The Art of Writing and Farming: A Reflection on Shin Hoon
What do writing and farming have in common? You may take a day off during the 365 days of the year, but that day spent idly will still affect the results you reap later.
Each day requires self-reflection and constant effort, whether it be in writing or farming.
Writing is labor; it is also about cultivating the field of one's thoughts. There was a person who called his home 'the house that plows the field with a brush,' diligently writing on white paper every day with his brush. This person was Shin Hoon.
As you walk through the pine forest, a modest memorial building appears. As you ascend the gentle slope, the sky opens up between the left brick wall and the right railing, revealing the entrance to the exhibition hall at the end. A few lines depict Shin Hoon's face on the wall, and his eyes behind glasses appear calm. Below it is written: 'Expressing the consciousness of resistance, prophetic intelligence, and popular vitality through literature.'
The exhibition, titled 'A Journey into Shin Hoon's Artistic World,' is organized chronologically to guide visitors through his life. It covers the time of a young man imprisoned for participating in the March 1st Movement, the moments of overcoming despair, and his multifaceted life as a journalist, filmmaker, and novelist.
In the center of the exhibition, I lingered in front of a sculpture. A black-and-white photo of Son Ki-jeong running on the track was displayed against the soft light of a traditional Korean window. In August 1936, news of Son Ki-jeong winning the gold medal and Nam Seung-ryong winning the bronze in the Berlin Olympics was delivered through a special edition of the Chosun Ilbo. Shin Hoon picked up that edition on the street and wrote a poem right there: 'Oh, son of Joseon!' This hastily written poem on the back of the newspaper became his last work. He expressed that the sky, once oppressed by darkness, was beginning to brighten.
In the section titled 'Finding Hope in the Rural Area of Dangjin,' the roots of 'Evergreen' are laid. In 1934, Shin Hoon built a house he designed himself and named it 'The House of the Scribe,' meaning a house that farms on paper. He constructed this house with the manuscript fee he earned from publishing 'Jiknyeoseong' in the newspaper. From May 4 to June 26, 1935, he stayed in this house and wrote 'Evergreen.'
In the exhibition hall dedicated to journalist Shin Hoon, a wax figure sits at a desk in front of a backdrop of red bricks, writing on manuscript paper. A sign indicating a photo zone made me smile for a moment, but the angle of the hand holding the pen exuded seriousness. The exhibition concludes with 'When That Day Comes' and 'Continuing the Spirit of Evergreen,' followed by a video room summarizing Shin Hoon's life.
2026 will be a special year for Shin Hoon, marking 100 years since he began using his pen name and 90 years since his passing. The banner hanging on the memorial hall's wall lists a series of museum experience programs scheduled throughout the year. As part of the National Heritage Administration's utilization of old houses and family homes, there will be an 11-month program under the theme of 'A New Era of Enlightenment, the Scribe.'
This year's Evergreen experience classroom will operate from Thursday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 5 PM. During the transition from spring to early summer, there will be an 'Evergreen Enlightenment Class' following Shin Hoon's brush. Activities will allow participants to create their own scribes and enter the world of 'Evergreen.' Additionally, 'Evergreen, The Table of That Day,' which shares the simple and local flavors of Dangjin, will also be held during this time. As summer shifts to autumn, programs will include humanities talk concerts and storytelling through video.
In the deepening autumn of October and November, 'Evergreen Social Dining' and 'Finding Hope RPG, When That Day Comes' will follow. The final program is a complex cultural game that allows participants to experience the era based on the literary work 'Evergreen.'
It was impressive how the literary museum not only preserves artifacts but also draws people in. Just as Shin Hoon aimed to teach village children through the Evergreen Academy, today's scribes have chosen to remain a place of learning and sharing.
As I left the scribe's yard, I turned back once. The pine forest swayed above the thatched roof, and the sky opened beyond it. The person who vowed to farm on paper may have left, but the trees he planted remain green.
A house built by a person contemplating how to endure his times continues to draw people here even after 90 years. Some places remember the choices of those who lived within them for a long time. This yard in Dangjin Bugok-ri is certainly one of them.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/dangjin2030/224373857813
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