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P021 on
Hogok’s Remarks on Poetry (Compendium of Remarks on Poetry)
Entry Text
鄭東溟斗卿嘗為北評事。登磨天嶺有一絕曰。驅馬磨天嶺。層峰上入雲。前臨有大澤。蓋乃北海云。谿谷大加稱賞。以為可撐柱宇宙云。蔡湖洲嘗謂東溟曰。子之磨天嶺一絕固奇。以余管見。何敢議子文章。第有大澤三字。若改以一泓水則何如。 東溟笑曰。君不讀馬史耶？此語在馬史•大宛傳。我豈無所據而杜撰耶。蔡還家考擬大宛傳有曰。臨大澤無涯。蓋乃北海云。蔡始乃嘆服。每語人曰苟不遍觀古書。信不可輕議人製作云。
When Chŏng Tugyŏng was an Army Aide (p’yŏngsa) of North Hamgyŏng province, he climbed the Mach’ŏn Mountain Ridge and wrote the following quatrain, 驅馬磨天嶺層峰上入雲前臨有大澤蓋乃北海云 Galloping on horseback to the Mach’ŏn Ridge,layered cliffs rise all the way to reach the clouds.In the front lies a great marsh, known as the North Sea. It is said that Chang Wi praised the poem greatly and regarded it as a work that “can hold up Heaven and Earth.” Ch’ae Yuhu once spoke to Chŏng Tugyŏng and said, “Your quatrain on the Mach’ŏn Mountain Range surely is exceptional. With my limited understanding, I dare not discuss your writings. But what do you think about changing the three words ‘a big marsh’ to ‘a deep water一泓水’”? Chŏng laughed and said, “Have you not read the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian)? This expression (ŏ) is found in the ‘Records on Dayuan’ 大宛列傳 in Sima Qian’s Shiji. How would I make up an expression without any basis?” Ch’ae returned home and checked the “Records on Dayuan,” and there was written: “In front is a great marsh without banks, known as the North Sea.” Only then did Ch’ae gasp in admiration. Every time Ch’ae told people “Anyone who has not extensively read the classics truly cannot discuss other people’s works.”
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