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E899
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Im Kyŏng on
Hyŏnho’s Trivial Tales (Compendium of Remarks on Poetry)
Entry Text
林德涵泳。號滄溪。曺晦谷漢英之孫婿也。晦谷甞語德涵曰。爾詩不如賦。可羞工於賦也。德涵對曰。然則詩不可為歟。曰詩有別才。不可强其不能也。余今觀滄溪詩稿。其自警詩曰。幽暗之中袵席上。古人從此做工夫。這間若不能無愧。何敢冠儒而服儒。詞甚緩歇。全無韻格。而第三句。若不能無愧之語。尤甚冗塵。此可謂詩乎。蓋德涵。於詩。非本色。强以為之。故其詩有如此者。晦谷訓意。誠不謬矣
Im Yŏng’s 林泳 (1649–1696; styled Tŏkham) sobriquet was Ch’anggye (Blue Creek). He was Cho Hanyŏng’s 曹漢英 (1608–1670; sobriquet Hoegok [Dark Valley]) grandson-in-law. Cho once told Im, “Your poems are not as good as your rhapsodies. You can concentrate your effort on rhapsodies.” Im responded, “Then should I not write poems?” Cho replied, “A special talent is required for poetry. One cannot force what one is not good at.” Lately, I read in Im’s Ch’anggye sigo 滄溪詩稿 (Poetry Manuscript of Ch’anggye), a poem entitled “Advice to Myself” 自警. 幽暗之中衽席上古人從此做工夫這間若不能無愧何敢冠儒而服儒 In darkness, lying in their beds,from there the ancients exerted their efforts.In this matter, if I cannot feel no qualms,how can I dare don the Confucian cap and robe? The words are extremely sluggish (wanhŏl) and are completely without rhyming and meters (un’gyŏk). The third line “If I cannot feel no qualms” is especially a jumble. How can this be called a poem? His poetry was like this because he forced himself to write it although poetry was not natural (ponsaek) for him. Cho’s instructions were honest without exaggeration.
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