You’re home now, Big Brother, were the words Yosŏp wanted to say out loud.
11
Matrix of Spirits
WHAT WILL BECOME
THE WIND BLOWS HARD. All the grass on the hillside is flattened in one direction; the tips of the blades tremble violently, as if they are being washed away by a powerful ocean current. Particles of dirt smash themselves against his face and earlobes as the wind pushes against his chest and thighs. Even the crows can’t seem to fly properly. They flap their wings over and over but eventually, the moment they pause for even the briefest instant, they plummet towards the ground. The crows fall, but just as they are about to graze the earth they suddenly soar back up into the sky and disappear, flying swiftly in the opposite direction like a piece of paper blowing away in the wind. Their thin, naked branches shivering, the trees scream.
A long line of people, hunched over at the waist, all move in one direction. They look as if they are each dragging something extremely heavy behind them. The endless parade has no visible beginning or end. A winding path passes through the field, leading up into a faraway lavender mountain ridge. They do not speak. From here, only their backs are visible.
The sun is setting. Clouds soaked in twilight flow past. Just like the birds blown away by the wind, the clouds, too, stream backwards into oblivion. The reddish skies darken, and the moon rises like a piece of cloth in faded indigo. Under the moonlight, the parade of people moves on, making slow progress. The high, steep path up the mountain ends at the peak. He can see the stripe of river etched in white and the lights of the village far below.
Like a bird, he soars up and over the scene. Below him a series of hills and a thin stream race by. He hears the cows moo in the distance and hears the hens cackle as they lay their eggs. He hears the people in the paddies, singing as they plant next year’s rice crop. The fast beating of drums is superimposed on the buoyant, metallic sound of cymbals. He hears the mother call to her children.
Kids, time to eat.
Once again, Reverend Ryu Yosŏp woke up from another early morning dream. It wasn’t time to go yet. He pulled the curtains open and looked out the window at the deserted streets. The streetlamps remained unlit; Pyongyang was still covered in darkness. In the apartment complex across the road, though, several lights were on—around the middle and towards the top of the building. Has someone gotten up already to get ready for work? A car drove by, slowly, along the empty road. He gazed at himself as he was, reflected dimly on the windowpane. It was the face of the most familiar man in his whole world.
12
Farewell Guests
EAT YOUR FILL AND BEGONE!
Hamujagwi, the widower’s ghost, mongdalgwi, the bachelor’s ghost,
gorge yourselves—begone!
Kŏllipkwi, the ghost of the shaman, sinsŏn’gwi, the ghost of the blind,
gorge yourselves—be on your way!
T’ansikkwi, the ghost of the widow, hogugwi, the ghost of the maiden,
gorge yourselves—leave us!
Ghosts of the hanged, up in the mountain’s drooping pine branches,
ghosts of the drowned, down in the bottomless waters,
hat’algwi, the ghosts of the women, shedding all those endless tears—
some died giving birth, some while still pregnant,
all clutching their rice bowls and mats made of straw—
their skirts always tucked, their hair all disheveled,
with scissors and thread still attached to their belts,
gorge yourself—begone!
Ghosts of those shot, pierced, even battered,
ghosts of those bombed by planes overhead,
ghosts of those burnt to ashes by flames,
ghosts hit by wagons, tanks, trucks, or trains,
ghosts made by smallpox, ghosts made by plague,
those made by typhus, consumption, or cholera,
ghosts still resentful, ghosts far from home,
all those who linger, each with its own tale,
today eat your fill, ’til your heart is content,
gorge yourselves—be on your way!
Behold today’s feast, see our devotion,
the ghost of this land, the ghost of this house,
eat your fill and know when to be silent.
Fill your bellies, quench your thirst,
eat your fill and pack up what’s left—
take it all with you, women on your heads,
take it all with you, servants in your aprons—
accept our goodwill, take some coin for the road
and be on your way, up into the heavens.
About the Author
HWANG SOK-YONG is arguably Korea’s most recognized and renowned author. Drawing artistic inspiration from his own experiences as a vagabond day laborer, student activist, Vietnam War veteran, advocate for coal miners and garment workers, and political dissident, he is embraced as a writer and champion of the people. His historical novel Chang Kilsan, an extensive parable about a bandit that described the contemporary dictatorship, was serialized in a daily paper from 1974 to 1984 and sold an estimated million copies in North and South Korea. In 1993 there was international outcry when Hwang was sentenced to seven years in prison for an unauthorized trip to the North to promote exchange between artists in North and South Korea. In 1998, he was granted special pardon by the new South Korean president. The recipient of Korea’s highest literary prizes and shortlisted for the Prix Fémina Étranger, Hwang has seen his novels and short stories published in North and South Korea, Japan, China, France, Germany, and the U.S. Hwang was born in 1943 in Xinjing, Manchuria (now Changchun, China).
