Shin Saimdang is a well-known Korean artist whose work is admired for its elegant sophistication. Born in the 16th century, the family belonged to the well-known family in Korea since the 10th century, Pensan Sin. According to an old legend, the head of the ancient family was a well-aimed hunter who served the first emperor of Korea. Few people know, but at birth, the artist Sin Saimdang was given a different name, her parents named their daughter In Song.
Artist from Korea: how it all began
Shin Saimdang is a pseudonym that a young girl chose for herself, who decided to resist the medieval foundations. At that time, Korean women had practically no rights, they did not even dare to dream of equal rights with men. Their mission is to become exemplary obedient wives and caring loving mothers.
The main feminine virtue is humility to her husband and circumstances. There were even prohibitions on creativity it was proposed to be realized exclusively in needlework.
Shin Saimdang was lucky to be born into a liberal family. The girl’s father was distinguished by free-thinking, was known as a man of outstanding mind, opposed inertia and chauvinism. It so happened that only girls were born to him. Grandmother suggested that the place of heir should go to the eldest daughter. Therefore, from childhood, they began to teach her various sciences and arts. Relatives in every possible way encouraged the interests of the child, hired the best teachers. Her hobbies included calligraphy, fiction, and painting.
Most of all, the little girl liked to draw and she did it masterfully.
It was not the motives that attracted the Korean artist, the technique turned out to be atypical. The father insisted that his daughter be officially allowed to use a pseudonym. He chose the name. The choice was not made by chance. Saimdan this is how the name of the great Chinese empress, who became famous for her wisdom, education and liberal views, was pronounced in Korean. She was especially interested in medicine, was passionate about studying how the environment affects the mental and mental development of the fetus in the mother’s womb.
The life path of a Korean artist
At the age of 19, the girl was married off. There was no talk of any feelings, it was a typical marriage of convenience. The husband also came from a noble family, made a military career. He was only three years older than Shin Saimdang. Recall that in Russia in the 15th century, marriages among peers in aristocratic families were not accepted, it was considered normal when a spouse is 20-30 years older than his wife.
In Korea, a large age difference was considered unacceptable. Family life at first could not be called cloudless: young people had to go through difficult trials. Almost immediately after the marriage, Father Sin Saimdan passed away. Due to the fact that the girl became the head of the family, she happened to take responsibility for the well-being of her aged mother and younger sisters.
She was forced to live in two houses: to keep order in her husband’s home and deal with household issues in her parents’ estate. Over time, she had to almost completely move to her mother and sisters. This irritated her husband. In words, he supported his wife, and he himself got a concubine, so as not to be bored alone. But Sin Saimdang did not want to turn a blind eye to treason. In protest, she went to the mountains.
As a result of working on relationships, life changes for the better.
Sin Saimdan and her husband managed to build an ideal harmonious family. Loyalty, trust, boundless respect for the personality of another guided by these postulates, they were able to raise children in love and care. They had four sons and three daughters. Passion for drawing from her mother was passed on to one of her daughters, she became a famous artist. The sons made a career in politics and military affairs, were fond of versification.
Fame after five hundred years: Korea’s mother
Being engaged in the education of the heirs, the Korean artist did not forget to improve in painting. A woman who reached the top in what was traditionally considered a man’s business, most of Sin Saimdan’s contemporaries could not come to terms with this. She was discussed someone with undisguised censure, someone with undisguised admiration. Once, talk of a talented artist who surpassed men in skill reached the monarch of Goryeo. After seeing several works, he is so imbued with talent that he decides to order a porcelain service according to her sketches. Time is merciless even to art. Only about a hundred works by the famous Korean artist have survived. One of her many hobbies was gardening, she spent a lot of time in the garden, trying to capture on paper the transience of plant life.
