Nine Peaks

This book contains twenty-four poems composed in classical Chinese by Rhee Sukho, a Korean scholar of classical Chinese literature. Most modern Korean men of letters write in Korean. But there still are a few who compose in classical Chinese, of whom Rhee Sukho is one. This literary activity, though confined to a few trained in the scholarship of classical Chinese studies, manifests their zeal to maintain and preserve the scholarly tradition of reading and writing in classical Chinese. Rhee Sukho, a Korean scholar of classical Chinese literature, is one of the few who still compose poems in classical Chinese.
Sung-Il Lee, who has translated the poems into English, is an admirer of the poet’s scholarly career. Though he has not received a formal training in the scholarship of classical Chinese, he confesses that he felt obligated to translate the works of one whom he admires as man and poet.

Sung-Il Lee, who has translated the poems, is professor emeritus of English at Yonsei University. He is the author of Beowulf in Parallel Texts (Cascade, 2017), Counting the Stars at Night (Resource, 2022), and White Village (Resource, 2023).

Sung-Il Lee, who has translated the works with an introductory essay, is professor emeritus of English at Yonsei University. He is the author of Beowulf in Parallel Texts (Cascade, 2017). The late Insoo Lee, whose translation of three poems is included in the volume, is Sung-Il Lee's father. A pioneer of English studies in Korea, he was a professor of English at Korea University.