In the Koryŏ dynasty, each style (ch’e) had its outstanding poem. Yi Saek’s “Yesterday passing Yongmyŏng Monastery” 昨過永明寺 and Chŏng Chisang’s “When the rain stops, the long riverbanks turn luxuriantly green” 雨歇長堤草色多 have been esteemed in the categories of five-character regulated verse and seven-character quatrain, respectively. But authoritative works in the categories of seven-character regulated verse and five-character quatrain are yet to be determined. Wouldn’t they have to be Chin Hwa’s “Drizzles come down in the morning like wispy, fine feathers”小雨朝來卷細毛 and Yi Kyubo’s “The monk in the mountain greedy for moon” 山僧貪月色?How do phrases such as, 細雨僧縫衲寒江客棹舟 Under a light rain, a monk mends his robe. On the cold river, a traveler rows his boat. 寒雲秋落渚獨鶴暮歸遼 Cold clouds descend on an autumn islet. A lone crane returns to Liao at dusk. 風生萬古穴江撼五更樓 A wind rises in a grotto of ten thousand years.A river shakes the tower at the fifth watch. compare to phrases like, 竹虛同客性松老等僧年 The bamboo is empty like the traveler’s nature. The pine is old same as the monk’s age. 鶴立松丫暝雲生石竇涼 Dark. A crane stands on a forking pine tree. Chilly. A cloud rises from a rock grotto. 窗銜半規月人在一涯天 The window holds a half disc moon. People are at the end of one sky. They appear to be equal matches (hilhang).
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