Premodern Korean Literary Prose: An Anthology

by Michael J. Pettid, Gregory N. Evon, Chan E. Park

Overview

This anthology presents new translations of Korean prose works from the tenth to the nineteenth century. It offers insight into past Korean societies by highlighting genres that have largely not been translated, such as diaries, short fictional biographies, erotic tales, oral narratives, and novellas, all of which illustrate the depth and variety of premodern Korean writings. The selections are intended to show what literate people of the premodern period enjoyed reading and demonstrate the cultural diversity of the creation of literature, including a range of writings by women and nonelites such as commoners. The volume also includes critical essays and short introductions to contextualize the materials and explain the ideological backdrop behind the creation of the works.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231165815
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	01/23/2018
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Michael J. Pettid is professor of Korean studies at Binghamton University. His publications include Unyŏng-jŏn: A Love Affair at the Royal Palace of Chosŏn Korea, with annotations and introduction (2009, with Kil Cha).

Gregory N. Evon is senior lecturer in the School of Humanities and Languages at the University of New South Wales-Sydney. He has published articles on premodern Korean literary and intellectual history.

Chan E. Park is professor of Korean literature and director of the Korean Performance Research Program at The Ohio State University. She is the author of Voices from the Straw Mat: Toward an Ethnography of Korean Story Singing (2003).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Contributor Abbreviations
Conventions for Names, Terms, and Titles
Chronology
Editors’ Introduction
Part I: Pre-Koryŏ and Koryŏ Period Prose
1. Pre-Koryŏ Prose and Fiction
1.1. Anonymous, Tales of the Bizarre (殊異傳Sui-jŏn), Michael Pettid
1.2 “Passion Surrounding the Pagoda” (心火繞塔Simhwa yo t’ap), Michael Pettid
1.3. “Beauties in a Bamboo Tube” (竹筒美女Chuktong minyŏ), Michael Pettid
1.4. “An Old Man Becomes a Dog” (老翁化狗Noong hwa ku), Michael Pettid
2. Koryŏ Period Prose Works
2.1. Im Ch’un, “The Tale of Mister Cash” (孔方傳Kongbang-jŏn), Sem Vermeersch
2.2. Yi Kyubo, “The Tale of Master Malt” (麴先生傳Kuk Sŏnsaeng-jŏn), Michael Pettid
2.3. Yi Kyubo, “Of Boats and Bribes” (舟賂說Churoe-sŏl), Michael Pettid and Marshall R. Pihl
2.4. Ch’oe Cha, “Kim Kaein” (金盖仁), Michael Pettid
2.5. Ch’oe Hae, “The Tale of the Hermit of Mount Lion” (猊山隱者傳Yesan ŭnja-jŏn), Michael Pettid
2.6. Yi Saek, “The Tale of Mr. Pak” (朴氏傳 Pak-ssi-jŏn), Michael Pettid
Part II: Chosŏn Period Prose
3. Early Chosŏn Short Fiction
3.1. Kim Sisŭp, “An Account of Drunken Merriment at Floating Jade-Green Pavilion” (醉遊浮碧亭記Ch’wiyu Pubyŏkchŏng-gi), Gregory N. Evon
4. Chosŏn Long Fiction
4.1. Anonymous, The Tale of Lady Pak (朴氏傳 Pak-ssi-jŏn), Jeongsoo Shin and Peter Lee
4.2. Anonymous, A Tale of Two Sisters, Changhwa and Hongnyŏn (薔花紅蓮傳Changhwa Hongnyŏn-jŏn), Jeongsoo Shin and Peter Lee
4.3. Anonymous, The Pledge at the Banquet of Moon-Gazing Pavilion(玩月會盟宴Wanwŏlhoe maengyŏn, excerpt), Ksenia Chizhova
4.4. Cho Wihan, The Tale of Ch’oe Ch’ŏk (崔陟傳Ch’oe Ch’ŏk-jŏn), Sookja Cho
5. Chosŏn Period “Unofficial” Histories
5.1. Sŏ Kŏjŏng, Idle Talk and Humorous Stories in a Peaceful Era (太平閑話滑稽傳T’aep’yŏng hanhwa kolgye-jŏn)
“The Guest Gets a Wife,” Michael Pettid
“The Sage and His Affairs,” Michael Pettid
“The Wailing Ghost,” Michael Pettid
“General Kim Who Was Afraid of Ghosts,” Michael Pettid
5.2. Yu Mongin, Unofficial Narratives by Ŏu (於于野談Ŏu yadam), Michael Pettid
“Ghosts of the Sŏnggyun’gwan” (Sŏnggyun’gwan kwisin), Michael Pettid
“Fox Pass” (Yŏu kogae), Michael Pettid
“The Clever Trick of Pak Yŏp to Have an Affair” (Kkoe rŭl naeŏ sat’onghan Pak Yŏp), Michael Pettid
“The Mother of Kangnamdŏk” (Kangnamdŏk moja), Hyangsoon Yi
“The Kŏmun’go of Sim Sugyŏng and a Palace Woman” (Sim Sugyŏng ŭi kŏmun’go wa kungnyŏ), Michael Pettid
“The Life of Chinbok, a Licentious Woman” (Ŭmbu Chinbok ŭi ilsaeng), Hyangsoon Yi
“The Starving Thief” (Kumjurin tojŏk), Michael Pettid
“Yi Yesun Who Devoted Herself to Buddhism” (Pulgyo-e Yi Yesun), Hyangsoon Yi
5.3. Anonymous, Collection of Past and Present Laughs (古今笑叢 Kogŭm soch’ong)
“Falsely Cutting the Narrow Hole” (佯裂孔窄Yangyŏl kong ch’ak), Michael Pettid
“The Son-in-Law Who Ridiculed His Father-in-Law” (壻嘲婦翁Sŏ cho puŭng), Michael Pettid
“Three Women Examine a Mute” (三女儉啞Samnyŏ kŏm a), Michael Pettid
“Prerequisite Study for a Virgin” (處女先習Ch’ŏnyŏ sŏnsŭp), Michael Pettid
“The Five Marvels That Shook the Heart” (五妙動心 Omyo tongsim), Michael Pettid
6. Late Chosŏn Period: Autobiography, Social Commentary, and Philosophical Humor
6.1. Pak Chiwŏn, “The Tale of Master Yedŏk” (穢德先生傳 Yedŏk sŏnsaeng-jŏn), Charles La Shure
6.2. Pak Chiwŏn, “On Names” (名論Myŏngnon), YoungminKim and YoungyeonKim
6.3. Yi Tŏngmu, “The Book of Ears, Eyes, Mouth, and Heart” (耳目口心書Immokkusimsŏ), Jamie Jungmin Yoo
6.4. Lady Yi of Hansan, “The Record of My Hardships”(苦行錄 Kohaengnok), Si Nae Park
7. Palace Literature
7.1. Anonymous, Diary of the Kyech’uk Year (계축일기 Kyech’uk ilgi, excerpt), Kil Cha and Michael Pettid
Part III: Oral Tradition
8. P’ansori, Narratives in Song, introduced and translated by Chan E. Park
8.1. Song of Hŭngbo (흥보가Hŭngpo-ga, excerpt)
8.2. Song of Sim Ch’ŏng (심청가Sim Ch’ŏng-ga, excerpt)
8.3. Song of Ch’unhyang (춘향가Ch’unhyang-ga, excerpt)
List of Contributors

