The Essential Method in Smiting the Ignorant, or the Gyeokmongyogyeol (擊蒙要訣, 격몽요결) is a Neo-Confucian work intended for instructing children. It was one of the first books that Korean children read in their education. The book consists of ten chapters, focusing on philosophy, ethics, self-cultivation, as well as Confucian rites. In the various chapters it cites and alludes to a few Confucian classics. In fact, the characters “Gyeokmong” (擊蒙, 격몽) in the title of the Gyeokmongyogyeol is a reference to the Book of Changes (易經, 역경, Yeok Gyeong):
上九: 擊蒙; 不利爲寇, 利禦寇.
상구: 몽격; 불리위구, 리어구.In the topmost NINE, undivided, we see one smiting the ignorant (youth). But no advantage will come from doing him an injury. Advantage would come from warding off injury from him.
Translation from James Legge
The author of the Gyeokmongyogyeol is Yi I (李珥, 이이, 1536-1584), commonly known by his pen name Yulgok (栗谷, 율곡). He composed the work for children and published the Gyeokmongyogyeol in 1577. As soon as the work was published, many Confucian scholars recognized its importance and disseminated it en masse. Below, Yi I discusses the importance of rites, specifically those concerning ancestral rites. He emphasizes that rites need to be fully carried out in all sincerity to satisfy one’s desires in wishing to recompense one’s deceased ancestors and to achieve personal and societal order. The Korean grammatical particles placed between the Classical Chinese text are called Hyeonto (懸吐, 현토).
祭禮章
제례장
Chapter on Ancestral Rites
祭祀는 當依家禮하여 必立祠堂하여 以奉先主하고 置祭田具祭器하여 宗子主之니라.
제사는당의가례하여필립사당하여이봉선주하고직제전구제기하여종자주지니라.
As ancestral rites (祭祀, 제사) is properly in accordance with the rites of the household (家禮, 가례), [there] must be established an ancestral shrine (祠堂, 사당) to revere the ancestral tablets. Setting up the land for ancestral rites (祭田, 제전) and preparing ancestral rite utensils (祭器, 제기), the [first] son of the kindred [must] supervise [this].
主祠堂者는 每晨에 謁于大門之內하여 再拜하고 (雖非主人, 隨主人同謁, 無妨) 出入에 必告이니라.
주사당자는매신에알우대문지내하여재배하고 (수비주인, 수주인동알, 무방) 출입에필고이니라.
He who supervises the ancestral shrine every morning gazes [reverentially] inside the main gate and bows down twice (even if he is not the [property] owner, if he follows the [property] owner and likewise gazes [reverentially], there is no problem), and whether he exits or enters he must inform.
或有水火盜賊이어든 則先救祠堂하여 遷神主遺書하고 次及祭器하고 然後及家財니라.
혹유수화도적이어든즉선구사당하여천신주유서하고차급제기하고연후급가재니라.
If there is a flood, a conflagration, theft, then first save the ancestral shrine, move the ancestral tablets and left over writings, then the ancestral rite utensils, and then valuables in the house.
正(正朝)至(冬至)朔(一日)望(十五日)則參하고 俗節則薦以時食이니라.
정(정조)지(동지)삭(일일)망(십오일)즉참하고속절즉천이시식이니라.
When it is the day of the new year (first day of the year), solstice (winter solstice), first day of the month (first day), and full moon (fifteenth day), attend [to the ancestral rites]. When it is a customary holiday (俗節, 속절), it is recommend that during those times to make food [to offer at the ancestral shrine].
時祭則散齊四日하고 致齊三日하며 忌祭則散齊二日하고 致齊一日하며 參禮則齊宿一日이니
시제즉산재사일하고치제삼일하며기제즉산재이일하고치재일일하며참례즉재숙일일이니
When it is time to carry out ancestral rites, cleanse (散齋, 산재) for four days and purify (致齋, 치재) for three days. When [it is time to carry out] memorial rites (忌祭, 기제), cleanse for two days and purify for one day. When only attending rites, perform ablution (齋宿, 재숙) for one day.
所謂散齊者는 不弔喪, 不問疾, 不茹葷, 飮酒不得至亂하며 凡凶穢之事를 皆不得預요.
소위산재자는불조상, 불문질, 불여훈, 음주부득지란하며범흉예지사를개부득예요.
That which is called “to cleanse” (散齊, 산재) is to not send condolences [to another family's mourning], to not visit the [deathly] ill, to not consume garlic, and to not drink wine to the point of inebriation. In general, activities that are inauspicious or sordid, all are not related.
(若路中猝遇凶穢, 則掩目而避, 不可視也)
(약로중졸우흉세, 즉엄목이피, 부가시야)
(If on the road one suddenly comes across an inauspicious or sordid [activity], cover eyes and avoid. One cannot see [such things])
所謂致齊者는 不聽樂, 不出入하고 專心想念所祭之人하여,
소위치재자는부청악, 부출입하고전심상렴소제지인하여,
That which is called “to purify” (致齊, 치재) is to not listen to music, not exit or enter, and only in one’s heart think and commemorate the person [for whom] the ancestral rite [is offered],
思其居處하며 思其笑語하며 思其所樂하며 思其所嗜之謂也라.
사기거처하며사기소어하며사기소요하며사기소기지위야라.
that is to say, thinking about how he aboded, thinking about how he laughed and spoke, thinking about what he liked, and thinking about what he enjoyed.
