E100

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Kim Chŏngguk on

Selected Words of Sajae

Compendium of Remarks on Poetry

Written by Kim Chŏngguk, Compiled by Hong Manjong

E099, E100, E101, E102, E103, E104, E105, E106, E107, E108

Basic Info
Contains	C142, M187
Mentions Person	남곤
Mentions Place	해주, 금교역
Is Part Of	Selected Words of Sajae, Spring

Original Text
南止亭衮。爲黃海監司時。鍾愛海州妓。遞還。到金郊驛。初以謂主守以妓追別于驛亭。待之不來。終夜耿耿無一寐。吟一絶書壁曰。葉走空庭窣窣鳴。誤驚前夜曳鞋聲。旅窓孤枕渾無寐。半壁殘燈翳復明。聞者謂香奩情態。曲盡其妙。人莫能及也。

Korean Translation

English Translation

When Nam Kon 南衮 (1471–1527; sobriquet: Chijŏng [Restful Pavilion]) was the Governor (kamsa) of Hwanghae province, he fell in love with a kisaeng from Haeju. An attendant escorted them to Kŭmgyo station. At first, the attendant thought Nam had gone to the station’s pavilion with the kisaeng to bid farewell. He waited but Nam did not return. Feeling worried, the attendant could not sleep throughout the night. Then he wrote a poem on the wall that said, 葉走空庭窣窣鳴誤驚前夜曳鞋聲旅窓孤枕渾無寐半壁殘燈翳復明 Leaves tumble in an empty courtyard,rustling on—swish, swish!Mistakenly, I was startled last nightby the sound of dragging footsteps. Beside the station window, with a lonely pillow,I lie awake, unable to sleep.Half of my wall, beneath a dying lamp, glimmers dim and bright. Those who heard about this said that the poem alludes to Nam’s affair with the kisaeng. The poem’s exquisite (myo) details are beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.

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