Literary Exchange and the Author’s Perception of Reality in Jo Eom : Focusing on the Suchangnok in Haesa Ilgi

This study examines the aspects of literary exchange and the authorial perspectives reflected in Suchangrok (酬唱錄), compiled by Jo Eom (趙曮) during his diplomatic mission to Japan in 1763. Suchangrok is an anthology that includes Jo Eom’s own poetic compositions as well as poems exchanged among the members of the diplomatic delegation, organized by location. It serves as a collective literary record through which emotional resonance, awareness of contemporary reality, and cultural criticism were expressed via poetry. This paper analyzes the composition of the works in Suchangrok and the participation of individual authors, while also examining the forms of poetry (such as regulated verse and quatrains) and the application of various poetic response techniques, including chawon (次韻), yongun (用韻), punun (分韻), and jeomun (拈韻). The findings reveal that Kim In-gyeom, Won Jung-geo, Seong Dae-jung, and Nam Ok played central roles in the poetic exchanges. Among the poetic forms, seven-character regulated verse (qiyan lüshi) was most prevalent, and chawon was the dominant mode of poetic response. The poems also reveal strong observational and evaluative perspectives based on the diplomatic route and experiences, with some works subtly embedding political satire and critique. Jo Eom’s poetic engagement with reality and his literary responses go beyond diplomatic reportage. They reflect his awareness of civilization and a sense of responsibility as an intellectual. While admiring aspects of Japan’s system and natural landscapes, he maintained a critical stance based on principles of legitimacy and hierarchical order, which can be interpreted within the worldview of Confucian literati in late Joseon. This study finds significance in its literary analysis of Suchangrok as an anthology of poetic responses, illuminating the collective poetic practices, literary exchanges, and thematic consciousness found in Joseon’s late 18th-century diplomatic literature.