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Korean Sijo by An Minyŏng |
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(1816 - 1895)
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An Minyong was a Korean poet and minstrel who flourished during
the 19th century reigns of three kings. His pen name was Chu-ong
(Old Man of Chou). He has been called the last of the great classical poets. In 1876, he and another highly respected
poet and minstrel, Pak Hyogwan, completed their illustrious collection Kagok Wollyu (Source Book of Korean Songs), still referred to as one of the
Three Great Anthologies of Korean literature. It contains hundreds of sijo and 17 kasa lyrics arranged in accordance with
their usual musical accompaniment. A large number of his poems have been discovered in recent years, but many of them still
await scholarly investigation.
His most widely known sijo are contained in his Maehwa-sa (Songs of the Plum Blossom), a cycle of eight verses he composed while on a mountain retreat in 1871 at the home of his friend and tutor, Pak Hyogwan. Though outwardly addressed to the blossoming of plum trees, the verses seem heavy-laden with sexual innuendo, for An was a great admirer of women.
I didn't foresee much promise in your young and scrawny limbs; but you have more than satisfied with your first handful of blossoms. When I come to gaze by candlelight, your fragrance fills the air. |
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Read more Masters in Translation. Go here to learn more about Sijo. See more poetry by Larry Gross. Go to theWORDshop Homepage. All Rights Copyright 2005 by Larry Gross. Please do not reprint without written permission.
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