Han (한) is the feeling of a wounded sense of self-worth; sinmyeong (신명) is the joy of that self-worth being restored. Reviewing the literature, the study maps two paths by which sinmyeong arises.
A Study of Conceptualizing Shinmyeong
신명에 대한 문화심리학적 고찰
QUESTION
By analyzing existing writings on han and sinmyeong, what is the cultural-psychological meaning of sinmyeong?
FINDINGS
Han is a negative emotion arising from damage to or loss of one's sense of self-worth; sinmyeong is the positive emotional experience of that damaged self-worth being restored.
한은 자기가치감의 손상 혹은 상실에서 비롯된 부정적 정서를 의미하며, 신명은 손상된 자기가치감의 회복으로 인한 긍정적 정서경험을 뜻한다Han means a negative emotion stemming from damage to or loss of the sense of self-worth, and sinmyeong means a positive emotional experience resulting from the recovery of damaged self-worth.p1Sinmyeong comes with intense positive emotion, spreads collectively to those nearby, and releases built-up negative feelings through a kind of "promised disorder."
강렬한 긍정적 정서를 수반하며, 둘째, 집단적 전이양상을 보이고, 셋째, 일종의 약속된 무질서 상태를 통해서 누적된 부정적 정서를 해소하는…accompanies intense positive emotion; second, shows a pattern of collective transfer; and third, through a kind of state of promised disorder, resolves accumulated negative emotion…p1There are two paths to sinmyeong: the cause of han is itself resolved, or the cause stays the same while sinmyeong is created by some other occasion.
첫 번째는 한의 원인이 해소됨으로 인해 신명이 발생하게 되는 경우이고, 두 번째는 한의 원인은 변하지 않은 상태에서The first is when sinmyeong arises because the cause of han is resolved, and the second is when, with the cause of han unchanged…p16한의 원인은 변하지 않은 상태에서 한과는 다 른 차원의 동기와 계기에 의해 신명이 조성되 는 경우이다…the second is where, with the cause of han unchanged, sinmyeong is created by motives and occasions of a different dimension from han.p16The "han" Koreans experience today is closer to won (원, 怨) — the raw early stage of resentment and anger — than to a long-subdued resignation.
현재 한국인들이 경험하는 ‘한’의 심리는 한의 정동적 정서 혹은 한의 초기 심리상태인 원(怨)에 가깝다고 할 수 있다The psychology of "han" that Koreans experience today can be said to be close to the affective emotion of han, or won (怨), the initial psychological state of han.p12한이 억울함, 분함의 정동단계에서 자탄, 자책, 관조 등의 과정을 거쳐 정서체계로 스며들고, 체념 적, 무상적 성격수준으로까지 내재화되었다면…if at some point in the past han seeped from the affective stage of grievance and anger into the emotional system through self-lament, self-blame, and contemplation, and was internalized even to the level of a resigned, fatalistic character…p12IN DAILY LIFE
During the 2002 World Cup street cheering, people sang loudly, mingled freely with strangers, and climbed onto cars — things hard to do on an ordinary day.
처음 보는 사람들과 거리낌 없이 어울리고, 차량 위에 올라서는 등 평소에는 하기 힘든 행동들을 보였는데…mingled with people they were seeing for the first time without hesitation, climbed on top of vehicles, and otherwise showed behaviors that are hard to do normally…p6월드컵 당시 거리응원에 나선 이들은 큰 소리로 노래를 부르고 함성을 지르며Those who joined the street cheering during the World Cup sang loudly and shouted…p6Holidays and traditional games — and, these days, social gatherings and company dinners (hoesik, 회식) — serve as occasions for sinmyeong that release built-up negative feelings.
명절이나 전통놀이, 근래에 와서는 친목회나 회식 등도 이와 같은 역할을 수행하리라 생각된다Holidays and traditional games, and in recent times social gatherings and company dinners, are thought to play this same role.p16이러한 계기를 통해 사람들은 의식적이든 무의 식적이든 그동안 누적되어온 부정적 정서를 배 출하고Through such occasions, people, consciously or not, release the negative emotions that have accumulated…p16In depth
This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.
Background
Han has long been treated as key to understanding Koreans, but its negative side has been overemphasized until han became known as Koreans' representative emotion — the problem this study starts from.
다만 한의 부정적인 측면들이 필요이상으로 강조되어 왔고, 그러한 논의들을 바탕으로 한이 한국인들의 대표적 정서처럼 알려However, the negative aspects of han have been emphasized more than necessary, and on the basis of such discussions han became known as the representative emotion of Koreans…p2한이라는 개념이 한국인의 마 음을 이해하는 데 중요한 역할을 해 온 것은 사실이다It is true that the concept of han has played an important role in understanding the Korean mind.p2With the 2002 Korea–Japan World Cup, interest in sinmyeong rose again in Korea.
2002년 한일 월드컵을 기점으로 한국에서는 ‘신명’에 대한 관심이 다시 대두되기 시작하였다Starting with the 2002 Korea–Japan World Cup, interest in "sinmyeong" began to re-emerge in Korea.p3Method
A theoretical study built on existing literature and theory.
