Hwang Jin-i
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hwang Jin-i | |
|---|---|
| Hangul: |
황진이
|
| Hanja: |
黃眞伊
|
| Revised Romanization: | Hwang Jini |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Hwang Chini |
Hwang Jin-i (fl. mid-16th century), also known by her kisaeng name Myeongwol ("shining moon"), was among the most famous kisaeng of the Joseon Dynasty. She was the child of an aristocratic man in Gaeseong; accounts of her mother vary, but many indicate that she was a blind woman named Hyeon Hak-geum. Because her mother was of cheonmin birth she was unable to marry into a yangban family. Instead, she became a kisaeng herself. She quickly rose to fame thanks to her beauty, intellect, and preternatural talent in playing the geomungo.
Thanks to her fame, Hwang is among the few kisaeng whose names have survived. Unfortunately, we know little else about her life. She is said to have received a typical aristocratic education in her childhood, studying the Chinese classics. When she was fifteen, a nearby bachelor is said to have died of love for her. After becoming a kisaeng, she carried on with various notables including Ji Jok-am, and also associated with the philosopher Seo Gyeong-deok. Her place and time of death are unknown.
Several geomungo compositions attributed to Hwang have been preserved, as have a handful of her sijo poems reflecting on the famous sites of Gaeseong, such as Manwoldae palace and the Bagyeon Pokpo waterfall.
In the late 20th century, Hwang's story began to attract attention from both sides of the Korean divide. Her life has been depicted through media including fiction, film and opera. Novels dealing with her life include a 2002 novel by the North Korean writer Hong Sok-chung, which was the first North Korean novel to win an award in the South. Another novel, by South Korean writer Jeon Gyeong-rin, became a bestseller in 2004.
