Yi Seo’u (李瑞雨, 이서우, 1633-?) was a Chosun dynasty literati bureaucrat. He was of the Ugye Yi Clan (羽溪李氏, 우계이씨), which is now called the Gangreung Yi Clan (江陵李氏, 강릉이씨); his courtesy name (字, 자) was Yunbo (潤甫, 윤보); and his pen name (號, 호) was Songgok (松谷, 송곡). He was a student at Sunggyun’gwan (成均館, 성균관) and passed first in the civil examination there. He was dismissed from office on one occasion and banished on another, each time for criticizing members of the Western Faction.
In the poem below, Yi Seo’u expresses his joy of playing Janggi (將棋, 장기), which is the Korean variant of the Chinese variant of Chess. In Classical Chinese, it is also known as Sangheui (象戱, 상희), which literally means “elephant play.” Chess originated in India and entered China as early as first century BC. It entered Korea sometime during the Three Kingdoms Period (三國時代, 삼국시대, 57-668). Janggi is an allusion to the Chu-Han Contention (楚漢戰爭, 초한전쟁, 206BC-202BC), and the pieces equivalent to the kings in Chess are labeled Cho (楚, 초) and Han (漢, 한). Although somewhat similar in appearance, the rules of Janggi are different from the rules of Chinese Xiangqi (象棋, 상기). One notable difference is that there is no river (漢界, 한계 or 楚河, 초하) in Janggi and no restriction on which side of the board the elephant (象, 상) must be.
輟象戱偶吟
철상희우음
An Incidental Composition After Having Played Chess
我心寂無事 不形人我相
아심적무사 불형인아상
今日雨中閑 忽然戱木將
금일우주한 홀연희목장
當其當局時 盤礴頗用壯
당기당국시 반박파용장
My mind is still, without work;
It does not form a person in my shape.
Today, while raining, I am at leisure;
Suddenly, I play with the wooden general.
At that very, at that very time of the match,
The board becomes jumbled; it is quite strengthened.
車馬倐縱橫 士卒任奪掠
차마숙종횡 사졸임탈략
勝旣有欣欣 負得免怏怏
승기유흔흔 부득면앙앙
蹔學小兒事 陡失丈夫量
잠학소아사 두실장부량
The chariots and knights in short time move vertically and horizontally;
The pawns and soldiers are charged with taking plunder.
If it ends with a victory, there is joy and delight;
If one acquires a defeat, it breaks grudge and discontent.
Briefly studying the small children’s work,
I suddenly forget the number of gentlemen.
縱吾北平胡 不如身無恙
종오북평호 불여신미양
一笑向太虗 芸芸孰非妄
일소향태허 운운숙비망
謝客就午枕 晴鵲語枝上
사객취오침 청작오지상
From our Bukpyeong are the Barbaric Chinese:
They are not like this body, without disease.
Laughing once, I face towards the grand emptiness.
It is dense and packed; who does not forget it?
Thanking the guest, I go to my midday nap.
The refreshing magpie speak above the branches.
Notes:
- Bukpyeong (北平, 북평) is the old name for Beijing (北京, 북경, Bukgyeong). Yi Seo’u is probably referring to Seoul or Pyeongyang in this poem.
- 胡(호) is how Koreans during the late Chosun dynasty referred to the Qing.
Characters:
- 輟(철) – To finish or to end (그치다).
- 礴(박) – To be jumbled (뒤섞이다).
- 頗(파) – Very much (자못).
- 用壯(용장) – Refers to courage or strength.
- 倐(숙) – Suddenly (갑자기).
- 怏怏(앙앙) – Grudge and discontent.
- 蹔(잠) – Variant of 暫(잠).
- 陡(두) – Suddenly (갑자기).
- 恙(양) – Disease (病, 병).
- 虗(허) – Variant of 虛(허). Here, it refers to the heavens.
Copyright Notice This work by Kuiwon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. |