동학가사 『만세선화』 연구

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze Manse seonhwa (萬世仙話), a newly discovered anthology of 41 pieces of gasa (prose-poetry), which was published in 1975 by Suungyo (水 雲敎). I compared it with the manuscript, introducing the author, bibliography, and contents. Manse seonhwa was written by Jeong Su-seung (鄭壽承) in the early 1910s before the establishment of Suungyo, and it was recognized as a scripture when Ullimgyo (雲林敎) was established. Furthermore, the fact that Jeong Su-seung was a member of Suungyo and that Manse seonhwa did not have a specific religious sentiment was cited as the reasons for Suungyo's acceptance and publication of Manse seonhwa. The paper also highlights the problems arising from the failure to recognize the characteristics of gasa in Eastern Learning regarding the existing academic perception of Manse seonhwa. It examines how Manse seonhwa connects with the traditions of the existing gasa genre and identifies its distinctive characteristics. Both Jeong Su-seung, the author of Manse seonhwa, and Ullimgyo have now faded into history, with no one, including Suungyo, remembering them. However, Manse seonhwa represents a social gasa of Eastern Learning that sought religious solutions while grappling with the turbulent colonial situation following the loss of national sovereignty in 1910. The paper emphasizes that it is a rare case for a specific author to have accomplished 41 pieces of gasa in the early 1910s, making it evident that Manse seonhwa holds value not only as a religious gasa but also as a significant document within the realm of gasa as a whole.