[Opinion] Yeonam, Great Writer of Joseon

“I’m starving to death like Confucius once did in Jinche Orchids Park. Not because I am busy working. It has just been a long time since I paid a courtesy call to others. I have carried myself as if I’m a high-ranking official. But I would like to bow to you. I send you a calabash. How about returning the bottle with liquor in it.”

This is a letter written by Yeonam Pak Ji-won (1737-1805) and sent to Pak Je-ga, a friend of his. The letter is written to borrow money. But the letter also asks a favor to give him a bottle of drink at the same time, which contains a metaphor and a great sense of humor.

When Yeonam’s life was threatened because he was mistakenly considered as an opposition political party member, he ran away to Geumcheon, Hwanghae Province in Korea.

He accompanied his brother when his older brother Park Myeong-won went to the Ching Dynasty to serve as a government official in 1780.

Joseon experienced China’s invasion, but was still immersed in the idea that Joseon is the center of the world after the center had moved away from China. And political conflict was everywhere.

At that time, his trip to China served as a life-changing experience. Inspired by his experience of new culture and civilization in Rehe and Beijing, he wrote a book ‘Yorha Ilgi (Rehe Diary)’ to present his criticisms of Joseon and his reform plans.

Heosaengjeon is a novel written in Chinese characters, which is included in the Diary. The protagonist, Heosaeng, borrowed 100,000 won worth of gold from a man, only known by his surname Byeon, and made a huge profit. The profit was shared by the public and he paid back Byeon 200,000 won. The two men discussed how a nation should be governed and administered.

The way he earned a huge amount of money would be considered a monopoly today. And the way he believes in is market opening and free trade in the contemporary sense. It is fair to say the Yeonam was the first Korean liberal.

Park hui-byeong, a professor at Seoul National University (SNU), has translated Yeonam’s prose and written a book ‘Reading of Yeonam Prose’.

The author compares Yeonam to Shakespeare. Shakespeare is often the source of pride for the British, who often say they would not trade the great writer with India. As such, Yeonam’s writing and thought are remarkable.

Yeonam is known to be the leader of a school which advocates Ching culture and civilization. He is also famous as a reform-minded thinker. The hard work of Park gives readers a chance to read Yeonam’s writings as easily as possible.

Let’s immersed ourselves in the great work of Yeonam on a hot summer’s day.

Chung Seong-hui, Editorial Writer, shchung@donga.com