Simcheong lives with her blind father, Mr. Sim, in Gokseong, Jeolla-do. When she learns her father's blindness can only be cured by jumping into Indang Water, she sacrifices herself and jumps in. She is saved by the dragon king and returns on a lotus flower. The emperor marries her and invites blind people to a banquet, where Simcheong and her father are reunited and his vision restored, demonstrating her filial piety.

1. English through Mythology – Simcheong (심청 / 心情)
Simcheong: Vocabulary
Basic facts:
Simcheong lives with her father, Mr. Sim. Her father is blind (눈먼).
Simcheong jumps into Indang Water to restore her father’s eyesight. She is
saved by the dragon king (용왕). She returns to land in a big lotus flower
(연꽃). An emperor marries her, and she becomes the empress or queen.
The emperor invites blind people (맹인들) to a banquet (연회), and
Simcheong is reunited with her father. At the end of the Song of Simcheong
(심청가 / 心情歌), Mr. Sim’s vision is restored.
Name:
Simcheong (심청 / 心情)
Hometown: Gokseong, Jeolla-do
Why is she famous? She is good to her father. She
demonstrates filial piety (효심). She
sacrifices herself for her father.
Key concepts:
- filial piety (효심)
- Confucianism (유교)
- Buddhism (불교)
Where can we read her story? Please listen to the Song of
Simcheong (심청가 / 心情歌).
Useful vocabulary (유용한 어휘):
filial piety = 효심 Confucianism = 유교
Buddhism = 불교 monk = 스님
lotus flower = 연꽃 blind = 눈먼 / 맹인
sailor = 선원 dragon king = 용왕
banquet = 연회 feast = 향연
reunite = 재결합하다 emperor = 황제 empress = 황후