‘Dharana’ as the Gateway: Meditative Wit(H)Nessing and the Transformation of Trauma in Han Kang’s the White Book

Han Kang's The White Book (2016) redefines trauma narratives through Eastern meditative traditions, particularly the yogic concepts of ‘dharana’ (concentration) and ‘dharana’ (meditative absorption). The novel's structure, symbolism, and fragmented prose mirror these meditative stages, offering a literary model for processing grief and engaging with collective mourning. The narrator begins with an intense focus on her deceased sister's absence, using whiteness—represented by objects like swaddling bands, snow, and salt—as a focal point (‘dharana’). This disciplined concentration anchors her mourning in a structured, ritualistic act of remembrance. As the narrative progresses, this focused contemplation expands beyond personal grief into an immersive meditation on mortality, impermanence, and renewal (dhyana). This transition reflects a shift from individual sorrow to a broader existential awareness, dissolving boundaries between self and collective memory. In parallel, Bracha L. Ettinger's (2006) concept of wit(h)nessing reframes witnessing trauma as an ethical, intersubjective process rather than a detached observation. The novel's sparse and fragmented prose, combined with deliberate white spaces, invites readers to engage actively in the mourning process, transforming reading into a participatory act of remembrance. By integrating Eastern meditative philosophy with poetic storytelling and ethical engagement, The White Book challenges conventional trauma narratives, positioning literature as a space for healing, reflection, and communal memory. This study argues that Kang's work reconfigures how trauma is represented in literature, and offers a transformative framework for understanding grief as a shared and meditative process