#WritersCoffeeClub Dec. 12 – Who is a writer whose life inspires you?
Gang Jeong-il-dang (靜一堂, art name meaning "House of the One Calm"), a 18th-19th century scholar & writer in the #Chosun era of #Korea. She studied neo-Confucianism and wrote despite the constraints placed on women's intellectual lives, and had a lifelong friend and companion in her husband Yun Gwang-yeon who was her academic and artistic fellow traveler and deeply respected her abilities. She was admired for her steadfast grace despite a life with its share of poverty and grief (the couple lost all nine of their children as infants), and after her death Yun spent his entire fortune to publish her writings despite his own financial difficulties--highly unusual dignity given to a woman's works, and the reason much of her words come down to us today. Here's an informative English-language article about her: https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.htm?menu_cate=history&board_seq=61384&page=4
In addition to her scholarly works, Jeong-il-dang wrote about subjects such as starting her studies later in life and feeling the encroachment of age in her 50s, which I identify with a lot as someone who started a "real" creative writing career in my 40s. I also adore the relationship she had with her husband in their mutual support, learning, and admiration, much like I have with my own 💓
