Strength that sprouts from grace

Woman in Korean history

Courage, beauty, genius

Woman’s role in Korea nowadays is the fruit of strong and tenacious Korean female nature. From dawn of history in Korea there are some emblematic female figures which are examples of courage, devotion, beauty and genius even in a society generally not much 

open to women. Confucianism – Korea’s main religion together with Buddhism - is normally not favourably disposed towards women. Instead Shamanism gives more importance to women and mudang (무당, hanja 巫堂) shaman is generally female. In some villages of the southern island of Jeju-do there are matriarchal societies leaded by haenyo (해녀, 海女, “sea women”), very skilled fisherwomen of seafood in the cold waters of the island. They are the real heads of the family and they let their husbands do housework. Queen Seondeok of Silla (선덕여왕, 善德女王, 632-647) shines in the end of Three Kingdoms period (57 BC – 668 AD). Samguk Yusa (삼국유사, 三國遺事, “Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms”, completed in 1280) - the historical work by Buddhist monk Il-yeon (일연, 一然,1206-1289) - tells that Seondeok promoted the building of the astronomical observatory Cheomseongdae (첨성대, “stars-gazing tower”) near the capital Gyeongju. Seondeok commissioned also one of the largest Korean buildings ever built, the nine-story wooden pagoda of Hwangryongsa (황룡사, “Golden/Yellow Dragon Temple” or “Imperial Dragon Temple”) nowadays collapsed. Both Samguk Yusa and Samguk Sagi (삼국사기, 三國史記 “Historical Record of the Three Kingdoms”, completed in 1145) by Kim Bu-sik (김부식, 金富軾, 1075 – 1151) tell of an anecdote about Seondeok’s cleverness: when Chinese Emperor Tang Taizong (唐太宗, 626 – 649) gave young princess Seondeok’s father Jinpeyong a case of peony seeds and a painting representing the peony flowers, she looking at the painting said that peonies were without doubt wonderful flowers but lacking in fragrance, since neither butterflies nor bees were depicted on the flowers. In 2009 MBC television produced a serial dedicated to Queen Seondeok performed by actress Lee Yo-Won (이요원, 李瑤媛). Kisaeng (기생) – female entertainers of royal court and of nobility yangban (양반) – were women endowed with great culture, artistic talent and extraordinary beauty. First kisaeng appeared probably at the beginning of Goryeo period (918 - 1392) or maybe before in Unified Silla period (668 - 935) even if their earliest mention is at the beginning of 11th century. Art of kisaeng was the fruit of a strict and careful school education which lasted no less than 3 years and the entertainers had to know not only music, dance and poetry but also embroidery and medicine. Seoul excelled in number of kisaeng whereas Pyongyang shined at beauty and ability of entertainers. Kisaeng lived in common houses in the central districts of cities, often close to marketplaces. Career of kisaeng peaked normally when they were 16 or 17 years old and it declined yet when they were 25 years old. The age limit for kisaeng was 50 years although very few of them worked until this age. Normally they were members of lowest caste of commoners cheonmin (천민) even if their manners were refined and delicate since they related always to nobility. Kisaeng’s daughters were groomed for being entertainers as well and as Japan’s geisha who had a patron called danna kisaeng had strong relationship with gibu who aided them economically too. As Japanese geisha also kisaeng were source of inspiration for writers and painters who sang of their artistic skills and portrayed their beauty. The main character of Chunhyangga (춘향가) - a pansori written in 1870 by Shin Jae-hyo (신재효, 申在孝,1817 - 84) – is in fact a kisaeng and painter Hyewon (혜원, 蕙園, 1778 – 1813 ca.) in his famous Portrait of a Beauty (미인도, 美人圖) depicts just a kisaeng. Nevertheless there is a big difference between geisha and kisaeng. In Japan female entertainers are never involved in political affairs instead in Korea they are often implicated in important events due to their profession. For example kisaeng were offered to Chinese ambassadors as presents during their visits to Korea. Kisaeng themselves