Jemangmaega
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Jemangmaega (Korean: 제망매가; Hanja: 祭亡妹歌) is an 8th-century hyangga written by a Buddhist monk named “Wolmyeongsa” in the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla. The poem was included in Samguk Yusa, a collection of folklore from the Three Kingdoms period. The poem still remains one of the most popular Korean works of literature today.[1]
The poem's title “Jemangmaega” roughly translates to “A Requiem for a Dead Sister.”[2] Consequently, the poem is about the author mourning his sister's death in a regretful and sad tone. A variety of figurative expressions such as similes, metaphors, and philosophical statements related to death are present in the work.[3]
It is believed that the poem was written during the deceased sister's jesa, a traditional Korean funeral. Legend states that upon writing the poem on a piece of paper, a strong gust of wind flew the paper westwards. In Korean and Buddhist folklore, a paper flying towards the west means that the wish on the paper has been granted.[4]