耕齋 李建昇의 만주 망명의 여정과 내면 -『海耕堂收草』 소재 「西來偶存」을 중심으로-

Abstract

The writings of Gyeongjae Lee Geon-seung(1858～1924) during his exile in Manchuria are preserved in the 『Haegyeongdangsocho』, encompassing three poetry manuscripts: 「Seoraeujeon」, 「Heungdosucho」 and 「Jeopsucho」. These manuscripts serve as autobiographical poems, reflecting the daily life of Gyeongjae, a descendant of the Joseon royal family, a family patriarch, and a traditional intellectual rooted in Classical Chinese literature. They encapsulate his psychological journey of determination and action leading up to his exile as a loyalist scholar of the fallen Joseon Dynasty, as well as his experiences and reflections during his journey of exile. This study analyzes Gyeongjae's works from the early period of his Manchurian exile, particularly focusing on the 「Seoraeujeon」. In the second chapter, a sequential analysis of the poems in 「Seoraeujeon」 is conducted, tracing Gyeongjae's emotions and logic as he navigates through significant locations of his early exile journey, such as Ganghwa, Gaeseong, Uiju, and Guryeseong. Exile, although the most extraordinary event, is depicted through the repetition of routine, mundane actions within unfamiliar times and spaces, imbued with multifaceted significance as a fierce space where the realities of the individual, community, and nation intersect. Thus, examining exile from the perspective of daily life or social history not only corroborates the reality of exile experienced by the intellectual Gyeongjae, who strove to fulfill his responsibilities in the face of national ruin, but also elucidates the very reality of the exile sites he inhabited. Furthermore, this study argues that ‘exile literature’, which emerged during the unique and specific historical context of national subjugation and the fall of our nation, should be integrated into the history of Classical Chinese literature. The study also underscores the need to clarify the characteristics and significance of ‘exile literature’ within the broader context of Korean literary history by encompassing the achievements of Korean literature, such as vernacular prose and diaries, which were also created as a result of exile.