The Book of Korean Shijo (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

The Korean genre known as shijo is short song lyrics. Originally meant to be sung rather than recited, these short poems are light, personal, and very often conversational. The language is simple, direct, and devoid of elaboration or ornamentation. The shijo poet gives a firsthand account of his personal experience of life and emotion: the rise and fall of dynasties, friendship, love, parting, the pleasures of wine, the beauty and transience of life, the inexorable advance of old age. In this anthology of translations of 612 shijo , Kevin O'Rourke introduces the English reader to this venerable and witty style of verse. The anthology covers the entire range of shijo production from the tenth century to the modern era. The Book of Korean Shijo Acknowledgments Contents Introduction Texts and Sources Part I Songs from Koryŏ (918-1392) Ch'oe Ch'ung Yi Kyubo U T'ak Yi Cho'nyŏn Ch'oe Yŏng Yi Saek Yi Chik Yi Pang'wŏn Chŏng Mongju Chŏng Mongju' s mother Yi Chono ChŏngTojŏn Part II Chason Dynasty: Foundation to the Hideyoshi War (1392-1592) Cho Chun Kil Chae Maeng Sasŏng Hwang Hŭi Ha Wiji Won Ch'ŏnsŏk Kim Chongsŏ Yi Kae Pak P' aengnyŏn Sŏng Sammun Yu Ŭngbu Yu Sŏng'wŏn Tanjong Kim Koengp'il Wang Pang'yŏn Wŏn Ho Prince Wŏlsan Yi Hyŏnbo Chŏng Hŭiryang Kim Ku Sŏ Kyŏngdŏk Song Sun An Chŏng Sŏng Un Yi Hwang Cho Shik Hwang Chini Kim inhu Yu Hŭich'un Song In Yang Saŏn Yang Ŭngjŏng Yi Hubaek Kang Ik Kim Sŏng'wŏn Kwŏn Homun Yi Yangwŏn Yu Chashin Sŏng Hon Yil Chŏng Ch'ŏl Sŏ ik Han Ho Cho Hŏn Yi Sunshin Kim Changsaeng Im Che Hanu Sŏnjo Cho Chonsŏng Song T'a Yi Tŏkhyŏng Yi Tŏg'il Kim Sang'yŏng Pakinno Kang Pokchung Shin Hŏm Chang Man Kim Tŏngnyŏng Chŏng On Kim Kwang'uk Kim Yuk Hongi khan Yun Sŏndo Part III Chason Dynasty: After the Hideyoshi War (1592-1910) Yi Myŏnghan Chŏng Tugyŏng Hong Nang Chŏng T aehwa Yi Yŏng Hyojong Prince Inp'yŏng Nam Kuman Prince Nang'wŏn Prince Yuch'ŏn Pak Taebo Kim Ch' ang' ŏp Chu Ǔishik An Sŏu Yun Tusŏ Kim Ch'ŏnt'aek Yun Sun Kim Sujang Kim Ugyu Yi Chŏngbo Cho Myŏngni Yi Chae Hwang Yunsŏk Shin Hŏnjo Shin Wi Pak Hyogwan Kim Samhyŏn Songgyeyŏnwŏl Kim Chint' ae Kim Sŏnggi Kim Yŏng Yi Chongjin Kim Yugi Kim Sŏngch' oe An Minyŏng Yi Sebo Yi Chaemyŏn Cho Hwang Ch' oe Chikt' ae Na Chisŏng Yi Chungjip An Yŏnbo Ho Sŏkkyun Yi P'ansŏ In'ǔng Kim Ch'iu Kim Hag'yŏn Ha Sunil Kwŏn Ingnyung Ch'ŏn'gǔm Maehwa Hongjang Chin'ok Part IV Anonymous Songs Moral Songs Drinking Songs Songs of Nature Songs of Mortality Love Songs Songs of Parting Reference Matter Chronology of the Chosŏn Dynasty Kings Bibliography Index of Poets Index of First Lines Harvard East Asian Monographs "Korean shijo are short song lyrics. Originally meant to be sung and heard rather than read and contemplated, these short poems are light, personal, very often conversational. The language is simple, direct, and devoid of elaboration or ornamentation. The shijo poet gives a first-hand account of his personal experience of life and emotion: the rise and fall of dynasties, friendship, love, parting, the pleasures of wine, the beauty and transience of life, the inexorable advance of old age. Wit is integral to shijo. Indeed, it is the fusion of image and idea through wit, most often an ironical wit, that gives shijo its unique flavor." "In this anthology of 611 shijo in English translation, Kevin O'Rourke introduces the English reader to this venerable verse form. The anthology covers the entire range of shijo production, from the tenth century to the modern era."--BOOK JACKET.