Kim Si-seup

Kim Si - seup (* 1435 [ Sejong 17] in Seoul, † 1493 [ Songjŏng 24] ) was a poet and scholar of Joseonzeit, who used the stage name Maewoldang ( Kor. 매월당, Hanja梅月堂).

Life

Kim Si - seup was born in Seoul and was a descendant of the Kim family of Gangneung. From the age of three he was writing lessons from his maternal grandfather, and already wrote Chinese poetry. His reputation as a genius penetrated to the court of King Sejong, who encouraged him to continue to study hard and promised him a career at the court.

At the age of 15 years, his mother died. Then he initially lived with his aunt, but a short time later also died, after which he moved to his father. This was now seriously ill. Having not passed the state civil service exam ( gwageo ), he retired to the Jungheung temple near Seoul back.

Political unrest because of the ruler succession should influence Kim Si seups future life greatly. 1455 succeeded the second son of King Sejong, Prince Suyang ( later King Sejo ) to depose the rightful successor Danjong and to ascend the throne himself. Six ministers in an attempt to restore Danjongs rule failed were, like many other co-conspirators punished with death and Danjong even murdered. Kim Si - seup, who also did not recognize Prince Suyang as the new king, was in protest out to the monk and went on tour.

During this time, around 2200 poems were written. In 1465 he settled at Nam Mountain ( Gyeongju ), and there wrote the novel " The Legend of Geumo " ( Geumosinhwa ) is regarded as Korea's first novel, which was written in classical Chinese. After completion of the novel, he lived for a time in Seoul before he went again on tour.

In 1493 he died in Muryang temple in the province of Chungcheongnam -do.