Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Note on the text
- Korean dynasties
- Glossary
- East Asia
- Principal places in works discussed
- Introduction
- 1 Language, forms, prosody, and themes
- 2 From oral to written literature
- 3 Hyangga
- 4 Silla writings in Chinese
- 5 Koryŏ songs
- 6 Koryŏ writings in Chinese
- 7 Early Chosŏn eulogies
- 8 Early Chosŏn sijo
- 9 Early Chosŏn kasa
- 10 Late Chosŏn sijo
- 11 Late Chosŏn kasa
- 12 Chosŏn poetry in Chinese
- 13 Chosŏn fiction in Chinese
- 14 Chosŏn fiction in Korean
- 15 P'ansori
- 16 Folk drama
- 17 Literary criticism
- 18 Early twentieth-century poetry
- 19 Early twentieth-century fiction by men
- 20 Early twentieth-century fiction by women
- 21 Late twentieth-century poetry by men
- 22 Late twentieth-century poetry by women
- 23 Late twentieth-century fiction by men
- 24 Late twentieth-century fiction by women
- 25 Literature of North Korea
- Bibliography
- Suggestions for further reading
- Index
14 - Chosŏn fiction in Korean
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Note on the text
- Korean dynasties
- Glossary
- East Asia
- Principal places in works discussed
- Introduction
- 1 Language, forms, prosody, and themes
- 2 From oral to written literature
- 3 Hyangga
- 4 Silla writings in Chinese
- 5 Koryŏ songs
- 6 Koryŏ writings in Chinese
- 7 Early Chosŏn eulogies
- 8 Early Chosŏn sijo
- 9 Early Chosŏn kasa
- 10 Late Chosŏn sijo
- 11 Late Chosŏn kasa
- 12 Chosŏn poetry in Chinese
- 13 Chosŏn fiction in Chinese
- 14 Chosŏn fiction in Korean
- 15 P'ansori
- 16 Folk drama
- 17 Literary criticism
- 18 Early twentieth-century poetry
- 19 Early twentieth-century fiction by men
- 20 Early twentieth-century fiction by women
- 21 Late twentieth-century poetry by men
- 22 Late twentieth-century poetry by women
- 23 Late twentieth-century fiction by men
- 24 Late twentieth-century fiction by women
- 25 Literature of North Korea
- Bibliography
- Suggestions for further reading
- Index
Summary
Vernacular fiction appeared in the seventeenth century with Hong Kiltong chŏn (Tale of Hong Kiltong) by Hŏ Kyun (1569–1618) about a century after Kim Sisŭp (1435–1493) had written New Stories from Gold Turtle Mountain. Kim Manjung's (1637–1692) Dream of Nine Clouds and Record of Lady Sa's Journey South, Cho Sŏnggi's (1638–1689) Showing Goodness and Stirred by Righteousness, and others followed between the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It is still unclear whether the first and last of these three were originally written in Chinese or in Korean. One assumes that Kim and Cho wrote in Korean from the fact that they wrote for their mothers, who enjoyed reading vernacular fiction. As Kim's and Cho's works circulated in Chinese and Korean versions immediately upon completion, they acquired a vast readership.
THE FOUNDING OF VERNACULAR FICTION
Why were such works of quality, works that would influence the fiction of later generations, produced at this time? First we may cite the new social reality that obtained after the Japanese and Manchu invasions and a new literary environment: a great number of commoners, the main consumers of vernacular fiction, demanded a literary form corresponding to contemporary reality. Vernacular fiction began as the new literary activity of certain members of the ruling elite who discerned the social contradictions of late Chosŏn society and felt the need to express them.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- A History of Korean Literature , pp. 273 - 287Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003