This study focuses on the important role played by commoners (yeohangin) in the horizontal spread of tea culture during the late Joseon period. In particular, it aims to examine the significance of tea practices in the daily life of Park Yun-muk, a leading literary figure among the yeohangin. The research method centers on analyzing tea-related poems found in Park Yun-muk’s anthology, Jonjaejip, revealing that the meanings of tea life are expressed as small daily pleasures, a mature life aligned with the principles of nature, the enjoyment of purity and leisure (cheonghan), and the intellectual appreciation of tea-related knowledge (dasa). The results show that Park Yun-muk, through his engagement with tea, reinforced and enriched his daily life, achieved personal maturity, fostered social empathy, and enjoyed moments of serene leisure. This suggests that tea culture was closely linked with the pursuit of everyday happiness. Thus, it can be seen that tea life, which provided meaningful happiness in daily life, played an important role not only in his life but also in shaping the refined culture of the late Joseon period. This study hopes to serve as a foundational step for future research on the revival of tea culture among the yeohanginin the late Joseon dynasty.
Seoyeon Kim (Tue,) studied this question.