A Semiotic Approach to Narratives about the Mid-Silla Period in Samguk yusa

Samguk yusa, one of the most important literary sources, was written by a Buddhist monk Iryeon in the Goryeo period of Korea. “Wangnyeok” in Samguk yusa divides Silla history of ancient Korea into three, i.e. the Early Ancient, the Middle Ancient, and the Late Ancient without mentioning much of the characteristics of each period. This essay analyzes the narratives of the mid-Silla period and examines how the author of Samguk yusa represents the cultural elements during King Beopheung’s and King Jinheung’s eras during mid-Silla. King Beopheung’s era is shown as the period governed by symbolic mechanism in terms of the Buddhist symbolic meaning of the narrative of Yeomchok’s self-sacrifice. The narratives telling the different characteristics of Weonhwa and Hwarang demonstrate the cultural pattern of King Jinheung’s era. In Samguk yusa, Hwarang’s characteristics, rather than Weonhwa’s, are recognized as the better in governing the country efficiently. Furthermore, Hwarang, rather than Weonhwa, turns out to be the better element for the hierarchical society in which a practical mechanism is dominant. It can be said that the author, Iryeon, writes on the cultural transition of the mid-Silla period, which can be analyzed by a symbolic axis and a practical axis. In the narratives in the background of the mid-Silla period, the role of the kings as well as Buddhist elements play a major role and the masculine values and personality, such as what Hwarang represented, are considered to be significant. In short, Iryeon describes the culture of the mid-Silla period considering the movement of the symbolic and practical elements, and moreover reflects the Confucian order of the world.

keywords: Samguk yusa, Iryeon, narrative, symbolic mechanism, practicalmechanism, mid-Silla period, King Beopheung, King Jinheung, Yeomchok, Weonhwa, Hwarang, Samguk sagi, Kim Busik, Samguk yusa, Iryeon, narrative, symbolic mechanism, practicalmechanism, mid-Silla period, King Beopheung, King Jinheung, Yeomchok, Weonhwa, Hwarang, Samguk sagi, Kim Busik

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Article Contents

Vol.8 No.2

A Semiotic Approach to Narratives about the Mid-Silla Period in Samguk yusa

Abstract

Reference

The Review of Korean Studies