Sonja Häußler

old Koryŏ capital Kaesŏng historical sites political allusions literary images memorial of national heroes

After the transition of power to the Chosŏn dynasty and the subsequent shift of the capital to Seoul, the capital of the former dynasty, Kaesŏng, naturally lost its role as the political, economical and cultural center of the Korean state. But its glorious past as a capital city occupied a strong place in the memories of Korean intellectuals. Kaesŏng’s famous historical and cultural sites and scenic places became important national memorial sites to which wandering scholars or travelling officials paid an obligatory visit. In the period immediately following the collapse of the Koryŏ state, Kaesŏng was a must-see site for all those intellectuals who held the old dynasty dear. Later it became a suitable object of contemplation for those intellectuals who were discontented with the political situation in their state or who suffered from world-weariness. The city’s deplorable condition as a former capital made it the ideal place for melancholic and nostalgic feelings, for contemplations on the vicissitudes of life and the transitory nature of man’s actions. This article will focus on the perception of Kaesŏng in a collection of poems written by Kim Si-sŭp, a fifteenth century dissident, and a comparison with the poetry of other intellectuals from earlier and later times.