• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.287-295
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to find the characteristics of the blindness of Sim Bongsa, Sim Cheong's father, in Sim Cheong Jeon (the story of Sim Cheong). This is one of the representative works about the filial piety in Korea. This article regards the story as the process of restoring the sight of the father and tries to examine the cause and the timing of his blindness to make its diagnosis in the psychoanalytic perspective. The predominant characteristics of Sim Bongsa were very dependent and irresponsible. He was so unqualified to be a head of a family. He sought to close his eyes toward reality in his unconsciousness. His blindness can be diagnosed as a case of psychogenic hysteria, conversion disorder. The fact that he suddenly could see when the empress turned out to be his own daughter, Cheong, can be a meaningful proof for this diagnosis. It means that his symptom of blindness disappeared when he realized a new reality which ensures a comfortable and easy-going life for himself.