林沔浩의 <陳玄傳>에 대하여

Abstract

This article is intended to introduce Myeonho Lim(林沔浩)’s On Ink-cakes(陳玄傳). To the best of my knowledge it has been unknown to academic circles. The work is contained in the author's Posthumous Manuscripts. It seems to have been written in 1792. Seeing his career(1750-1831), it falls in his middle ages. His Posthumous Manuscripts is a garland written in Chinese characters. I have found it in the Nak-Eun Archives(樂隱文庫) of Professor Jeonseop Kang as well as a good deal of poetry and prose. Considering his some poems and proses, it is arguable that he was a talented poet and a man of keen observation to trivial things in his daily life. Hence, the works On Ink-stone(詠硯), On Potted Maehwa(盆梅詩), On Web(蜘蛛網), On Bamboo Pillows(文竹皮枕), On the Seal of State(傳國璽銘), On Mrs. Bamboo(竹夫人銘). Each subjects are personified in the works. In his On Ink-cakes, he vividly personifies ink-cakes, and creatively embodies their ‘life’ as well as its usage and figure with an outstanding observation. Furthermore, he quotes some related references from Chinese literature. By doing this, he follows the tradition of Korean literature which tells moral lessons for man by describing natural things. In short, I think On Ink-cakes in which ink-cakes are impersonate should be considered to be significant in Korean personification literature, and should be evaluated, while it doesn't deviate from the tradition, in respect that it is well-structured in its frame, plenty in content, keen in observation, vivid in expression with contrast to other similar personification works.