Preface on the Courtesy Name of Jeong Hongjin (鴻進), Vice Director (郞中)丁郞中鴻進字序
人有以名以字而索於予者衆矣。但不得已占之而已。鮮有序其占之之意也。今足下。正直淳厚君子也。況於文章之餘。以墨竹之戲。傾倒一時。求之於古。雖文與可輩所不能及也。惟名與字。當不朽萬世矣。今幸求字於予。則予敢不敬受而字之耶。請字之曰樂之哉。曰而安也。且鴻者。其進有時。其行有序。故於易漸之六爻。皆以鴻言之也。然不若六二之安且樂也。其爻曰。鴻漸于磐。飮食衎衎。吉。解者曰。漸于磐者。柔順中正。安而不危者也。飮食衎衎。進而樂者也。然則以樂之及而安字之。不亦可乎。於此二者。請擇所從而已。
Many have been those who have sought a name or a courtesy name from me. But I only cast lots and gave them one because I could not refuse, and it is seldom that I have written a preface on the meaning of what I cast. Now your honor is an upright and simple-hearted gentleman. And more: with what is left over from your writing, with the sport of ink bamboo you have overturned a whole age, so that, seek as one may among the ancients, even the likes of Wen Yuke (文與可) could not reach it. Your name and your courtesy name alone will surely not rot through ten thousand ages. Now you are good enough to seek a courtesy name of me; shall I not then receive it with respect and give you one?
Let me, if I may, make your courtesy name Nakji (樂之), 「delighting in it」. Or else Ian (而安), 「and at ease」. Further, the wild goose has its season in advancing and its order in going. And so in the six lines of the hexagram Jian (漸卦) of the Book of Changes the goose is spoken of throughout. Yet none of them is like the ease and the delight of the Second Six (六二). Its line says, 「The wild goose advances to the flat rock. Its drinking and eating are a delight. Auspicious.」 One who explains it says, 「To advance to the flat rock is to be yielding and compliant, centered and correct, at ease and not in peril. That its drinking and eating are a delight means that it advances and yet delights.」 If that is so, is it not fitting to take Nakji and Ian for your courtesy name? I only ask that you choose between these two which you will follow.