Choe Chiwon is a representative scholar and writer from the 6-dupum (六頭品 highest ranked class within the dupum system, which is the third level of ranking system in Silla; a hereditary class in Silla dynasty) class of the late Silla dynasty (B.C.57-935). He served as a government official after studying in the Tang dynasty of China. During the formation period of the Chinese classic literature in Korea, he was widely renowned for skillfully generating various genres of the Chinese classic literature.
1. Life
The ancestral hometown of Choe Chiwon is Gyeongju (慶州). His courtesy name is Goun (孤雲), Haeun (海雲), and Haebu (海夫) and his posthumous title is Munchang (文昌). In 868, he went to Tang dynasty when he turned 12 years old, and passed the civil service examination at the age of 18. When Huang Chao (黃巢, 835-884) broke out in rebellion, Choe gained reputation for being a responsible supporting official (從事官 jongsagwan) of Hoenam (淮南) Military Commissioner (節度使) of Tang. In this period, he wrote more than ten thousand pieces in various genres, including genres of gratitude (表 pyo),·memorial to the emperor (狀 jang),·notes (書啓 seogye), campaign proclamation (檄文 gyeongmun), offering (祭文 jemun), letter to the emperor (疏啓狀 sogyejang), miscellaneous writings (雜書 japseo), and poems. After returning to Silla at the age of 29 in 885, he was in charge of preparing national documents and letters sent to Tang dynasty while also leaving fine pieces of writing as a member of Hallim Academy (翰林學士 Academy of the Grove of Writing-Brushes).
However, Choe was unable to live up to his will because he was excluded from the works of the central government due to the limit to his social class ranking during the chaotic atmosphere of the late Silla period. Because Choe had already experienced the periods of turmoil in Tang dynasty while he served as the central government and provincial office of Tang, he was able to identify the problems and societal contradictions of Silla better than anyone. Based on his experiences, he suggested a list of recommendations to Queen Jinseong (眞聖女王, r.887-897) to reform Silla, but his proposal was not accepted and his will for reform never became real. In the end, he decided to retire and left the office at the age of. The record of his later years remains obscure, and even believed by some people that he became shenxian (神仙 Kor. sinseon).
2. Writing
His writings include anthologies such as 20 volumes of Gyewonpilgyeong (桂苑筆耕 Plowing the Laurel Grove with a Wiring Brush), five poems and one volume of Geumchesi (今體詩 modern-style poetry), and one volume of 100 poems of Oeonchireon geumchesi (五言七言今體詩 modern-style poetry with five-syllables and seven-syllables), 1 volume of 30 poems of Japsibu (雜詩賦), one section and five chapters of Jungsanbokgwejip (中山覆簣集), one book of Saryukjip (四六集), and 30 volume of his collected writings (文集munjip). As of the historical genre, he wrote the Jewangyeondaeryeok (帝王年代曆 Chronological History of Monarchs). In relation to the Buddhist Hwaeomjong (華嚴宗 Flower Garland Sect), he left works such as Beopjanghwasangjeon (法藏和尙傳), Buseokjonjajeon (浮石尊者傳), Seoksuneungjeon (釋順應傳), Seokijeongjeon (釋利貞傳). Furthermore, by the order of the king, he wrote Sasanbimyeong (四山碑銘) which was an epitaph of national master and a learned and virtuous priest. Today, only Gyewonpilgyeong, Beopjanghwasangjeon, and Sasanbimyeong are passed down, and the rest remains scattered in several books, only segments of the works being told. The poems that Choe sorted out and offered them to King Heongang (憲康王, r.875-886), shortly after returning to Silla from Tang dynasty, remains in a preface of Gyewonpilgyeong. The Gyewonpilgyeong was edited and published by Seo Yugu (徐有榘, 1764-1845) in the nineteenth century. In 1926, the poems recorded in Dongmunseon (東文選 Anthology of Korean Literature) and other scattered poems created by Choe were published as Gounjip (孤雲集 Collection of Goun). Many of the poems listed in Dongmunseon and Gyewonpilgyeong are distinguished from the gaudy style of the late Tang dynasty for being simple but elegant. The representative writing of Choe Chiwon is Gyeokhwangsoseo (檄黃巢書 Letter of admonishment to Huang Chao). This book is considered a masterpiece of eloquence and literary style, as it logically demonstrates the legitimacy of suppressing the rebellion and the injustice of the opponent.
