Hwang Jini facts for kids

Hwang Jini (Hangul: 황진이; 1506 – 1567), also known by her gisaeng name Myeongwol ("bright moon"), was one of the most famous gisaeng of the Joseon Dynasty. She lived during the time of King Jungjong. Hwang Jini was known for her great beauty, quick thinking, and intelligence. She was also very independent.

Today, she is a legendary figure in modern Korea. She has inspired many stories, operas, movies, and TV shows. There is even a crater on Venus called Hwangcini named after her.

Early Life

Hwang Jini was born around 1506. Her father was Hwang Jin-sa, a politician's son. Her mother, Jin Hyeon-geum, was from a lower social class. Because her parents could not marry, Hwang Jini was considered an "illegitimate" daughter. This meant she faced many social challenges.

She was famous for her beauty and strong personality. Many men wanted to marry her as she grew up. One story says that a coffin carrying a man she cared for stopped in front of her house. It would not move until she used her hanbok skirt to cover it. This legend suggests she became a gisaeng at age 15.

During the Joseon Dynasty, women had very strict rules. They were often kept inside their homes. They could not choose who to marry. Hwang Jini chose to become a gisaeng to escape these rules. This choice gave her the freedom to learn dance, music, art, literature, and poetry. These subjects were not usually taught to young women at that time.

Hwang Jini's beauty was known all over Korea. People said she looked beautiful even without makeup. She was also very clever and artistic. Many men, rich and poor, traveled to see her performances. Like other gisaengs, she often gave riddles to men who visited her. Only those who solved them could talk with her.

Life as a Gisaeng

Gisaengs were female entertainers in Joseon society. Their history goes back to the Silla dynasty. They were officially trained from a young age in poetry, music, and dance. Gisaengs performed for men, especially those from the highest social class, called yangban. They would sing sijo poems and dance.

Gisaengs trained to entertain many men throughout their lives. However, they could never become the first wives of yangban men. Gisaengs often expressed their feelings through music, writing sijo poems, and composing songs. Many of their songs were about sadness and love.

Famous Works

Hwang Jini was known for her intelligence and wit. Only a few of her sijo poems and geomungo (a Korean string instrument) pieces still exist today. These works show her great skill with words and music. Her sijo poems often describe the beauty of places like Gaeseong. They also talk about her lost loves and respond to famous Chinese poems.

Hwang Jini's Riddle

Her most famous written work was a riddle called "Jeomiligu Idubulchool" (점일이구 이두불출/點 一 二 口 牛 頭 不出). She gave this riddle to any man who wanted to be her partner. She waited many years for someone to solve it. The answer was hidden in the title itself.

When you combine the parts of "Jeomiligu" (점일이구/點 一 二 口), it forms the Chinese character for "spoken word" (言). The second part, "Idubulchool" (이두불출/ 牛 頭 不出), forms the Chinese character for "day" (午). When you put these two together, they create the Chinese character for "consent" (許). This meant that whoever solved the riddle, she would allow him into her home. This riddle shows her cleverness and intelligence.

Blue Stream Poem

One of Hwang Jini's poems, "Blue Stream," is full of hidden meanings. It uses "Blue Stream" to represent a man named Lee Changon. In the poem, she tells Lee Changon not to move past her. She sees herself as the mountain and him as the stream. Once the stream reaches the sea, it does not come back.

The word "Moonlight" in the poem is Hwang Jini’s gisaeng name, "Myeongwol," which means "bright moon." She uses moonlight to represent herself. The poem suggests that Lee Changon might not return to her. As a gisaeng, her life had limits because she was in the lowest social class.

Through this poem, Hwang Jini asks Lee Changon to stay with her longer. This poem shows feelings of longing and love. It also shows the complex emotions gisaengs felt. They had more freedom than other women to read, write poetry, and perform music. However, they could never be respected as wives or women due to their social class.

Writing Style

Hwang Jini wrote several poems during her life. Many are still famous and taught in Korea today. She wrote 7 hansi (Korean poetry in Chinese characters) and 6 sijos. Her writings often focused on love, goodbyes, and sadness. Through her work, she helped people understand what a gisaeng's life was like.

Hwang Jini expressed her emotions in sijos differently from men. Her poems were less formal. As a respected gisaeng poet, she could even playfully tease important men and add humor to her sijos. People did not criticize her for this because gisaengs were of a lower class. Because of her low social status and job as a gisaeng, her poems often show a deep longing and devotion to love.

See also

• Korean culture
• Korean dance
• Goryeo

In Spanish: Hwang Jin-yi para niños