Long ago in Korea, there lived a poor man named Sim Hak-gyu, also known as Sim Bong-sa. He was blind and illiterate, struggling to care for himself and his family. His wife passed away shortly after giving birth to their only daughter, Sim Cheong. Left alone, Sim Bong-sa went door to door in the village, begging for milk to feed his child. Despite growing up in extreme poverty, Sim Cheong became remarkably beautiful and devoted, showing exceptional filial piety from a young age. By the age of fifteen, she had taken on the responsibilities of the household, working tirelessly to support her blind father.
One day, Sim Bong-sa wandered off in search of Sim Cheong and accidentally fell into a deep canal. A passing Buddhist monk rescued him and offered guidance, saying, “If you donate 300 sacks of rice to the temple and pray sincerely, the Buddha will restore your sight.” Desperate to see his daughter again, Sim Bong-sa blindly promised to provide the 300 sacks, even though he had no money to his name. When he returned home, he was overwhelmed with guilt and shared the story with Sim Cheong.
Determined to help her father, Sim Cheong made the ultimate sacrifice. She learned that a group of merchants was seeking a young virgin to offer to the sea gods in order to calm the violent waves of Indangsu. To fulfill her father’s promise, she agreed to sell herself to the merchants in exchange for the 300 sacks of rice needed for the temple. On the day of her departure, she bowed deeply to her father in farewell, who thought she was leaving to serve in a wealthy household. When their ship reached the center of Indangsu, where the waves raged fiercest, Sim Cheong prayed fervently for her father’s eyesight and bravely leapt into the stormy sea.
Her devotion moved the Dragon King of the Sea. Instead of drowning, Sim Cheong was taken to the underwater palace, where she was treated as an honored guest. After some time, the Dragon King returned her to the surface inside a giant lotus flower. Merchants discovered the flower and brought it to the king. When the lotus opened, Sim Cheong emerged, radiant and majestic, and became queen. Despite her new status, she never forgot her father and requested the king hold a grand banquet for all the blind people in the kingdom.
On the final day of the banquet, the elderly Sim Bong-sa arrived, shabby and worn. Hearing his daughter call out to him with a heartfelt “Father!” he was overcome with emotion, and miraculously, his sight was restored. Not only could he see again, but he also witnessed his daughter in her full glory as the queen.
The story of Sim Cheong symbolizes the essence of filial piety, or Hyo, a central virtue in Korean Confucian culture. It teaches that true devotion and selfless love for one’s parents can touch even the divine and change the course of destiny, leaving a lasting legacy of virtue and moral strength.