Seonbi

Seonbi
18th-century painting of a seonbi composing a poem
Korean name
Hangul
선비
Revised RomanizationSeonbi
McCune–ReischauerSŏnbi

Seonbi (Korean: 선비; MR: Sŏnbi) were scholars during the Goryeo and Joseon periods of Korean history. They were generally seen as non-governmental servants of the public,[1] who chose to pass on the benefits and authority of official power in order to develop and share knowledge.[2] However, some former bureaucrats were seen as seonbi, as they moved to the countryside after retirement and adopted the seonbi lifestyle.[3]

Seonbi in the traditional sense do not exist today, although the term is sometimes used metaphorically to describe people. When applied to a person, the meaning can be complimentary, highlighting a person's intelligence, morality, and composure.[4] However, young South Koreans whom tend to have low opinions of the Joseon Dynasty or Confucianism, tend to use the word seonbi in a derogatory way. It is used similarly to the English term "geezer", or to highlight a perceived anachronistic value system.[5]

  1. ^ Leaman, Oliver (Oct 19, 2006). Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy. Routledge. p. 143. ISBN 9781134691142. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Yeongju where the spirit of the seonbi lives on". Korea.net. Korean Culture and Information Service. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  3. ^ Choi, Wan Gee (2006). The Traditional Education of Korea. Ewha Womans University Press. pp. 29–30. ISBN 9788973006755. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  4. ^ "선비 – 다음 어학사전". Daum 사전 (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  5. ^ 연구자, 이라영 예술사회학 (2017-12-10). "진지함은 벌레(蟲)가 되고, 의문은 반지성에 묻히다". Pressian (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-04-12.