Yetgeul › Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) › Former Collection, Book 40

Jiao Rite Petition to the Three Pure Ones (三淸), Praying Away the Portent of the Stars — Blue Text (靑詞)星變祈禳三淸醮禮文 靑詞

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 · 147 Chinese characters · reading time 1.7 min

Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) Former Collection, Book 40 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.

災異譴告。職由刑政之差。寅恭側修。可動神明之鑒。伏念臣當百六之會。據九五之尊。凜臨兆民。雖早服夏書之明訓。恊用五紀。顧未孚洪範之彜倫。况今月犯羽林而又守端門。星出輦道而便入河皷。金惟見晝。木或稼氷。是否德之所招。尙何心而自逸。朝過夕改。苟勤悔責之誠。居高聽卑。奚吝恕矜之賜。諒予哀籲。借以居歆。致令三光明四時和。休徵咸若。百姓樂萬邦悅。恊氣橫流。

Your reproof and warning through disaster and strange portent arise solely from error in punishment and governance, and if one cultivates oneself with reverence and care, one can move the scrutiny of the divine powers.

Prostrate, I consider that I, your servant, have met a time of ill fortune and hold the high seat of a ruler. Coming in fear before the myriad people, I did once follow the bright teaching of the Documents of Xia (夏書) and used the Five Reckonings (五紀) of the Great Plan in their order; yet looking back, I have not been faithful to their proper sequence.

How much more now, when the moon has trespassed on the Yurim (羽林) constellation and then lodged in the Danmun (端門) constellation, when a star has come out of the Yeondo (輦道) constellation and straightway entered the Hago (河皷) constellation, when Venus has been seen by day and ice has formed upon the trees. This my poor virtue has called down — with what heart could I still be at ease?

Mending at evening the faults of the morning, I am truly diligent in the sincerity of repenting and reproaching myself; and since you dwell on high yet hear what is below, how could you begrudge sending down your pardon and pity?

Look upon my sorrowful cry and lend me your presence at the seat and your partaking. Let the three lights be bright and the four seasons harmonious, so that all fair omens run smooth; and let all the people be glad and the whole land rejoice, so that the air of concord flows everywhere.

‹ Jiao Rite Petition to the Three Pure Ones (三淸), Praying Away the Portent of the Stars — Preliminary InvocationContentsJiao Rite Petition to the Three Pure Ones (三淸), Praying Away the Portent of the Stars — Second Cup ›Listen to this piece