임연의 시문학과 천도교

The purpose of this article is to inquire into the literary world of Im Yeon who is called a representative poet of peasant literature in the 1930s by examining the relation between his poetry and the thought of Cheondogyo(天道敎) which he believed in.<BR> Frist, several facts concerning Im Yeon`s biographical life are confirmed through the study. He was born in Yeoju, Kyounggi Province and became a member of Cheondogyo to devote much labor to peasant literature and peasant movement while working for Chosun Nongmin Sa(朝鮮農民社).<BR> Second, Im Yeon`s mind as an author originated from the thought of Donghak. He had a mind of critical resistance germinated from the fusion of national realism and social realism.<BR> Third, Im Yeon`s critical mind forced him to describe realistically the details of the contemporary farmers` harsh life and to create significant peasant poetry by giving a directive and positive expression to his sense of resistance.<BR> Fourth, Im Yeon wrote nature poetry and aphoristic poetry in abundance as well as peasant poetry. Most of his nature poetry were hymns for adaptation to Nature. His aphoristic poetry were so didactic as to convey the awakenings found in his exploration into humanity and embodied the absurdity, loneliness, tragedy, hardship, and love of life. His nature poetry and aphoristic poetry also rooted in the thought of Donghak and composed a poetic world similar to that of Donghak poems in an old form of Korean verse.<BR> Fifth, `Chundo Instruction`, which can be called a literariness of the religion, is divided into such parts as the direct representation of Chundogyo thoughts, the worship of Hanwoolnim(한울님) or Samsung(Three Sages: 三聖), and the expression of his own religious faith. It is an embodiment of Im Yeon`s `Theory of Chundogyo Art` and shows distinctly the relation between his poetic world and Chundogyo.<BR> Im Yean as a member of Chundogyo made efforts to give a literary expression to his religious thought. His activities of creation and peasant movement through the Nongmin were meaningful results from his religious life and will be recorded as such in the history of national literature.