1 Ansŏng-daek:traditionally, women who married into the family from a different area were referred to by their place of origin instead of their given name—Ansŏng-daek would originally be from Ansŏng.
2 Chosŏn: Korea.
3 Chŏgori: a short, blouselike top, tied with a long ribbon—part of the traditional Korean costume known as hanbok.
4 Village sarang:a communal room or meeting area used primarily forrecreation.
5 Tongch’imi:a pickled radish side dish that is stored and served in its own juices.
6 Makkŏlli:a thick, unrefined rice wine.
7 Hanbok:the traditional Korean costume consisting of a blouselike top, vest, pants, and coat for men and a top, skirt, and coat for women;although only worn now on special occasions, hanbok was once worn daily.
8 Paji:pants.
9 Magoja:vest, part of the full hanbok costume.
10 Durumagi:coat, part of the full hanbok costume.
11 Mongdang chi’ma:a short, traditional skirt that falls just below the knees.
12 Tojang:a small, cylindrical personal stamp used to sign or authorize official documents.
13 Changsŭng pŏpsu:an iconic representation of a local deity.
14 Ri: a Korean unit of distance equal to 393 meters.
15 Mal:unit of measurement for grains and liquid; two mal equals about ten gallons.
16 Soju: distilled grain-based Korean liquor known for its potency.
17 Maru:a raised wooden floor; the main communal space in a traditional Korean house, sometimes opening onto the yard.
18 Sŏrabŏl: another name for the Silla period (57 B.C.-A.D.935), which was located in a southern region of the Korean peninsula.
19 Pubyŏngnu: a well-known pavillion in Pyongyang that overlooks the Taedong River.
20 Moranbong:a mountain situated slightly to the north of Pyongyang and famed for its beauty.
21 Koryŏ:the Three Kingdoms were united at the beginning of the Koryŏdynasty (918-1392).
22 Toenjang tchigae:a stew made from toenjang, a soybean paste.
23 Nakchi pokkŭm:sautéed octopus.
24 Chugyŏp ch’ŏngju:bamboo-leaf wine.
25 Ch’ŏlima: this brand name translates to “horse capable of traveling one thousand ri.”
26 Omija :fruit of the Chinese magnolia vine, often u
sed in Korea to brew tea.
27 Han’gŭl:the Korean alphabet.
28 Komusin:traditional Korean shoes made of rubber.
29 P’yŏng: a unit of measurement equal to about 3.3 square meters.
30 Ten thousand p’yŏng: approximately eight acres.
31 Fifteen thousand p’yŏng:approximately twelve acres.
32 One hundred ri:approximately twenty-four miles.
33 Yangban:formerly the upper class of Korean society; the nobility or aristocrats.
34 Koch’ujang: spicy Korean staple seasoning and side dish made of thick soy paste mixed with cayenne pepper.
35 Chesa:traditional Korean ceremony performed in honor of one’s ancestors.
36 Koch’u:a commonly used colloquial word for “penis,”—it also means “pepper.”
37 Fifteen ri: approximately four miles.
38 Changgi:Korean chess.
39 Hangari:an often large earthenware pot used to store food.
40 Sŭngri: a brand name; in this case, sŭngri is actually the word for “victory.”
41 Tano Festival: traditional Korean festival held on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar.
Copyright ©2001, 2004, 2005, 2006 by Hwang Sok-yong English translation copyright ©2005 by Seven Stories Press
English translation rights arranged through agreement with Zulma.
Published and translated with kind support from the Korean Literature Translation Institute.
First trade paperback edition, October 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including mechanical, electric, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hwang, Sok-yong, 1943-
[Sonnim. English]
The guest / Hwang Sok-yong; translated by Kyung-Ja Chun and Maya West.—1st U.S. ed. p. cm.
eISBN : 978-1-583-22972-9
1. Korean War, 1950-1953—Korea (North)—Hwanghae-do—Fiction. 2. Exorcism—Fiction.
I. Chun, Kyung-Ja, 1945- II. West, Maya. III. Title.
PL992.29.S6S6613 2005
895.7’34—dc22
2005006794
The Guest Page 26
