Living Words
A living writing practice — poems, stories, and reflective prose.
Living Words is the place on Mantifang where the work is held as writing: poetry and prose,
short stories and essays, and the ongoing discipline of reflective writing.
Some pieces belong to a cycle; other pieces stand alone. The page stays stable as the library grows.
This is not an index built for completeness. It is a readable entrance into a literary writing practice—a way of working where
tone, restraint, memory, and attention matter as much as theme. You can start anywhere, but the structure below gives you a clear path if you want one.
What you will find here
Living Words gathers three types of work. First, writing that belongs to The Red Lamp cycle—a line of poems and short prose
where atmosphere and moral attention are carried by small details. Second, stories that move by scene and voice,
often closer to narrative momentum than to reflection. Third, essays & notes—reflective prose that clarifies method,
vocabulary, and the slow logic behind the work.
These are not rigid categories. A single piece can be both lyrical and narrative; a story can carry an essay’s thinking without turning into commentary.
The organizing principle is practical: it helps readers find the form they want today—poem, story, or reflection—without forcing the work into boxes.
Publication workflow is simple and stable: new work is published first in English as the source layer; translations follow afterward through TranslatePress.
This keeps the archive consistent and prevents “double versions” from competing on the same page.
How to read
If you want a calm entrance, start with a Red Lamp piece. The tone is often compressed: a few images, a few turns of thought, and a residue that stays.
If you want movement, go to Stories. If you want the writing to explain its own method, go to Essays & notes.
A useful sequence for new readers is: Red Lamp (tone), then Story (movement), then Essay (method).
This sequence works because it respects the difference between experience, narrative, and explanation—without turning the page into a syllabus.
Living Words is designed so you can return. It is a library, but also a practice: repeated reading is part of the point. The work is allowed to be quiet.
The page is built to stay readable even when it grows.
The Red Lamp
The Red Lamp is a central cycle within Living Words. It carries an atmosphere associated with earlier decades—restraint, watchfulness, the slow
accumulation of detail—without becoming nostalgia. The cycle contains poems and short prose that stay close to lived texture: rooms, streets, thresholds,
the moral weight of small choices, and the way memory edits what it cannot release.
Entry points:
The Red Lamp (hub) ·
Poems (index)
The list below highlights Red Lamp stories already on Mantifang. More will be added over time under the same stable structure.
Stories
Stories in Living Words include narrative work tied to cycles (such as The Red Lamp) as well as independent pieces. This section is intentionally simple:
clear titles, direct links, no noise. The goal is to keep short stories and essays easy to locate, and to let the writing do the work.
Stories — The Red Lamp
Essays & notes
Essays & notes hold reflective prose that supports the writing practice: method, language, and the way themes are handled without turning the work into commentary.
This section is intentionally open. It will grow as the library grows.
If you are coming to Mantifang through the book project or the culture sections, this is where the writing can show its own craft: how a line is built,
how a scene carries ethical pressure, how silence can be placed inside a paragraph. In other words: this is the workshop side of the literary archive.
Q&A
What is Living Words on Mantifang?
Living Words is the writing anchor: a literary writing practice that gathers poetry and prose, stories, and reflective prose.
It includes writing cycles such as The Red Lamp cycle, alongside other narrative work.
How is Living Words organized?
By form and use: The Red Lamp (cycle), Stories (narrative work), and Essays & notes (reflective writing). The structure is designed to remain stable as new work is added.
Is this a chronological archive?
No. Chronology exists inside the writing, but the page is built for reading: clear entrances first, then depth. Items are grouped so new readers can start without needing a map.
What is the publication workflow?
New work is published first in English as the source layer. Translations are generated afterward via TranslatePress. This prevents duplicate versions and keeps the library consistent.
How should I begin?
Start with one Red Lamp piece for tone, then one story for narrative movement. If you want method and vocabulary, move into Essays & notes.
Further reading
On Mantifang:
Jijang Fractal
Background references (dofollow):
Poetry ·
Prose ·
Short story ·
Personal essay ·
The Tale of Genji
Temporary pause on koi exports — healing park in development
International koi exports are currently on hold. Meanwhile, we are laying the foundations for a nature-driven healing park in Goyang that blends koi culture, art, and quiet craftsmanship. For updates or collaboration, feel free to get in touch.
Contact Kim Young Soo
