권호문의 은거 동인과 <閑居十八曲>의 창작 동인

Abstract

Through the examination of Yi Hwang’s attitude towards retirement, the origin of Kwon Ho-mun’s attitude towards retirement was initially understood. By analyzing <Hangeosippalgok>(閑居十八曲), we examined the hidden and creative meanings of Kwon Ho-mun’s retirement through Yi Hwang’s Eonhaengrok(言行錄). Yi Hwang believed that even if one became a king, they could not hold office if those in positions obstructed their duties and disturbed the country. He advised his disciples to take the civil service examination for the sake of their parents and family, while also stating that retiring from the examination or resigning from office depended on one’s own judgment. Based on this perspective, an attempt was made to analyze <Hangeosippalgok>(閑居十八曲) Particularly, through the examination of “富貴危機” in section 8 and the essays and poems included in Songamjip(松巖集), it was confirmed that Kwon Ho-mun viewed the world, especially the behavior of bureaucrats, negatively. The conflict experienced by the speaker between leaving and staying stemmed from the conflict between the principles that a scholar-official should uphold and the beliefs they have accumulated through their studies. If a scholar-official believes that leaving is the best course of action and retiring is the second best, there must be a reason for the speaker to choose retirement. The author found this reason in the speaker’s perception of the world. The teaching that one cannot leave if the country is without principles and beliefs means that “富貴危機” ultimately became Kwon Ho-mun’s retirement. Additionally, through “懷寶迷邦” in section 16, it was inferred that there would have been constant skepticism around Kwon Ho-mun’s retirement, hence the need to publicize his retirement and intentions to the masses rather than to individuals. It was understood that this was achieved through the use of Korean poetry, which has the characteristic of being shared by many. This is what <Hangeosippalgok>(閑居十八曲) represents as a creative retirement.