Editorial Reviews

Bravo to Pettid, Evon, and Park for giving us an opportunity to gain more exposure to the sorts of tales Koreans told themselves in centuries past, to learn what sort of fantasies they entertained, and to appreciate their sense of humor.

Don Baker

This anthology of Premodern Korean Literary Prose is an epoch-making piece of work and a window on the fascinating world of premodern Korea and East Asia. Through this collection of masterful translations and notes, the authors brilliantly reveal the previously neglected prose literature and allow the readers to see and breathe the ethos of the people of Korea.

Young-Key Kim-Renaud

This anthology is a landmark accomplishment in the field of Korean literature. It offers a matchless window to the kaleidoscopic life of Koreans—both illustrious and anonymous—depicted in various prose subgenres in premodern literature. Long awaited, the collection in English will eminently fill the large vacuum in the source material for the study of premodern Korean literature and Korean studies at large, and even East Asian literatures.

Yung-Hee Kim

[This] anthology is an interesting work.

Tony's Reading List - Tony Malone

Pettid, Evon, and Park have harnessed the talents of an impressive new generation of scholars and translators to edit an anthology with impressive range in time period and genre. Selections extend from Silla through Chosŏn, and include many prose genres heretofore poorly represented in English translation that combine to present readers with a fuller, more engaging, and more nuanced picture of premodern literary culture.

Ross King