Sent to Academician Kim寄金學士
愚聞先賢於儒門。制十二徒。徒各置齋。有多有少。每夏一集隷業。名曰夏天都會。近因國家多梗。此風幾絶。今聞我齋得成夏課。何喜如之。雖他齋未爾。是迺儒風復盛之漸。他齋亦從而興矣。何必憂哉。此皆尙書學士指麾之力也。豈不慶幸哉。謹成古詩奉寄。
I have heard that the worthies of old set up Twelve Companies (十二徒) at the gate of Confucian learning, and that each company had its halls (齋), some many and some few. Once every summer they gathered to practise their studies, and the name of it was the Summer Assembly.
Of late the country has had many troubles and this custom had all but ceased; now I hear that our own hall has carried out its summer study, and what could be more delightful than this? Even if the other halls have not yet done so, this is the very beginning of the Confucian spirit growing strong again, and the other halls too will rise up in turn. What is there to worry about?
All this is by the force of your direction, Minister and Academician. How could it not be a matter for joy and good fortune? I have respectfully composed one poem in the old style and send it up to you.
Interlinear notes 2
敞○幷序○庚子年
Chang (敞). A preface was included with it. The year gyeongja.
The Summer Assembly is given in the source text as hacheon-dohoe (夏天都會).
自卜新京今幾年。吾徒舊範危墮地。賴予不死餘喘存。得聞夏課羣學子。遙知林林白面生。夫子影前成拜起。有川能似歸法無。想見冠童浴沂水。有如霖雨彌數旬。忽見晴陽出明媚。又如嘉穀垂欲枯。一朝沐雨得生意。細思此是君之力。感古喜今還抆淚。我今已歷三事聯。子亦行登丞相位。原其所自此其根。根若不牢安所恃。君知體莫重於斯。公卿搢紳多出是。鄕猶有校家有塾。況可國中無是事。勸公更礪成人心。激起後生毋少弛。我於此時雖就木。地下猶能抃舞喜。
How many years is it now since we settled in the new capital? The old rules of our company came near to falling to the ground. Happily I have not died and a remnant of breath still clings to me, so that I have come to hear that the students are doing their summer study. Even from afar I can tell: the pale-faced scholars ranged like a forest, bowing and rising before the portrait of Confucius. Is there a stream there like that place from which they came home singing? I see it plainly — the capped men and the boys bathing in the Yi (沂水). It is as when the long rains run on for many a ten-day span (旬) and of a sudden the cleared sunlight comes out bright and fair, or as when good grain droops and is about to wither and in a single morning meets the rain and finds the will to live. Pondering it over, this is by your strength; moved by the old days and glad of today, I wipe away tears instead. I have already passed through the ranks of the Three Dukes, and you too will before long rise to the seat of Chancellor. Trace out what it all comes from, and this is its root; if the root is not firm, what is there to rely on? You will know that there is no foundation weightier than this: the high ministers and the officials have for the most part come out of here. The countryside has its district schools (鄕校) and houses have their study rooms; how much more, then, should the realm not be without such a thing! I urge you, Sir: whet further your mind to make men of them, rouse up those who come after, and slacken not in the least. Even if by that time I shall have gone into my coffin, I shall clap my hands and dance for joy beneath the ground.
Interlinear notes 1
歸法 — This points to the passage in the Xianjin chapter of the Analects about bathing in the Yi and coming home singing (浴乎沂 詠而歸). 歸法 is also read, broken differently, as “returning to the old rules.” — translator