Choe applied the genre of Chinese-lettered-literature in a high level and pioneered the Chinese letter based Literature in Korea. He made significant contributions to the establishment of the Chinese letter based literature in Korea by freely creating various Chinese poetry genres, including modern-style poetry. In addition, he skillfully expresses the formal beauty and refined rhetoric in the style of rhymed parallel prose (騈儷文 byeollyeomun), and hence upgraded the standard of the classic Chinese literature in Silla dynasty. Lee Kyubo (李奎報, 1169-1241) revered him as Dongguk Munjong (東國文宗 Emperor Wenzong of the East [Korea]), and Seo Geojeong (徐居正, 1420-1488) praised Gyewonpilgyeong as he stated that, “all of the anthologies in the East follow Gyewonpilgyeong; thus, it is the start of our Korean art history." The writings that Choe were famous enough to be cited in Shun Tang Shu Yu Wen Zhi) (新唐書 藝文志 The Treatises of New Book of Tang Dynasty).
Meanwhile, Choe reveals his historical view through his writing Sangtaesasijungjang (上太師侍中狀). Applying his understanding from the Confucianist historical viewpoint, he identifies that Mahan (馬韓) transformed to Goguryeo (高句麗 B.C.37-668), Byeonhan (弁韓) to Baekje (百濟 B.C.18-660), and Jinhan (辰韓) to Silla (新羅 B.C.57-935), while Balhae (698-926) was founded by the descendants of Goguryeo. H understanding of Korean history and identification of the succession of Samhan-Three Kingdoms-Unified Silla and Balhae influences historians of later generations.
Choe was fundamentally a Confucian, but showed deep understandings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Korean specific ideologies. His efforts to reconcile various ideas can be found in his writings, including Nallangbiseo (鸞郎碑序). Considered to be a pioneer of Confucianism, he was selected to be one of the 18 wise men of Confucianism. Especially, Sasanbimyeong (四山碑銘) is regarded as a classic epitaph within the Chinese letter based literature, in which consolidating most of Choe’s ideology. Based on his Buddhist knowledge, he devises a desirable society in Sasanbimyeong, which plays a crucial role in academic history, as it is an epochal work that has gaudy and frivolous rhetoric as well as implied beauty and elegance. In his various writings, Choe says that there is no difference in the fundamentals of Confucian, Buddhism, and Taoism and suggests his ideology of Samgyoseupap (三敎習合 Syncretism of Three Religion).
These reputations of Choe made him a major figure of history and literature. The Samguksagi (三國史記 History of the Three Kingdoms) includes Choe Chiwonjeon (崔致遠傳 The Tale of Choe Chiwon), while Choe Chiwon (崔致遠, unknown creation date) and another novel, Choe Gounjeon (崔孤雲傳, 16th century) are also passed down.
Reference
Lee, Useong, “Nambukguk Sidae wa Choe Chiwon (Choe Chiwon and North-South States Period),” Hanguk ui Yeoksasang (The Historical Development of Korea), Changbi Publishers, 1982.
Lee, Useong, Silla Sasan Bimyeong (The Writings of Four Mountain Inscription), Asea Munhwasa, 1995.
Im, Hyeongtaek, Goun Choe Chiwon (Goun Choe Chiwon), Minumsa, 1989.
Minjok Munhaksa Yeongyuso, Hanguk Gojeon Munhak Jakgaron (Theory of Korean Classical Writers), Somyong Publishing, 1998.
Minjok Munhaksa Yeongyuso, Sae Minjok Munhaksa Gangjwa (New Course in National History of Literature), Changbi Publishers, 2009.
