Pak Jiwon was a scholar of the practical learning school (實學 Silhak) and one of the most recognized writers in the late Joseon period. He pursued the idea of iyonghusaeng (利用厚生, economic enrichment, convenient use of goods and sufficient food and clothing to improve people’s lives). Pak Jiwon was also known as the author of one of the most revered literary works of Korean literature, Yeolhailgi (熱河日記 The Jehol Diary).
1. Life
Pak Jiwon’s family origin was Bannam (潘南), his formal name was Mijung (美仲), and his pen names were Yeonam (燕巖), Yeonsang (煙湘), and Yeolsangoesa (洌上外史). He was born in Bansongbang (盤松坊, near Seoul Jongno-gu), Yadong (冶洞). Pak Jiwon learned various classics and history books (especially Shiji (史記 Record of Great Historian) of Sima Qian (司馬遷, 206 B.C.-A.D.220) from his grandfather Pak Pilgyun (朴弼均, 1685-1760), father-in-law Yi Bocheon (李輔天, unknown birth and death date), and Yi Bocheon’s brother Yi Yangcheon (李亮天, unknown birth and death date).
He gave up on passing the civil service examination to immerse himself in his writing and studying. In 1768, he moved to Baektap (白塔), where numerous talented literary men including Pak Jega (朴齊家, 1750-1805), Yi Seogu (李書九, 1754-1825), Yu Deukgong (柳得恭, 1748-1807), and Yi Deokmu (李德懋, 1741-1793) resided. He joined Baektap sisa (白塔詩社, a poets’ group of Baektap) to collaborate with them and widened his horizons. However, from the powers that be - Hong Gukyeong (洪國榮, 1748-1781) in particular - Pak Jiwon hid himself in Yeonam valley (燕巖峽) in Geumcheon (金川) county of Hwanghae province. Here, he chose a pen name after the the town in which he was settled, Yeonam.
In 1780, Pak Jiwon followed Pak Myeongwon (朴明源, Pak Jiwon’s relative) to Qing dynasty China for the celebration of Emperor Qianlong’s 70th birthday. There, Pak Jiwon gained firsthand experience of Beijing and Jehol (熱河). He later wrote Yeolhailgi, portraying what he saw and experienced while traveling in Qing. Later on, he served as Assistant Prefect at Hanseong City (漢城府判官 Hanseongbu Pangwan) in 1791, Magistrate of Anui County (安義縣監 Anui Hyeongam) in 1792, Magistrate of Myeoncheon County (沔川郡守 Myeoncheon Gunsu) in 1797, and Magistrate of Yangyang District (襄陽府使 Yangyang Pusa) in 1800.
2. Writing
Pak Jiwon wrote Gwanongsocho (課農小抄 Brief Abstract of Assessment of Agriculture), which summarized the contents of crucial domestic and foreign farming books, when he resided in Yeonam valley. Later, when King Jeongjo (正祖, r.1776-1800) issued him an official letter to author farming books to improve poor domestic agriculture in 1798, Pak devoted the Gwanongsocho to the King as he served as Magistrate of Myeoncheon County. The book contained useful information on agriculture, such as the crucial periods for farming, farming equipment, manure, irrigation, how to pick and plant seeds, and how to raise cows. He wrote the book by referring to existing farming books such as Nongga jipseong (農家集成 Compilation for Farmers) by Sin Sok (申洬, 1600-1661), Jeungbo sallim gyeongje (增補山林經濟 Enlarged Farm Management) by Yu Jungrim (柳重臨, 1705-1771), and Nongjeong jeonso (農政全書 Complete Work of Agricultural Administration) by Xu Guangqi (徐光啓, 1562-1633, Ming Dynasty).
Pak visited China, Beijing and Jehol, as a member of the envoy to Qing in 1780. He recorded what he saw and heard in Qing in Yeolhailgi, including glamorous city culture, exotic religions, and Qing’s political trends heard from the Beijing literati and foreign envoys. His quirky figures of speech and realistic colloquial writings were harmonized with old letters and his unique writing style was noted as Yeonamche (燕巖體). This unique form of writing, also utilized in Yeolhailgi, later triggered King Jeongjo’s Munche banjeong (文體反正 Rectification of Textual Style).
Pak did not stop writing even while he served as Magistrate of Anui County. During the period, he wrote a preface to Hongbeomuik (洪範羽翼序), which criticized Taoistic yin-yang and Five Elements theory (陰陽五行說), a preface to Yeollyeo Hamyang Pakssijeonbyeongseo (烈女咸陽朴氏傳幷序) which criticized the tradition of widows upholding their chastity to the death, and a full-length Hansi (漢詩 Chinese character poetry), Haeinsa (海印寺).
Pak Jiwon is the most acclaimed writer in the history of classical Korean literature. He was very flexible, utilizing various literary styles such as Seonjin yanghan gomun (先秦兩漢古文 Old Proses of the Qin Dynasty and Both Han Dynasties, Western and Eastern), Dangsong gomun (唐宋古文 Old Proses of Tang and Song Dynasty), Sopummun (小品文 Essay on Minor Subjects), and Paegwan soseol (稗官小說 Novels of Story Collector). In particular, his anthology was printed widely during the period of Korean patriotic enlightenment at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was republished in 1930 again, sparking the Korean Studies Movement during the Japanese colonial period.
