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A Letter in My Own Hand Sent to the Seat-holder Hoechan (懷璨)寄懷璨首座手書

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 · 1 passages · 144 Chinese characters · reading time 1.4 min

Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) Former Collection, Book 26 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.

月日。某頓首席端法主丈下。僕近欲赴完山幕府。臨去當往拜。得受一杯大道漿。然後辭訣耳。前所囑護歸信住老事。已曾銘心。幸勿復慮。僕之理裝。雖歷丏於人。甚類浮屠之求人隨喜者。亦隨分辦得。已畫歸期。但僕在京師。每造丈室。未嘗不陪輭話寫幽情。以此爲快耳。一行作吏。爲簿領所縛。當鬱悒時。顧與話者誰歟。迨三年然後見之。未爾間。千萬爲法自愛。不宣。某再拜。

On a certain day of a certain month, so-and-so bows his head before the seat of the elder, the Lord of the Law.

I am about to go shortly to the headquarters at Wansan (完山). As I set out I shall certainly come to see you and receive a cup of the water of the great Way before taking my leave. As for the matter you charged me with before, the looking after of the old monk who dwells at Guisin Temple (歸信寺), I have already graven it on my heart; pray do not trouble yourself over it again.

In preparing my traveling gear I have begged of a number of people, which is very like a monk seeking alms of others; and yet I have made it ready according to my portion, and the day of my setting out is already fixed. Only, while I was in the capital, whenever I went to your chamber I never failed to attend upon your gentle talk and pour out my hidden thoughts, and I counted this a refreshing thing. Once I have gone and become an official and am bound up in documents, who will there be to turn to and talk with when I am stifled?

It will be three years before I see you, and in that time pray, pray cherish your body for the sake of the Law. Here I stop. So-and-so bows twice.

‹ A Letter Submitted from the Camp of the Eastern Campaign to the Minister Commanding and the Vice Commander, the Vice DirectorContentsA Letter Sent to Director Jo Chung (趙冲) ›Listen to this piece