Gang Jeongildang (姜靜一堂, 강정일당, 1772-1832) was a late Chosun dynasty poetess and Neo-Confucian scholar. She was of the Jinju Gang Clan (晉州姜氏, 진주강씨); her childhood name (兒名, 아명) was Jideok (至德, 지덕); and her pen name (號, 호) was Jeong’ildang (靜一堂, 정일당). She was born into an gentry, but poor Yangban (兩班, 양반) family that had not seen anyone rise to a bureaucratic position for a number of generations. From an early age, Gang Jeongildang followed her mother and learned weaving. She was married to Yun Gwangyeon (尹光演, 윤광연, 1778-1838) at the age of 20, but only moved in three years later because the husband’s family was also poor to support her. After moving in, Gang Jeongildang started learning Confucian classics along with her husband to help him study for the civil service examinations (科擧, 과거). Despite his studying, Yun Gwangyeon failed the civil service examination. At the advice of Gang Jeongildang, he abandoned his aspirations for a bureaucratic positions and opened a Confucian school (書堂, 서당) to study and teach Chinese classics to other children in the village. Gang Jeongildang bore Yun Gwangyeon five sons and four daughters, but all of them unfortunately died before the age of one. Her legacy, however, was carried on by her written works. Even during her lifetime, she became rather known for her poetry, calligraphy, and writings on Confucian tenets. After her passing away at the age of 61, her husband compiled all her works and published them in the Jeongildang Yugo (靜一堂遺稿, 정일당유고).
春夢 춘몽
Spring Dreams
水晶簾外日將闌 수정렴외일장란
垂柳深沈覆碧欄 수류심침복벽란
枝上黃鶯啼不妨 지상황앵제불방
尋君夢已到長安 심군몽이도장안
Outside my crystal blinds, the sun will soon fall;
But the weeping willows in deep sleep cover the blue rails.
Above the branches, nightingales chirp without interruption.
Finding you, my dear, in my dreams, I have already arrived at Jang’an (長安, 장안).
Definitions:
Water • crystal • shades • outside • sun • will • to decline
To hang • willows • deep • asleep • to cover • blue • handrails
Branches • above • yellow • nightingale • to chirp • not • to obstruct
To find • you • dreams • already • to arrive • name • name
Notes:
- Heptasyllabic truncated version (七言絶句, 칠언절구). Riming character (韻, 운) is 寒(한).
- 垂柳(수류) – Literally, “hanging willow trees.” Refers to weeping willows.
- 長安(장안) – Jang’an, or in Mandarin Chang’an, was the capital city of many Chinese dynasties. It is now modern day Xi’an (西安, 서안). Chosun poets referred to Seoul (서울) by this name.
