Hŏ Kyun (Korean: 허균; Hanja: 許筠; 3 November 1569 – 12 October 1618) was a Korean novelist, poet, and politician during the Joseon period. He was also known by his art names, Kyosan (교산) and Sŏngso (성소).
Biography
Hŏ Kyun was born into the Yangcheon Heo clan in the city of Gangneung to Hŏ Yŏp and his second wife, Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan.
Hŏ Kyun's older sister Heo Nanseolheon was a poet. Hŏ's family was of the noble (yangban) class (his father had been mayor of Gangneung) and as such Hŏ Kyun was afforded a solid education and in 1594 passed the nation's highest civil service exam.
Under the strong influence of his tutor, Yi Tal (이달; 李達), Hŏ Kyun became a progressive and liberal thinker who dreamed of establishing a more progressive society by eliminating Confucian elements in the social, literary, and political realms.[1] Hŏ went on to serve the government of Joseon in such positions as Minister of the Board of Punishment and State Councillor. In the course of his political career he was exiled several times for involvement in political feuds and was ultimately executed on charges of treason during the reign of Prince Gwanghae.[1]
Hŏ is often credited as the author of the famous Korean story Tale of Hong Gildong, which in many ways reflects his progressive thinking, although his authorship has been disputed.[2][3][4]
Family
Father
Hŏ Yeop (허엽; 許曄; 19 December 1517 – 4 February 1580)
Mother
Biological - Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan (정부인 강릉 김씨; 1523–?), married in 1548
Step - Han Ijŏng (한이정; 韓二貞), Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan (정부인 청주 한씨; 1515–?)
Siblings
Older half-sister - Hŏ Muksŏk (허묵석; 許墨石), Lady Hŏ of the Yangcheon Heo clan (양천 허씨; 陽川 許氏; 1523–?)
Older half-brother - Hŏ Sŏng (허성; 許筬; 1548–1612)
Older brother - Hŏ Pong (허봉; 許篈; 1551–1588)
Older half-sister - Hŏ Taejŏng (허대정; 許大貞), Lady Hŏ of the Yangcheon Heo clan (증 정부인 양천 허씨; 1553–?)
^It was said that Hŏ Kyun committed adultery with Chu-seom and Hyeon Eung-min but the women’s whereabouts and birth/death dates are unknown
References
^ abTai-jin Kim. 1976. A Bibliographic Guide to Traditional Korean Sources. Seoul: Asiatic Research Center, 291.
^Hŏ Kyun 허균, Hong Gildong jeon 홍길동전 [Tale of Hong Gildong], edited by Gu Inhwan 구인환 (Seoul: Sinwon Munhwasa, 2003), 54.
^Jeon Yeongjin 전영진, ed., Hong Gildong jeon, Bak ssi buin jeon 홍길동전(洪吉童傳)·박씨부인전(朴氏夫人傳) [Tale of Hong Gildong, Tale of Lady Pak] (Seoul: Hongsin Munhwasa, 2001), 11.
^Heo Gyeongjin 허경진, trans., "Hong Gildong jeon," Heo Gyun sanmunjip 홍길동전·허균 산문집 [Tale of Hong Gildong, Collection of Hŏ Kyun's prose] (Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea: Hanyang Chulpan, 1995), 7.
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