Psychiatrist translates Chunwon's works
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Novelist Chunwon Yi Kwang-su (1892-1950)
By Choi Yearn-hong
Choonwon is a great writer from the first chapter of modern Korean literary history during the Japanese colonial rule. Many of his published works have been translated into other languages, including “The Best Short Stories of Yi Kwang-su,” which was translated into English by Dr. Chang-Wuk Kang, a famed psychiatrist in the Baltimore area. I am fortunate to know this distinguished Choonwon scholar personally. He and I are sympathetic to Choonwon and want to restore his name in Korean literary history.
This is my second review of a Choonwon book; the first review was of “Kashil and Best Essays by Yi Kwang-su, ” translated by Dr. Chung Nan Lee Kim, Choonwon’s eldest daughter. The two books share five stories: “Chronicle: Sale of the House,” “Nanjaeoh,” “A Dead Bird,” “Nest of Swallows” and “The Ox Is Laughing.” Kang believed these stories were some of Choonwon’s most important works, and he absolutely had to include them in his translation project.
Why would someone translate a work into English when it had already been translated by another? Is it worthwhile to do so? These are always good questions to ask. I believe it is a worthwhile endeavor, because translation itself is a form of creative writing. The two translators are two different persons with two different perspectives of Choonwon and his works. Kim selected the stories for his translated anthology from the perspective of a Shakespearian scholar, while Kang, an academic psychiatrist, has studied Chunwon’s mind, from his childhood to his maturity. Kim emphasized the literary value of Choonwon’s writing, while Kang portrayed the writer’s life as an orphan who went through a spiritual pilgrimage from the time of birth to his death.
In addition to the above five stories, Kim included the novelette “Kashil” to his anthology, while Kang included a couple of novelettes, such as “Mumyog,” as well as Choonwon’s first short story, “The Sorrow of a Youth.”
“The Best Short Stories of Yi Kwang-su.” Choonwon, translated by Kang Chang-wuk
Kang’s usage of short storiesis somewhat different from Kim’s usage of essays. I agree with Kim’s usage of “essays,” but not Kang’s usage of “short stories.” Short stories and essays are both stories, but the former requires a fictional plot. In reality, some essays are considered short stories and vice versa. These days, some essays are considered prose poems if they contain poetic metaphors. So the line between short stories and essays is blurry. All good essays are poetic, because they contain poetic metaphors. The short stories (or essays) in Kang’s translation project were based on Choonwon’s farming days at Sareung, Gyeonggi Province, during the last stage of the Japanese colonial rule, or the so-called Pacific War time. They are Choonwon’s philosophical essays as a farmer in the countryside. I can see Choonwon as a thinker and an environmentalist, a keen observer of birds, oxen and his fellow humans. The more I read these essays, the more I became fascinated by Choonwon’s mind. He was a genius whom I cannot comprehend.
Kang’s book is different from those of other Choonwon books in the libraries. It has a long introduction — 18 pages long in small print. I asked him why he produced a very long introduction, and he kindly answered that it was a reflection of his due respect and admiration of Choonwon.
1. I wish English-speaking people would read this book.
2. I wish to introduce who Choonwon was to the readers.
3. I wish to tell readers my theory that Choonwon went through a very painful experience while he was incarcerated, and he went through a healing process as a monk living an ascetic life and studying the Lotus Sutra.
4. Choonwon had an experience that was little known to many — that he was forced to performJapanophilic or pro-Japanese activities. Some 140 of his comrades were released from Japanese colonial incarceration, or received lighter sentences than summary execution, as ordered by Ahn Chang-ho. No one speak about it as one want to know. But Choonwon had to heal himself, and nothing is more healing than either self-recrimination or self-justification. But he wanted to see all of these spiritually. If someone asks me if he went to the Western Realm, the Elysium, I would like to say “Yes,” but he may be haunting us from the other cycle .
5. This was my homework to answer to the subject cast on me by Professor Seung , Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the Texas University. In lew of a thesis, I chose to write in this format, which Professor Seung seemed to approve of, albeit he still had questions for me. You know what old professors are like. They never stop asking you tough questions.
In a sense, Kang’s long introduction is a good enough reason to buy this book, but his superb translation is another good one, especially for Western readers in particular. In the long introduction, I found another word Kang coined for Choonwon and the readers, including me. I asked him about the term “Japanophilic,” a term that I created. It’s very easy to label what someone is politically. To be pro-Japanese usually means to do something for Japanese political activities. In Korea, that term also connotes “anti-Korean,” which Choonwon wasn’t. He just agreed with some Japanese ways, including their customs and culture. He behaved like Japanese like majority of Korean then. But I believe Yi (Kwang-su) might have helped promote Japanese culture and activities. If you say “pro-Japanese,” we may include all the Japanese occupiers who forced Koreans to follow them. The difference is that Yi did only what he liked. This question can put me in a position to defend Yi. Majority of the people have a very narrow concept of his activities and just heed the screamers. I know I have not answered to your satisfaction because my theory is much more complicated.
Behind the new vocabulary, I can see Choonwon’s sacrifice of himself for his fellow comrades and for national independence. Choonwon tried to set an example as a martyr, as Jesus Christ for Korea’s freedom. I cannot fully understand Choonwon’s mind and Kang’s genius, but I appreciate Kang’s new vocabulary.
I hope Kang’s new translation will be a valuable addition to the Choonwon scholars’ collections and their libraries.
Dr. Choi Yearn-hong is a Washington D.C.-based
poet and writer.