younggam                        Korean

According to Korean Etymology Dictionary (Min-Soo Kim), the Korean word younggam came from the English word inspiration and was written in Chinese characters which are directly translated as spiritual feeling. The word did not exist in Old Korean.

In Korean culture, the word ‘inspiration’ is closely associated with a spiritual figure, especially one called silyoung in Korean (roughly translatable as ‘divine spirit‘ in English). It is believed in Korean folk tradition that ‘silyoung’ has supernatural power, and that it bestows ‘inspiration’ on selected people. When Buddhism was introduced to Korea and began to play a central role in people’s spiritual and personal lives, Buddha replaced ‘silyoung.’ Later, when Christianity was introduced to Korea, Christians came to believe they were inspired by God (His revelation). Korean people commonly use this word in such sentences as “while I was reading that poem, an inspiration came to my mind” or “When I looked at that picture, I felt inspired.”

Because use of the word ‘inspiration’ is restricted in the Korean language and closely associated with the spiritual, articulating a personal view of it is not easy. Also, my experience might not be exclusively Korean since I have been living in the United States long enough to have assimilated an American sense of inspiration.

My first memory of feeling inspired was seeing a potter working at his wheel with a total concentration that generated an aura of tranquility and stillness. Later, I felt inspired when I saw someone else deeply absorbed in what they were doing. That person was a teacher who demonstrated passion for her subject and compassion for her students. This is what inspired me to become a college teacher. Although I am inspired by looking at great works of art, I find myself more inspired by interactions with people. The greatest inspiration I feel is when I hear my students say that I am an inspiration to them.