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.

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.

This work provides an introduction to some of the most important and representative genres of classical Korean literature. Coverage includes: Samguk sagi and samguk yusa as literature; Kunmong and Unyongchon; the lyricism of Koryo songs; and the literature of Chosen Dynasty Women.

This study examines the development and characteristics of various historical and contemporary genres of Korean literature. It presents explanations on the development of Korean literacy and offers a history of literary criticism, traditional and modern, giving the discussion an historical context.

A collection of short, introspective poems known as sijo--a form unique to Korea. They are skillfully translated by Korean scholar, Richard Rutt

"A comprehensive anthology of Chosŏn dynasty (1392-1910) poetry, with translations of 600 plus poems, an introduction to the dynasty, essays on the various genres, notes on poems and poets, guides to original texts, bibliography and so on. An ideal textbook for students of pre-modern Korean literature, it will also have considerable appeal to readers looking for an introduction to life in traditional Korea."--Publisher's description.

In this comprehensive treatment of the poetry of Shilla and Koryo, O Rourke divides one hundred fifty poems into five sections: Early Songs, Shilla hanshi, Shilla hyangga, Koryo kayo, and Koryo hanshi and shijo. Only a few pre-Shilla poems are extant; O Rourke features all five. All fourteen extant Shilla hyangga are included. Seventeen major Koryo kayo are featured; only a few short, incantatory pieces that defied translation were excluded. Fourteen of the fewer than twenty Koryo shijo with claims to authenticity are presented. From the vast number of extant hanshi, O Rourke selected poems with the most intrinsic merit and universal appeal.

A Shijo Poet at the Court of K•ing Somo: The Pine River Songs is translation of Songgang kasa, Chong Ch'ol's (1536-1593) famous collection of-Korean songs. The translations are by Kevin O'Rourke, one of the foremost translators of Korean literature into English in the world today. Professor O'Rourke includes in the volume a biographical sketch of the Choson dynasty poet-official and a crifica1 analysis of his work. These essays provide a fascinating background to the life and work of this enigmatic man. Royal Inspector (governor of a province, personal secretary to the king, second minister general of the army - these are some of the positions held by Chong Ch'ol during a career that was punctuated by periods of voluntary retirement, dismissal and exile. He was by nature a brilliant but rather stubborn man. Loved by his friends, hated py his enemies, his life was marked by continuous controversy. Korean commentators traditionally regard Chong Ch'ol as the greatest exponent of the essay-poem genre called kasa- his kasa were immensely popular in his own lifetime - and they consistently place him among_ the great shijo poets. Readers of A Shijo Poet at the Court of King Sonjo: The Pine River Songs will be struck by the literary quality of the shijo, which are without peer in the history of the genre, and by the urbanity and cultiva1ion of the Kasa poems. These poems come alive for the first time in English versions that stand on their own as English poems.

Korea's traditional love poetry is little known in the West. This anthology contains examples of all genres: vernacular to long lyrical poems. A witty informative commentary links the poems and sets them in context.