The Seonbi Spirit in Ungok's Poetry

I discussed Ungok poetry from the perspective of 'the spirit of Seonbi' by randomly extracting poetry from 『Wungoksisa(耘谷詩史)』. I summarize the results of the discussion so far. Ungok demonstrated unwavering loyalty and integrity to the Goryeo dynasty. His poems praised the loyalty and spirit of the meritorious officials who repelled the Red Turban Invasion. By lauding their faithfulness and extolling the virtues and achievements of figures like General Choi Yeong(崔瑩), Ungok affirmed his allegiance to the crumbling Goryeo court. Ungok expressed Compassion for the People. His works vividly described the miserable reality of rural life ravaged by the exploitation of powerful aristocratic families(權門勢族) and the exhaustion of the people due to forced labor and military service. As a reclusive scholar, Ungok used his poetry to govern for the people(爲民) by articulating their anguish. Ungok maintained a clean and poor stance, deriving genuine pleasure from simple, unpretentious living, detached from wealth. His portrayal of the autumnal atmosphere in his humble thatched-roof study reflected his transcendence from the pursuit of riches. Ungok pursued a life of seclusion, transcending worldly affairs and following the natural order of things. He referenced the spirit of Tao Yuanming(陶淵明)'s Guiqulai(歸去來) to express the leisure of his reclusive life. His peaceful solitude was a state of intense mental immersion and spiritual richness, beyond the material world(物外). He yearned for the “Misty Moon of the Five Lakes(五湖煙月),” a symbol of carefree wandering, yet also reflected the reality of his time by praising the King's virtue. His contemplative life was not mere pastime, but an act of enduring loneliness and poverty to maintain a scholar's integrity while worrying for the nation. Ungok sought enjoyment by escaping the complexities of politics and rejoicing in the purity of nature's harmony. He quoted the phrase ‘Changrang Takyeong(滄浪濯纓)’ to signify his choice to live a clean and pure life in accordance with nature's flow.