Historical Perceptions of the Sea in Yi Hui-pung’s Songpa Yugo

This study examines the perceptions of the sea in history as represented in Yi Hui-pung’s Songpa Yugo of the late Joseon period, focusing on Kim Hae-sa-jeon and his Sino-Korean poems. Through these texts, Yi presents the sea as a space of reflection and realization, revealing his perception of the sea as more than a geographical boundary. In Kim Hae-sa-jeon, Yi demonstrates an open attitude toward maritime experiences and cultural exchanges, portraying the sea as a place of encounter with new worlds and a source of intellectual challenge and introspection. This work reflects the consciousness of a late Joseon literatus who critically recognized the limitations of Confucianism and sought a life beyond worldly constraints. Yi’s poems dealing with historical events at sea further illustrate this perception. His works on General Jang Bogo and General Jeong Nyeon evoke the grandeur of historical victories in maritime dominance, while his poem on the fall of General Eo Jae-yeon at the Battle of Gwangseongbo expresses tragic admiration, highlighting the decline of national fortune and the lack of communication in the late nineteenth century. This study thus provides insight into how late Joseon intellectuals perceived the sea as both a site of challenge and reflection, as well as a locus of praise and lamentation depending on historical outcomes. Yi Hui-pung’s Kim Hae-sa-jeon serves as a significant literary and historical source that reveals the broader cultural and existential meanings the sea held for intellectuals of the time.