history

Ri Kyu Bo, a famous poet in the period of Koryo in the latter half of the 12th century, was called a poet of passion, a poet of patriotism and a poet of peasant.

He was born as a son of Ri Yun Su in January 1168.

He had moved to several places, following his father, before settling in Kaegyong at the age of seven to spend his childhood there. 

He started book-learning in his early age. At the age of nine he wrote a composition to get the nickname of kidong (child prodigy), and at eleven he composed poems to the amazement of people.

His world outlook and literary study were greatly influenced by his contact with Haejwachilhyon, a school of seven literary men, who were wandering about after quitting the political world to avoid the rulers’ arbitrariness just after the Musin coup in 1170. 

Through his acquaintance with them, he reexamined the reality and agreed with their scathing poetry.

He did not want to be in government service, and after his father died, he lived in seclusion in Mt Chonma, calling himself Paegun hermit. 

Paegun means white cloud. 

He concentrated on writing in the mountain, thus completing epic poem “King Tongmyong”, which he regarded as his masterpiece, at the age of 26, “Poem of Reflections about Destiny of Country” at age 27 and “302- rhyme Poem” at 28. 

Since his early years he had written impromptu and long poems, all of which were original, creative, diverse in words, exquisite, delicate and unrestrained.

His works did not imitate those of the people of former days, but were distinctive.

In 1232 he volunteered to fight invading aggressors though he was old and composed good writings during the fighting.

He wrote prose as well.

He wrote literary comments, narrative romances, personified biographical works, travel records, satirical prose and others.

Later, a collection of his works titled “Tonggukrisanggukjip” was compiled. It consists of over 2 000 poems and over 700 pieces of prose.