worlds longest running monarchies. ...
This period was to a large extent influenced by the 1894 Gabo Reforms which introduced Western-style schools and newspapers emerged. Many newspapers published sijo, gasa, or even serial novels and led to the emergence of professional writers. The Gabo Reform describes a series of sweeping reforms introduced in Korea (at that time called Joseon) beginning in 1894, during the reign of King Gojong. ...
The term writer can apply to anyone who creates a written work, but the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ...
Sinchesi (new poetry) was established, and contributed to the formation of modern free verse poetry (jayusi). Sinchesi abandoned the fixed meter found in classical Korean poetry, influenced by the French verse libre.
Many biographical works were published in the late Joseon period where the main character was often depicted as a hero. These works cultivated patriotism and national consciousness. // Today, films and television programs surrounding the lives of famous people are a major part of the entertainment industry. ...
This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ...
Colonial period During the Japanese rule of Korea (1910–1945), speech and the press were restricted, affecting the Korean literature of the time. Many expressions of the late Joseon period, with their focus on self-reliance and independence, were no longer possible. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...
With the Samil Movement in 1919 a new form of Korean literature was established. Many writers exhibited a more positive attitude, trying to cope with the national situation at the time. Literature focused on self-discovery, and increasingly on concrete reality. Artistic endeavors were supported by national newspapers. The March First Movement, or the Samil Movement, was one of the earliest displays of Korean nationalism during the Japanese Colonial Period. ...
Many novels of the 1920s centered around the themes of the suffering of intellectuals who drift through reality. The lives of farmers were often depicted as pathetic. As the Japanese government strengthened ideological coercion during the 1930s, Korean literature was directly affected. Many novels of the time experimented with new literary styles and techniques. An ideology is an organized collection of ideas. ...
National division After the liberation from Japan in 1945, Korea soon found itself divided into North and South. The Korean War led to the development of literature centered around the wounds and chaos of war. Much of the post-war literature in South Korea deals with the daily lives of ordinary people, and their struggles with national pain. The collapse of the traditional Korean value system is another common theme of the time. North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia...
Anthem: Aegukga (The Patriotic Song) Capital (and largest city) Seoul Korean Government Republic - President Roh Moo-hyun - Prime Minister Han Myung-sook Establishment - Gojoseon October 3, 2333 BCa - Liberation declared March 1, 1919 (de jure) - Liberation August 15, 1945 - First Republic August 15, 1948 - United Nations Recognition December 12, 1948...
Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea United States United Kingdom Canada Australia The Netherlands France Philippines Turkey Ethiopia Communist states: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea People’s Republic of China Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee Chung Il Kwon Douglas MacArthur Mark W. Clark Matthew Ridgway Kim Il-sung Choi...
War is an excellent way of political leaders to let off some steam. ...
In the post-war period, a traditionalist movement emerged: going back to the roots of traditional rhythms and folk sentiments. Other poets are linked to an experimentalist movement, attempting to bring new experiences to Korean poetry.
In the 1960s many writers started to reject post-war literature as sentimental escapism. While some Korean authors reflected traditional humanism, writings by many others reflect deep alienation and despair. They sought to engage the readers with the political reality of the time. This led poetry and literature in general to become an important means of political expression. Also remarkable for the development of literature in 1960s was the influence of Western modernism. The 1970s saw the emergence of literature that was anti-establishment and dealt with the concerns of rapid industrialization, such as the neglect of farmers. At the same time, literature concerned with the national division (bundansoseol) became more popular. Farmer spreading grasshopper bait in his alfalfa field. ...
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the national division is still a common theme, but classic stories are also popular. Some North Korean writers are very highly appreciated in the South and in 2005 writers from both Koreas will hold a joint literary congress.
Korean literature abroad Until the 1980s Korean literature was largely unknown outside of the peninsula. The kind of works translated has become increasingly diverse, and the quality of the translations has improved. Flowers of Fire was one of the first anthologies of Korean literature published in English. In non-English-speaking countries there are fewer Korean works translated. The increased popularity of Korean film has increased interest in Korean literature. Look up translate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...
General Literature In general, the written arts have a tradition in epigraphic inscriptions on stones, in early tombs, and on rarely found bamboo pieces that formed early books. Repeated invasions and sacking of the east and west capitals, as well as the difficulty in preserving written texts on bamboo, make works before 1000 rare. Those works were entirely written in Chinese, the language of scholars, but of course incorporated Korean words and mindset. Medieval scholars in Korea learnt Chinese as western schoolmen learned Latin: as a lingua franca for the region. It helped cultural exchanges extensively. Korean literature is the body of literature produced in Korea. ...
Notable examples of historical records are very well documented from early times, and as well Korean books with moveable type, often imperial encyclopaedias or historical records, were circulated as early as the 7th century during the Three Kingdoms era from printing wood-blocks; and in the Goryeo era the world's first metal type, and books printed by metal type, most probably of copper, were produced. Fully two hundred years before the work of Johann Gutenberg or William Caxton whom, to most Westerners, "invented" the first printing presses. The Three Kingdoms in 262, on the eve of the conquest of Shu. ...
The Goryeo Dynasty established in 918 ruled Korea from the fall of the Unified Silla in 935 until replaced by the Joseon dynasty in 1392. ...
This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...
William Caxton (c. ...
Scriptoria have existed since the beginning of the culture, and rose to great importance in Buddhist and Confucianist schools with circulation of texts, inter-lineal glosses, and commentaries from those religions. Most Buddhist literature was recited aloud, had limited repeated vocabulary, and was used for deeply impressing religious states, or for memory training or mnemonics. A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, SiddhÄrtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by...
Confucianism (儒家 Pinyin: rújiā The School of the Scholars), sometimes translated as the School of Literati, is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of Confucius. ...
A mnemonic (AmE [] or BrE []) is a memory aid. ...
Genres are very similar to Chinese, and even western ones. There are epics, poetry, religious texts and exigetical commentaries on Buddhist and Confucianist learning; translations of foreign works; plays and court rituals; comedies, tragedies, mixed genres; and various kinds of novels. Radioplays and screenplays are extensive, few have been translated, many are archived but not available to the public. And no research work has been done in this area. Translation work of the most famous Korean literature has been slow, during the Japanese occupation, creative writing in Korean was forbidden and there are few works of literature published at home from 1910-1945.
Works by exiles in Shanghai, and other regions, are little known. The overseas Korean writers, expatriates, have had limited success other than in travel literature which is widely read. Shanghai (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Shanghainese: ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the largest city of the Peoples Republic of China and the eighth largest in the world. ...
Korean epic is best represented by works such as Yi Kyu-bo's King Tongmyong, which derives much of its influence from narrative histories done by writers such as Yi Che-hyon, and before that Yi Il-lo, Yi Ky-bo, and Ch'oe Chu for battlefield histories and stories.
To some extent 20th century literature under American influence has moved to separate integrated art forms such as calligraphy to the standardization of printed books. The 21st century though has revived integrated artforms of literature in Korean animated blogs, and over-designed, visually dense homepages and websites. Comics and comic novels, or illustrated novels, are very popular; but there has yet to be cross-overs into film, videogames, or television series.
Contemporary Korean literature is robust as Korea is a nation of readers. Book prices are low, and writers are respected, with many having academic positions as well as being well known on television. Internet blogs, and bloggers are creating the next generation of novelists, and writings by women are extremely well regarded. There are few if any attempts to promote Korean literature overseas, and small printings of translations, with few experts to teach the works make recognition of masterworks slow to the west.
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