• Journal of Korean Classical Literature and Education
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• no.35
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• pp.195-219
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• 2017

The distinctive character of a self-written epitaph is that it assumes one's own death. While containing the elements of an epitaph, it is distinctive in that it reveals motive of writing and scolds rather than praises one's own self. The motive for writing a self-written epitaph is two-fold. First, it seeks to tell the truth about one's own self. Second, it is a response to external shocks. The Educational Value of Self-written epitaph lies in leading the elderly to reflect on their lives today, and it bears the appearance of cooperative writing.