고산(孤山) 허항(許恒)의 시문학 고찰

Abstract

This paper explores the poetry of Gosan (孤山) Heo Hang (許恒, 1568–1634), a prominent figure from Namwon, Jeollabuk-do, during the late 16th to early 17th centuries. Along with his elder brother Heo Jing (許憕) and younger brother Heo Do, Heo Hang was instrumental in establishing the prosperity of the Yangcheon Heo family in Namwon. Of the three brothers, Heo Hang was the only one to pass the civil service examination, which allowed him to serve in the central government. His significance is also noted in the Yongseongji (龍城誌), a local chronicle of Namwon, underscoring his importance in both the Yangcheon Heo family and the Confucian academic history of the region. Heo Hang, whose academic roots were in the Seoin (西人) faction, passed the civil service examination in 1618 (the 10th year of King Gwanghaegun’s reign) at the age of 51 and served as an official in the Ministry of Personnel (吏曹). When Queen Dowager Inmok was deposed, he resigned and withdrew to Gosan. Later, due to his profound knowledge of Confucian classics, he was appointed to the Royal Lecture Hall (世子侍講院) to educate the Crown Prince. During the Jeongmyo War in 1627, he accompanied King Injo to Ganghwa Island, was promoted to Tongjeong Daebu, and later appointed as the Left Vice-Minister of the Office of Special Advisors. He retired from government service in 1632 after serving as the Governor of Cheongsong. Heo Hang’s literary contributions are preserved in his anthology Gosanjip (孤山集), which contains 117 poems across 101 titles. His poetry can be categorized into three main themes: depicting the Crown Prince and extolling his virtues through congratulatory poems, sublimating the pain of bereavement into poetry, and expressing transcendent joy and loyal sentiments through travel.