“An old soldier was given a young ginyeo, and he loved her so deeply that he squandered all the army’s funds on her. Upon completing his service and returning home, he bade her farewell at Ujeong, the Post Pavilion. He held her hand and wept until his sleeves were soaked, but she did not shed a single tear. Her parents stood behind him and pretended to cry, hands pressed to their faces, urging her to do the same.” (Eouyadam [A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou], Dolbegae, 2006)
Yu Mongin was a civil servant and writer of the mid-Joseon period, known for his works Eoujip (The Collected Works of Eou) and Eouyadam (A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou).
1. Life
Yu Mongin was born in 1559 (14th year of King Myeongjong’s reign) and died in 1623 (first year of King Injo’s reign). After placing first in the national civil service examination in 1589, he became a tutor to Crown Prince Gwanghaegun. When the Imjin War broke out, he protected King Seonjo and accompanied him to Pyongyang. Afterward, he held various government posts. Although he belonged to the Bugin faction (Northerners), he opposed the movement led by Daebukpa (Great Northerners) to depose the Queen Dowager Inmok and withdrew from public affairs. Consequently, he was able to avoid danger during the Injo Coup of 1623 but was forced to resign his office and spent the rest of his life wandering. However, in July of the same year, he was accused of plotting to restore Gwanghaegun. He was arrested in Seosan, Yangju and executed by decapitation along with his son in August. During King Jeongjo’s reign, he was found to have been wrongfully executed and was posthumously reinstated. In 1832, following his reinstatement, his descendants gathered his previously lost works and published them as a collection of poems and essays titled Eoujip.
2. Writing
Yu compiled Eouyadam, a collection of unofficial histories, popular rumors, and anecdotes, and Eoujip, a collection of poems and essays. His best-known work Eouyadam was originally composed of ten volumes, but many were lost after Yu became embroiled in chaotic political events and was sentenced to death for treason. In the 20th century, his descendant, Yu Jehan, published the Manjongjae edition, which consists of five volumes and 558 chapters: Illyunpyeon (Human Relations), Jonggyopyeon(Religion), Hangnyepyeon (Letters and Arts), Sahoepyeon(Social Affairs), and Manmulpyeon (All Things). Eouyadam is a comprehensive collection, ranging from compelling narratives, such as anecdotes of individuals from various social classes and ghost stories to accounts of everyday life, including stories behind poems, historical inquiries, and miscellaneous notes. Consequently, readers can take a glimpse at not only Yu’s literary imagination but also how people from various social classes lived and what their society was like. Similarly, Eoujip was published by Yu’s descendants in 1832, after they collected over 80 posthumous works that had been lost following his death. The poems in this collection clearly showcase his poetic ability, demonstrating exceptional skill in both style and calligraphy.
Reference
Kim Hongbaek. (2014) “Yu Monginui Gyeongse Uisikgwa Sanmunsegye” (“Yu Mongin’s Philosophy of Statecraft and World of Prose”), Doctoral dissertation, Department of Korean Language and Literature, Seoul National University.
Eouyadam(A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou), Jeongeumsa, 1964
Eouyadam(A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou), Hankookmunhwasa, 1996
Eouyadam: Boyupyeon (A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou: Supplement), Hankookmunhwasa, 2001
Eouyadam 1-3 (A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou, Volumes 1-3), Institute of Traditional Culture, 2003
Eouyadam(A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou), Dolbegae, 2006
Ryu Mongin Jakpumjip (Yu Mongin’s Collection of Works), Literature and Arts Publishing Company, 2010
Eoujip 1-2 (The Collected Works of Eou, Volumes 1-2), Hakjawon, 2016
Gyogampyojeom Eoujip 1-2 (The Collected Works of Eou: Critical Edition, Volumes 1-2), Hakjawon, 2016
Jeongbon Hanguk Yadamjeonjip 1: Eouyadam (Critical Edition of the Complete Works of Korean Unofficial Histories, Volume 1: A Collection of Anecdotes by Eou), Bogosa, 2021
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