Professional Artists in Joseon

Gisaeng were female entertainers who were supposed to add excitement to banquets and drinking parties. They belonged to the lowest class of society in the Joseon era.

Still, they were professional artists who were well versed in literature, music and dance. They boasted great talent, intelligence and personal integrity since they treated noblemen.

It was often said that there was Hwang Jini in the north and Maechang in the south. The two were among a number of remarkable female literary figures representing Joseon. Maechang, in particular, received high praise and was even compared to Xue Tao, the greatest female poet of the Tang Dynasty of China. There were countless female entertainers during the Joseon Kingdom, but most were not recorded in history. So how has Maechang become widely known?


Maechang’s Life and Poetry

Maechang was born in 1573 in Buan, North Jeolla Province. Her father was Yi Tang-jong(이탕종), who was a low-level official in the provincial town, and her mother was a slave. Her real name is Hyang-geum(향금).

Although she was of low birth, when she was little she read Chinese classics such as the Analects of Confucius and Mencius. She even wrote Chinese poems at the tender age of nine. Eventually, she put her name on the list of female entertainers, as a local magistrate in Buan wanted her to do so. She gave herself a penname “Maechang” and began to live as a gisaeng.

The magistrate loved Maechang deeply, but she was left alone when he was transferred to Seoul. She wrote poems to comfort the sorrow of parting. As these touching poems became known, Maechang was invited to a number of feasts. She soon won fame as an artist and entertainer while exchanging poems with noblemen and showcasing her brilliant singing and dancing skills.


The Greatest Giaseng Poet in Joseon

Maechang did not choose to become a gisaeng but was destined for that due to her humble origin, like many other female entertainers at the time. But her literary talent was able to bloom as she associated with many scholars and public officials who enjoyed poetry and art, including Heo Gyun(허균) and Kwon Pil(권필). Heo is touted as one of the top literary figures in the 16th century and Kwon is known for his excellent writing skills and poetry.

It was Heo Gyun who made Maechang a nationally celebrated figure. The writer of famous novel “Hong Gil-dong” was actually a rebel who criticized society. He adored Maechang’s talent and the two shared a true friendship that moved beyond a simple man-woman relationship. Heo discussed poetry, writings, and paintings with her and gave wide publicity to her works. One of such works is a traditional poetic genre of sijo(시조) entitled “When Pear Flowers were Blowing like Rain.”

When pear flowers were blowing like rain, I parted from my lover, crying
With the leaves falling in the autumn wind, I wonder if he thinks of me
Only a lonely dream wanders a long way

This famous sijo, which describes Maechang’s sorrowful longing for a loved one, is included in the textbooks today. The lover she missed so much was a real person named Yu Hee-gyeong(유희경).


When Pear Flowers were Blowing like Rain

Yu was of low class by birth but he mingled with noblemen, thanks to his wonderful poems. The poet first met Maechang in 1592 when she was 20 years old.

While traveling around southern provinces, Yu visited Buan to see the famed female entertainer whose poetry and singing talent became known to Seoul. He was completely infatuated with Maechang, who was as beautiful as a fairy sent from heaven and also had outstanding artistic talent.

Maechang was also fascinated by this renowned poet. She was 28 years younger than Yu was, but she loved him with all her heart. The two shared their affectionate feelings through poems. Some ten poems inspired by Maechang are included in a collection of Yu’s works. Her work, “When Pear Flowers were Blowing like Rain” has an explanation that she wrote it while thinking of Yu.

When Japan invaded Joseon in 1592, Yu went out to battle as a member of the righteous army and made a significant contribution. Again, Maechang had to soothe her loneliness by writing.

The two lovers missed each other but they took a different path in life. 15 years after their first encounter, they were able to meet again. But their reunion was only short-lived, as Yu returned to Seoul. Three years later, in 1610, Maechang died at the age of 38. Yu lamented over her death, saying “We were fortunate enough to meet again and enjoy discussing poetry three years ago, but now, my clothes are soaked with bitter tears.”

The ill-fated gisaeng endured the pain of parting, but her letters filled with tears became illustrious literary pieces, inspiring many writers to visit her tomb. 400 years have passed, but Maechang’s life and poetry, fragrant with the scent of pear flowers, still evoke a feeling of wonder and longing.