夫然後에 當祭之時하여 如見其形하고 如聞其聲하여 誠至而神享也니라.
부연후에당제지시하여 여견기형하고여문기성하여성지이신향야니라.
Afterward, when the ancestral rites are carried out, as if one is seeing his figure and as if one is hearing his voice, one’s sincerity [must be] utmost and the spirit gives an offering.
凡祭는 主於盡愛敬之誠而已니 貧則稱家之有無하고
범제는주어진애경지성이이니부즉칭가지유무하고
In general, for ancestral rites, the principle [purpose] is only to utterly devote [oneself] to the sincerity of love and respect. If one is poor, then it calls on whether the house has or does not have [wealth].
疾則量筋力而行之호되 財力可及者는 自當如儀니라.
질즉량근력이행지호되재력가급자는자당여의니라.
If one is sick, then it counts muscle strength and executes it. He who can attain wealth and strength by himself should rightfully [execute] in accordance to rites.
墓祭忌祭를 世俗이 輪行하니 非禮也라
묘제기제를세속이륜행하니비례야라
Ancestral rites at the tomb and memorial rites, the mundane world in turn follow them (輪行, 윤행), but are not rites.
墓祭則雖輪行이라도, 皆祭于墓上하니 猶之可也어니와
묘제즉수륜행이라도,개제우묘상하니유지가야어니와
Even if rites at the tomb are in turn followed, all rites [are carried out] above the tomb, and nonetheless is fine.
忌祭는 不祭于神主하고 而乃祭于紙榜하니 此甚未安이라.
기제는불제우신주하고이내제우지방하니 차심미안이라.
Memorial rites are not carried out at the ancestral tablets, and are instead carried out with tablet-paper (紙榜, 지방). This [also] is gravely not peaceful.
雖不免輪行이나 須具祭饌하여 行于家廟庶乎可矣리라.
수불면륜행이나수구제찬하여행우가묘서호가의리라.
Even if one cannot avoid in turn following, one should prepare the ancestral rite food and carry out [the rite] in the house shrine, and [this is] close to the correct [rite].
喪祭二禮는 最是人子致誠處也라.
상제이례는최시인자치성처야라.
Funeral rites and ancestral rites are two [different] rites, and these are executed with most great sincerity by the man’s sons.
已沒之親을 不可追養이니 若非喪盡其禮, 祭盡其誠이면
기몰지친을불가추양이니약비상진기례, 제진기성이면
Since for a parent already passed away one cannot support them, if for funeral rites its rites are not fully carried out and for ancestral rites its [due] sincerity is not fully endeavored,
則終天之痛을 無事可寓요 無時可洩也니 於人子之情에 當如何哉아.
즉종천지통을 무사가우요무시가예야니어인자지정에당여하재아.
Then there will be no act that can ably send away the anguish throughout one’s life (終天之痛, 종천지통), no time to ably escape, and thus to the feelings of one a man’s son, what can he rightfully do?
曾子曰: 愼終追遠이면 民德歸厚矣라하시니 爲人子者는 所當深念也니라.
증자왈: 신종추원이면민덕귀후의리하시니위인자자는소당심렴야니라.
Zengzi (曾子, 증자, Jeungja, 505-436BC) said, “If one respects [one's ancestor] to his end and cherishes the distance [between himself and the deceased ancestor], the virtue of the people will return to kindheartedness.” He who becomes a man’s son, [must] rightfully and profound think [upon this].
今俗이 多不識禮하여 其行祭之儀家家不同하니 甚可笑也라.
금속이다불식례하여기행제지의가가불동하니심가소야
Today, in the mundane world, many do not recognize rites and [therefore] the ceremonies of carrying out of ancestral rites are between household to household not the same. [This] is seriously a laughable [situation].
若不一裁之以禮면 則終不免紊亂無序하여 歸於夷虜之風矣리라.
약불일재지이례면즉종불명문란무서하여귀어이로지풍의리라.
If there is no consistent control concerning rites, then in the end confusion [can]not be avoided and there will be no order, and we will return to the ways of the hunter-barbarians.
玆鈔祭禮하여 附錄于後하고 且爲之圖하노니
자초제례하여부록우후하고차위지도하노니
Accordingly, after having selected ancestral rites and supplementing the record afterward, and also making this into a drawing,
須詳審倣行호되 而若父兄不欲이어시든 則當委曲陳達하여 期於歸正이니라.
수상심방행호되이약부형불욕이어시든즉당위곡진달하여기어귀정이니라.
one should carefully examine and carry out [in accordance to the] example. If one’s father or older brother does not wish [to do so], then rightfully in detail and in earnest forward [this discussion] and promise to return to orthopraxis (正, 정).
Notes:
- Zengzi (曾子, 증자, Jeungja, 505-435BC) was a disciple of Confucius. He is attributed to having compiled the Analects of Confucius (論語, 논어, Non’eo).
Characters:
- 茹(여) – Here, refers to plants such as garlic and ginger.
- 猝(졸) – Suddenly (갑자기).
- 庶乎(서호) – Close to (-에 가까이).
- 寓(우) – To send away (보내다).
- 洩(예) – To leak or escape (새다).
- 紊(문) – Disorder (紊亂, 문란).
- 虜(로) – To capture alive (사로잡다).
- 鈔(초) – To select or pick (뽑다).
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