On the Source Materials and Historical Perspective of Sim Kwang-se’s Haedong Akpu: Focusing on its Relationship with Tongguk Tong’gam

Sunam 順菴 An Chŏng-pok 安鼎福 (1712–1791) once remarked: “Although our country has several types of old yuefu songs, among them, the work by Hyu-ong 休翁 Sim Kwang-se 沈光世 (1577–1624) is considered the finest.” Sim Kwang-se’s Haedong akpu 海東樂府 (Songs of the Eastern Land) is a series of historical yuefu poetry (yŏngsa akpu 詠史樂府) composed during his exile to Kosŏng in Kyŏngsang Province following the Kyech’uk Treason Case of 1613 (5th year of King Kwanghae). Using episodes from Korean history as his material, he sought to embed moral admonition and didactic purpose. Selecting forty-four engaging stories from the early histories of Silla, Koryŏ, and early Chosŏn, he provided explanatory introductions for each piece and then rendered the historical events in verse. It is well known that the immediate impetus for the creation of Haedong akpu lay in the circulation of the Chosŏn-printed edition of the Ming scholar Li Dongyang’s Xiya Nigu yuefu 西涯擬古樂府. This raises several questions: What historical sources does Haedong akpu primarily cite? In what manner are they employed? And what do these uses reveal about Sim Kwang-se’s historical consciousness and scholarly orientation? This article investigates the sources and patterns of citation in Haedong akpu in order to elucidate the historical worldview embedded in his work.