신명이 발생하는 원리에 대한 기존의 견해들을 검토하였다…reviewed existing views on the principle by which sinmyeong arises.p4본 연구는 문헌과 이론을 바탕으로 신명에 대한 논의를 진행해 왔다This study has discussed sinmyeong on the basis of literature and theory.p16조동일(1997)등을 필두로 한 민 속학 및 한국학 분야와 전통예술 분야…the fields of folklore and Korean studies, and traditional arts…p4신명의 상태에 대한 묘사는 또한 전통예술, 특히 한국무용 분야의 연구들에서Descriptions of the state of sinmyeong also appear in studies in traditional arts, especially Korean dance…p5그리고 경영관리 분야(이면우, 1992; 이장 우, 이민화, 1997) 등이 그것이다…and the field of management (Lee Myeon-woo, 1992; Lee Jang-woo & Lee Min-hwa, 1997).p4문학이나 민속학 분야에서 이루어진 한에 대한 논의들은…discussions of han in literature and folklore…p9본 연구에서는 먼저 기존 연구 및 문헌들 에서 나타나는 신명의 상태적 측면과 결과․기 능적 측면을 살펴보고 그 후에This study first examined the state aspects and the outcome/functional aspects of sinmyeong appearing in existing research and literature, and then…p4Detailed findings
The state of sinmyeong combines emotions such as excitement, intoxication, and rapture with an altered state of heightened intuition and insight.
신명은 흥분, 도취, 환희 등의 정서와 극대화된 직관 및 통찰력이라는 변형된(altered) 인지를 수반하는 상태Sinmyeong is a state accompanied by emotions such as excitement, intoxication, and rapture, and an altered cognition of maximized intuition and insight.p4Sinmyeong spreads quickly from person to person probably because of Korean simjeong (심정) exchange — feeling another's inner experience as one's own.
신명이 집단적 전이의 양상을 보이는 이유는 한국인들의 심정교류와 관련이 있을 것으로 생각된다The reason sinmyeong shows a pattern of collective transfer is thought to be related to Koreans' exchange of simjeong.p5신명의 정서가 주변의 사람들에게 빠르게 전이된다는 점이…the emotion of sinmyeong is rapidly transferred to the people around…p5상대의 마음속에서 일어나는 심적 경험을 자기 자신의 경험으로 치환하여 공경험 (共經驗, co－experience)하는 일에 민감하며…are sensitive to co-experiencing, substituting the mental experience occurring in the other's mind for their own…p5The chaos of sinmyeong is not anomic disorder but a culturally "promised disorder" that permits feelings and actions not allowed in daily life.
신명에서의 난장은 아노미적인 혼돈이 아니라 문화적으로 약속된 무질서로The nanjang (chaos) of sinmyeong is not anomic chaos but a culturally promised disorder…p7일상생활에서 쉽게 할 수 없 는 감정표현과 행동들이 허용되는 현장이다…a site where emotional expressions and behaviors that cannot easily be done in daily life are allowed.p7As the saying goes, a person filled with sinbaram (신바람, the wind of sinmyeong) works so that "1 + 1 = 3" — sinmyeong has been seen as drawing out hidden potential.
신바람이 난 사람의 노동력은 1＋1＝3이라는 등식이 성립된다는 것이다…the equation holds that the labor of a person with sinbaram is 1 + 1 = 3.p7눈물로도 나타나지만 논리 적으로 따져지지 않는 저력으로도 나타난다고…appears as tears, but also as a latent power that cannot be reasoned logically…p7억눌려 있던 잠재력이 극대화되어 나타나는 순 간이다…the moment when suppressed potential is maximized and comes forth.p7The three sources of han — unjust discrimination, unfortunate deprivation, and one's own irreversible mistakes — share one thing: they are beyond one's control.
이 세 가지 유형의 한의 공통점은 모두 자기 통제가 불가능하다는 점이다What these three types of han have in common is that all of them are beyond one's own control.p12부당한 차별 및 업신여김에 의 한 한과, 불행성 결핍으로 인한 한, 그리고 취 소불능성 자기실수로 인한 한이 그것이다…han from unjust discrimination and contempt, han from unfortunate deprivation, and han from irrevocable self-mistakes.p12자신의 힘으로는 어쩔 수 없는 경우에 느끼게 되는 것이 한의 감정이다…the emotion of han is what one feels when one cannot do anything about it by one's own power.p12According to prior theory, Koreans hold a "subjective self" that sees itself as a central agent of social influence, so being disregarded wounds their self-worth deeply.
