Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) 東國李相國集 · Yi Gyubo · Compiled 1241 (Goryeo, 28th year of King Gojong); revised and enlarged 1251 · 2 passages · 126 Chinese characters · reading time 1.4 min
Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) Former Collection, Book 4 The collected writings of Yi Gyubo of Goryeo, gathered and cut in woodblock by his son Yi Ham in 1241 and revised and enlarged by his grandson Yi Ikbae in 1251. It holds poems and rhapsodies, memorials and reports sent up to the king, records written for temples and pagodas, stele and tomb inscriptions, letters and prefaces, and the state letters that passed to and from the Mongols during the invasions. The Lay of King Dongmyeong, which sings the founder of Goguryeo, stands in volume 3 of the first collection, and the daily life of a man who called himself the White Cloud Layman — with his wine, his zither and his verse — fills the later collection. The book closes with the last poem he wrote as his eyes failed and he laid down the brush, and with the dirge and tomb inscription others made for him after his death.
The Yishi (遺事) says: In Prince Ning's palace there was a woman called Chongjie (寵姐), lovely in form and face and skilled in song. Whenever he feasted guests from outside, all the other singing girls were there before their eyes, but Chongjie alone the guests could not see. The poet Li Bai (李白), trusting to his drunkenness, said in jest, "It is long since I heard that Your Highness has one called Chongjie who is skilled in song. Now we are deep in drink and food and the company is wearied with feasting — why does Your Highness grudge us this woman?" The Prince laughed and said to those about him, "Set up the screen of seven-jeweled flowers and call Chongjie to sing behind it." Li Bai rose and gave thanks, saying, "Though I am not granted sight of her face, to hear her voice is good fortune enough."
嬌鸎歌翳柳陰深。不見金衣聽玉音。謾抱平生餘恨去。寧王空惱謫仙心。
The lovely oriole, hidden deep in the willow shade, sings;
we do not see the golden robe, we only hear the jade-like voice.
To no purpose he goes off bearing a lifelong lingering regret —
Prince Ning vainly vexed the heart of the banished immortal.