경회 김영근의 삶과 시세계 -영물시를 중심으로-

Abstract

This study speculated on 'Youngmul' Poetry by Gyeonghoi Kim Young-Geun who was a Confucian scholar in Gangjin during the flowering time and the early Japanese Colonial Period. Gyeonghoi was born in Gangjin in 1865. He was taught by Onam Kim Han-Seop and Jungam Kim Pyong-Mook. The teachers succeeded to the Wijung Chuksa(defending orthodoxy and rejecting heterodoxy)’ developed by Hwaseo Lee Hyang-Ro and Gyeonghoi accepted it actively and considered it as a lifelong motto. After the Eulsaneukyak and the Japanese annexation of Korea were completed, he moved to Gando for migration or anti-Japanese movement, but he stayed there for a while and came back to his hometown. Then, he opened an academy to teach junior scholars. Meanwhile, he actively participated in the group which was aimed at rehabilitation of Confucianism. It was derived from this intention to protect Confucianism and nurture junior scholars with Confucian knowledge. He wrote a total of 1,527 poems of which about 140 were verses on natural things. His 'Youngmul' Poetry was intended to expel western power and Japan and preserve Wijung Chuksa and Chinese civilization. Also the verses criticized federal ministers and local governors who betrayed Joseon, imposed pain on the tragic life of people and abandoned their responsibility to care the people. Furthermore, he criticized the society which abandoned ethics and pursued only profit and the common people who were unaware of terrible social condition without critical mind. Gyeonghoi stuck to strict standards of criticism against society and the prevailing state of society and was ashamed of himself as he was not helpful for society and did not anything for society. Therefor, he firmly controlled himself to maintain his identity as a Confucian scholar. His 'Youngmul' Poetry has meaning in that it contains Wijung Chuksa, respect for Chinese civilization and self-reflection in his poetry. As he recited the Wijung Chuksa mind to resist against the trend of pro-Japanese Chinese poetry, he was also considered as a literary resistant against Joseon society which was changed into barbarian space.