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E892
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Im Kyŏng on
Hyŏnho’s Trivial Tales (Compendium of Remarks on Poetry)
Entry Text
西溪朴世堂。退居田舍。耽其書史。其咏蠹魚詩曰。蠹魚身向卷中生。食字多年眼乍明。畢竟物微誰見許。秪應長負毁經名。此蓋自况之詩。而末節與詩相符。豈先讖耶
When Pak Sedang 朴世堂 (1629–1703; sobriquet Sŏgye [West Brook]) retired to his countryside home, he indulged himself in books. His poem “Moths” 詠蠢魚 said, 蠹魚身向卷中生食字多年眼乍明畢竟物微誰見許只應長負毀經名 Oh bristletails! You live inside books all your life.After consuming words for many years,your eyes suddenly opened up.But after all, you are a tiny creature—who will come to appreciate you?You are only forever blamed for the disgrace of having destroyed the Classics. This was a poem about his own circumstances. Indeed, the circumstances of his late life coincided with the poem. Could it be that the poem was a prognostication?
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