한국인들은 자신을 사회적 영향력을 발휘하는 중심적 존재로 지각하는 주체성 자기(subjective self)를 가지며Koreans have a subjective self that perceives itself as a central being who exerts social influence…p13주체성 자기가 우세한 한국인들이 한 을 경험하게 되는 조건, 즉 자신의 지향이 무 시되고, 이상적 자기상이 손상을 당하며…the conditions under which Koreans with a dominant subjective self experience han — when their intentions are ignored and their ideal self-image is damaged…p13이상적 자기에 근거한 자신의 높 은 자기가치감에 대한 심각한 타격을 의미하는 것이다…it means a serious blow to one's high sense of self-worth grounded in the ideal self.p14Examples of sinmyeong from han being directly resolved: the hearts of people at Liberation from Japanese rule, and Chunhyang's feelings on finally reuniting with Yi Doryeong.
오랜 일제의 지배를 벗어나 광복을 맞이한 사람들의 마음상태나 마침내 이도령을 상봉한 춘향이의 심정이 신명이라 할 수 있을 것이The state of mind of people who escaped long Japanese rule and greeted Liberation, or the feelings of Chunhyang finally reunited with Yi Doryeong, can be called sinmyeong.p14Even when the cause of misfortune remains, sinmyeong arises when an occasion such as a holiday reaffirms the identity of uri (우리, "we").
에 의해서 ‘우리’라는 정체성을 확인하게 될 때, 신명이 발생한다…when the identity of "uri (we)" is confirmed by [some occasion], sinmyeong arises.p15특별히 불행의 원인 자체가 제거되는 전환적 사건이 일어나지 않아도 어떠한 계기 (명절이나 절기)에 의해서…even without a turning-point event that removes the cause of misfortune itself, through some occasion (holidays or seasonal festivals)…p15Authors’ interpretation
Sinmyeong does more than restore self-worth: it has served as a "discharge system" that lets built-up negative emotions out.
그것은 신명이 부정적 정서의 배설체계라는 것이다That is, sinmyeong is a discharge system for negative emotions.p16그러나 한국문화에서 신명이 갖는 의미는 단 지 자기가치감의 회복에 그치지 않는다However, the meaning of sinmyeong in Korean culture does not stop at the recovery of self-worth.p16신명 의 또 다른 의미는 신명의 수행해 온 기능적 측면에서 발견할 수 있다Another meaning of sinmyeong can be found in the functional role it has played.p16Where han was once subdued inward through self-blame and resignation, today's han stands out for expressing resentment and anger outward.
현대 사회의 한은 억울함과 분함을 외부로 표출하는 양상이 두드러진다고 할 수 있다The han of modern society can be said to stand out for expressing resentment and anger outward.p12한이 억울함, 분함의 정동단계에서 자탄, 자책, 관조 등의 과정을 거쳐 정서체계로 스며들고, 체념 적, 무상적 성격수준으로까지 내재화되었다면…if in the past han seeped from the affective stage of grievance and anger into the emotional system through self-lament, self-blame, and contemplation, and was internalized to the level of a resigned, fatalistic character…p12Besides sinmyeong that comes passively from outside events, sinmyeong through actively restoring or expressing one's self-worth by one's own will and effort should also be possible.
자기 자신의 의지와 노력에 의한 적극적이고 능동적인 자기가치의 회복 혹은 자기가치의 표현에 의한 신명도 가능할 것이다Sinmyeong through active, proactive recovery of self-worth by one's own will and effort, or through the expression of self-worth, should also be possible.p17외부적 사건의 발생으로 인해 수동적으로 자기가치감이 회복되어 신명을 느낄 수도 있겠 지만…one may feel sinmyeong as self-worth is passively restored by an external event, but…p17Limits the authors note
The study admits it relied only on literature and theory, which alone cannot properly capture the sinmyeong Koreans actually experience.
본 연구는 문헌과 이론을 바탕으로 신명에 대한 논의를 진행해 왔다. 그러나 그것만으로는 한국인들이 실제로 경험하고 있는 신명을This study has proceeded with the discussion of sinmyeong based on literature and theory. However, that alone cannot [properly explain] the sinmyeong Koreans actually experience…p16Key terms
Sinmyeong (신명) A word rooted in Koreans' mystical experience: the moment a spirit descends and the excited, intoxicated state of mind that follows (Kim Yeol-gyu's definition).
신명은 한국인의 신비경험에서 유래하는 말로 신지핌(接神)의 순간과 그에 따르는 흥분, 도취된 심리상태를 가리키는 말이다Sinmyeong is a word originating from Koreans' mystical experience, referring to the moment of spirit possession (接神) and the ensuing excited, intoxicated psychological state.p4Nanjang (난장) A place, or situation, where many people mix together, shouting and jostling, until everything is topsy-turvy.
‘난장’이란 여러 사람이 어리저리 뒤섞여 마구 떠들어대거나 덤비어서 뒤죽박죽이 된 곳"Nanjang" means a place where many people mix this way and that, making a racket or rushing about until it becomes a jumble…p6Won (원, 怨) The initial emotional state when han first arises; through a series of stages it settles into "han."
이렇게 발생한 한의 초기 감정 상태는 ‘원(怨)’으로The initial emotional state of han that arises this way is "won (怨)"…p10원은 다음과 같은 과정을 통해 ‘한’으 로 정착하게 된다…won becomes settled as "han" through the following process.p10