were the first to mess with foreign generals of occupying armies in wartime. During Japanese invasions of Korea also known as Imjin War (임진왜란, 壬辰倭亂, “Japanese Invasion of the Imjin Year”, 1592 - 1598) kisaeng Nongae (논개, 論介) distinguished herself by her devotion to Korea. In 1593 she embraced Japanese general Keyamura Rokusuke (毛谷村 六助) and together with him cast herself into the river Nam which flows under the pavilion Chokseongnu in Jinju, in the South of Korean peninsula. Every may the Nongae Festival is held in her honour and in Jinju castle there is still the “rock of righteousness” Uiam (의암, 義巖) from where Nongae jumped down to save her country from Japanese invaders. Some kisaeng are very famous also nowadays for their artistic skills and beauty. Yi Mae-chang (이매창, 李梅窓, 1573-1610) was very skilful at playing geomungo (거문고), the string instrument of Korean tradition very similar to Chinese gunqin and to Japanese koto. The most famous is without dubt Hwang Jin-i (황진이, 黃眞伊, 1520 ca. – 1560 ca.). Her figure inspired many contemporary novels, like that of North-Korean writer Hong Sok-jung (홍석중, 洪錫中), and a successful drama produced by KBS in 2006 and performed by actress Ha Jiwon (하지원, 河智媛) who played the character of beautiful Jin-i. Bright Moon Myeongwol (명월, 明月) – the name of Hwang Jin-i as a kisaeng – wrote many breathtaking sijo poems which make her one of major poets of Far East. Her verses are almost always about love and they are often full of melancholy for her lover who has left or is away or for night waiting for beloved’s arrival. Here is one of her most significant sijo: 동짓달 기나긴 밤을 한 허리를 버혀 내어 / 춘풍 니불 아래 서리서리 넣었다가 / 어론님 오신 날 밤이어든 굽이굽이 펴리라 – Oh that I might cut in two to waistline the long midwinter night / that I might roll it up and put it under the warm quilt of spring breeze / and I will unroll it in the night when my beloved arrives. In another sijo Jin-i plays on her pen-name Bright Moon and she asks her lover to spend the night with her: […]일도창해(一到滄海)하면 다시 오기 어려우니 / 명월(明月)이 만공산(滿空山)할 제 쉬어간들 어떠리 - […] when you will venture out to sea it will be hard to go back / the bright moon is over the bare mountain, how about remaining here to rest? Gracefulness and refinement of these verses are only one side of Korean woman’s soul. Passion for lover is often the mirror of love for homeland. In fact in Korea there are lots of examples of female patriotism. Empress Myeongseong also known as Queen Min (명성황후, 明成皇后, 1873 - 1895) would have formed an alliance between Korea and Russia to hold back Japanese influence on Korean peninsula. For this reason on the 8th of October 1895 she was killed by some killers hired by Japanese lieutenant general Miura Gorō (三浦 梧楼, 1847 - 1926) in the Okhoru pavilion (옥호루, 玉壺樓) of Gyeongbokgung palace. This episode is known as Eulmi Incident (을미사변, 乙未事變) in Korean history. Twenty-five years later student Yu Kwan-sun (유관순, 柳寬順,1902 - 1920) protested against Japanese occupation in Tapgol Park of Seoul (탑골 공원, 塔골公園, “Pagoda Park”) waving Korean flag during the days of Samil Movement (삼일 운동, 三一運動, “March First Movement”) and for this reason she was arrested and then killed. Empress Sunjeong (순정효황후, 純貞孝皇后, 1894 - 1966) – spouse of Korea’s last emperor Sunjong Yunghui (순종 융희제, 純宗 隆熙帝, 1907 – 1910) – withstood violence of North Korea to the last during Korean War (1950 – 1953) and she escaped to Busan on foot when she had no option but to leave Changdeok Palace. Achievements of woman’s condition in Korean society became very important above all after 1948 thanks to equality regarding state and laws and after 1985 thanks to Equal Employment Act which set parity between men and women in working world. Very significant achievements which recently made percentage of female employment very high in Korea. However these successes are the fruit of brave and graceful character of women of The Land of the Morning Calm and they could have been impossible without the noble example of heroines of the past.

(Hwang Jin-i KBS drama music performed by Choi Hie-jin, 최혜진 www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHoPyE59nys&feature=related)

Floriano Terrano