A Study On Lee Gyu-bo's Perceptions Of Tao Yuanming
January 1, 2023 - YOUNG, LEE HEE
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EmailJournal or Book Title: The Studies in Korean Poetry and Culture
Volume/Issue: 51
Year Published: 2023
This study set out to examine how Lee Gyu-bo perceived Tao Yuanming throughout his life and how his life was oriented to him. His perceptions of Tao Yuanming were examined according to the three periods of his life including the period of activities to seek a government post, period of activities as a government official, and period after his resignation. Lee made constant efforts to seek a government post before serving as a government official. Like Tao Yuanming, he discussed the living issue as his cause of going into government service and stated that he could return to the country after entering the royal court and ending his life as a government official. This cause was the driving force for him to endure the difficult process of seeking a government post. Serving as a government official, he read Tao Yuanming's biographies and anthologies, sorted out his thoughts, and wrote poems and Chans. He thought of Tao Yuanming to keep and ruminate on his strait-laced nature. This life attitude became the driving force for him to keep certain distance from fame and wealth. In the winter of 1237, he submitted a Geoltoipyo four times and resigned after royal permission.After resignation, he created a space called Namheon and called himself Namheon Geosa or Namheon Jangro. He tried to maintain his Gojol nature and achieve Sujol in his own country of Namheon. His life attitude penetrating into his entire life can be summed into Jol. He exhibited the loneliness that he felt in his life as well as his nature through strait-laced and Gojol. This aspect of his life has something in common with the life attitude pursued by Tao Yuanming. Since Tao Yuanming was an established model for medieval literary figures, there is nothing special about Lee's efforts to emulate his life. There is, however, no denying that he was aware of Tao Yuanming through his specific works at every turning point of his life and made efforts to resemble his life.
Type of Publication: research-article