His writing style, Yeonamche, utilized in Yeolhailgi, was so influential that King Jeongjo took issue with the prevalence of his writing style, and many intellectuals continued to pay attention to Yeonam’s writings even after his death. Through Yeolhailgi and Gwanongsocho, Pak Jiwon asserted that Joseon should enthusiastically adopt the exceptional products of Qing, such as bricks and wagons, and introduced advanced Chinese farming methods and equipment. He was a representative scholar of the Practical Learning School, who stood with the Northern School of Practical Learning (北學派). On the other hand, according to Yeohan Sipga Muncho (麗韓十家文鈔 Selections from the Writings of Ten Great Masters of Korean Literature) by Kim Taekyeong (金澤榮, 1850-1927), Pak Jiwon was recognized as an ancient literary scholar, comparable to the Eight Great Prose Masters in Tang and Song Dynasties (唐宋八家). Pak faithfully inherited the tradition of ancient literature while he was not bound by any norms. He also wrote in a fictitious style while frequently using Joseon’s local slang, proverbs, place names, etc. Indeed, his writing was fully of innovations, experimentation, and distinctive proses.
Pak’s early works such as Yangbanjeon (兩班傳 Tale of a Yangban) in Banggyeonggakoejeon (放璚閣外傳 Random Jewels from Another Tradition), Hojil (虎叱 A Tiger’s Rebuke), and Heosaengjeon (許生傳 Tale of Heo Saeng) in Yeolhailgi are excellent Chinese classic novels. Those makes him one of the most revered writers of the late Joseon period. Furthermore, he also wrote great Hansi such as Chongseokjeong gwan ilchul (叢石亭觀日出 A Sunrise See at Chongseokjeong) and Haeinsa (海印寺 Haein Temple). Above all, Pak developed a theory of literature with a central focus on maintaining the old and creating the new (法古創新), in which he criticized the literary trend of anachronistic imitation and urged to illustrate the reality of Joseon in his time.
Reference
Shin, Hoyeol and Kim, Myeongho, trans., Yeonamjip (Collection of Yeonam Works) revised edition, Dolbegae, 2012.
Pak Jongchae and Kim Yunjo, trans., Gwajeongrok (Records of Lessons at Garden), Taehaksa, 1997.
Kim, Myeongho, Pak Jiwon Munhak Yeongu (Research on Pak Jiwon Literature) (Daedong Institute for Korean Studies series 19), Daedong Institute for Korean Studies Sungkyunkwan University, 2001.
Kim, Myeongho, Yeonam Munhak ui Simcheung Tamgu (An In-depth Exploration of Yeonam Literature) (Dolbegae Korean Studies series 16), Dolbegae, 2013.
Dangukdae Sojang Yeonmin Mungo Dongjang gwijungbon Haejejip (Bibliographical Annotation of Dongjang Rarebook in the Collection of Yeonmin at Dankook University), Minsokwon, 2012.
Silsihaksa, Yeonam Pak Jiwon Yeongu (A Study of Yeonam Pak Jiwon) (Silsihaksa Silhak Study series 4), Saram ui Munui, 2012.
Im, Hyeongtaek, “Adeul i Geurin Abeoji (A Father Painted by a Son),” Uri Gojeon eul Chajaseo (Looking for Our Classics), Hangilsa, 2007.
Jeong, Min, Gojeon Munjangron gwa Yeonam Pak Jiwon (Syntax in Classics and Yeonam Pak Jiwon), Taehaksa, 2010.
Kim, Yeongjin, Pak Jiwon ui Pilsabon Sojipdeul gwa Japyeongo Yeonsanggakjip mit geu Gyeyeolbon e Daehayeo (About Pak Jiwon’s Collection of Manuscripts, Yeonsanggakjip and its Series), Dongyanghak (Oriental Studies), Academy of Asian Studies, Dankook University, 2010.
Song, Hyeokgi, “Yeonam Munhak ui Balgyeon gwa Silhak ui Jijeok Sangsangryeok (Discovery of Yeonam Literature and the Intellectual Imagination of Silhak),” Hanguk Silhak Yeongu (A Study of Korean Silhak) 18, Korea Silhak Society, 2009.
Jeong, Jaecheol, “Kim Taekyeong ui Yeonamjip Pyeonchan gwa geu Uimi (The Compilation and Meaning of Kim Taekyeong’s Yeonamjip),” Hanguk Hanmunhak Yeongu (A Study of Korean Classic Literature) 63, The Society of Korean Literature in Chinese, 2016.
[Korean Classics DB] Yeonamjip (燕巖集) (Institute for the Translation of Korean Classics, Korean Literary Collections)
http://db.itkc.or.kr/dir/item?itemId=BT#/dir/node?dataId=ITKC_BT_0568A_0010_010
