LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

king and he wondered if Pyŏn knew any man of talent who might serve the king. Pyŏn told him Hŏsaeng’s story.

      ‘Amazing,’ the minister exclaimed. ‘Can it be true? What did you say his name was?’

      ‘I’ve been acquainted with the man for three years, Minister, but I still don’t know his given name.’

      ‘He’s obviously an extraordinary man. Let’s go to see him.’

      That night Minister Yi sent his soldiers away and set out on foot with Pyŏn for Hŏsaeng’s house. Pyŏn told the minister to wait at the gate and went in alone to tell Hŏsaeng the background of the minister’s visit. Hŏsaeng acted as if he hadn’t heard. ‘Let’s have the wine you brought,’ he said and they proceeded to enjoy the wine. Pyŏn kept mentioning the minister’s mission. He was embarrassed because Hŏsaeng kept the minister waiting outside. For a long time Hŏsaeng made no response, but eventually, late into the night, he allowed the minister to come in. However, he didn’t get up to greet him. The minister was a bit nonplussed at first. He began to explain why he had come. He said he was looking for capable people in the government. Hŏsaeng cut him off with a wave of the hand.

      ‘The night is short,’ Hŏsaeng said. ‘Too much talk. It’s boring. What did you say your official post was?’

      ‘I’m a minister of state.’

      ‘Well then, you have the trust of the country. I recommend Waryong, Reclining Dragon, a man comparable in brilliance to Chuko Liang. Can you get the king to visit him three times in his straw hut and issue a formal invitation to service?’

      Minister Yi bowed his head in thought for some time.

      ‘That would be difficult,’ he said. ‘Can I hear a second proposal?’

      ‘The word second is not in my vocabulary,’ Hŏsaeng said, looking away from the minister but at the same time unable to resist the minister’s question.

      ‘Many of the descendents of the Ming lords thought Chosŏn owed them something, so they took refuge in this country, wandering around without much purpose. Would you ask the court to have the royal household give their daughters in marriage to these émigrés? And can you plunder the households of Kim Ryu and Chang Yu and use their possessions to set these émigrés up with material possessions?’

      Minister Yi bowed his head in thought for a long time.

      ‘That would be difficult,’ he said

      ‘Difficult, difficult, everything’s difficult!’ Hŏsaeng cried. ‘So what can you do? Here’s something really easy. Can you do this?’

      ‘I’m willing to listen,’ the minister said.

      ‘Before espousing any great cause under Heaven, it is necessary to conspire with the great heroes under Heaven. If you want to attack a country, you must send secret agents first. Otherwise you won’t succeed. The Manchus are now the lords of Heaven. They don’t have very cordial relations with the Chinese, but they trust us completely. Of course, Chosŏn was the first nation to bow to their dominion. Tang and Yuan of old accepted our children as students and promoted them in the civil service. The Manchus will do likewise. And if we ask them, they won’t forbid our merchants entry. They will accede to our requests because they will see our efforts as motivated by friendliness. So pick your young men. Cut their hair. Dress them in barbarian clothes. The scholars among them can take the examination for foreigners. The peasants can cross the Yangzi; operate as merchants, gather information on the state of the land and conspire with local heroes to turn the world upside down. Thus we can wash away our national disgrace. And if you cannot find a suitable candidate for emperor among the descendants of the Ming, get the great chieftains under Heaven to recommend a candidate. If you succeed, you will have played a master’s role in setting up a great nation; if you fail, you will at least retain your status as elder uncles of the emperor of the land of the white gulls.’

      Hŏsaeng finished his long harangue.

      Minister Yi said, ‘The scholar-officials are most fastidious about decorum. They’re not going to cut their hair and wear barbarian dress.’

      Hŏsaeng was angry again.

      ‘Who are these self-styled scholar officials,’ he said chidingly. ‘Born in a barbarian land, they boast of scholar-official status. What could be more foolish? The white clothes they wear is the dress of merchants. They wear their hair up, gimlet style, aping the manners of the southern barbarians. What’s all this decorum talk? Fan Uch’i thought nothing of his hair when it came to repaying his enemies. King Wuling didn’t think it shameful to wear barbarian dress when it was a matter of making the nation strong. You want to have revenge on your enemies, you say, but you make a big deal of your hair. In a time that calls for galloping on horseback, brandishing swords, throwing spears, drawing bows, and casting stones, you insist on wide sleeves and decorum! I made you three proposals. You’re not willing to do any of them and yet you call yourself a trustworthy servant of the king. Is this the model of a trustworthy servant? A man like you should have his head chopped off!’

      Hŏsaeng groped for a sword to run the minister through. A frightened Minister Yi got quickly to his feet, dashed out the back door and took to his heels.

      Minister Yi returned next day. The house was empty; Hŏsaeng was gone.

       5

      IN AT THE DEEP END

      JAMES SCARTH GALE writes:

      Compared with the Western world, with its indescribable hubbub, Korea is a land of the most reposeful silence. There are no harsh pavements over which horses are tugging their lives out, no jostling of carts or dray-wagons, no hateful clamour that forbids quiet conversation, but a repose that is inherent and eternally restful. The rattling of the ironing sticks is not nerve racking, but rather serves as a soporific to put all the world asleep. Apart from this one hears nothing but the few calls and echoes of human voices. What a delightfully quiet land is Korea! In the very heart of its great city Seoul, you might experiment at midday in the latest methods of rest-cure and have all the world to help you. (Korea in Transition, p. 17)

      Can you believe it? Korea the land of repose! The amp and loudspeaker put paid to that many years ago. Seoul is a clamourous, noisy place, and with countless millions milling in the streets, there’s no way you can avoid them. In addition to being constantly deafened, you’ll be pushed up and down stairs, squeezed into corridors and elevators, elbowed, shoved, shouted at, made fun of, and, depending on your general levels of sensitivity, more or less aggravated, irritated, peeved and annoyed. Once out on the street, you are Crane’s mythical Mr Everyman Non-person, (more about this later), noticed by everyone but seen by no one. You will feel constantly that you are coming out of a football match and being pushed into a bullfight. It’s surprising how much physical contact there is in a culture where touching is – or at least used to be – rude!

      So how to deal with people? Until someone knows you, you don’t exist. Going up or down the stairs, students will push you out of the way, but if they are your students, they will stand back and bow. Introductions are extremely important. So get those name cards and put your titles down. It helps people break the ice in relating to you. People need to know how big a deal you are. Knowing whether the person you are meeting is older or younger is pivotal in starting the relationship. If older, then you are a little more formal, he/she a little less formal. The opposite pertains if you are older. It may take a little jockeying around to establish the basic information without rudely asking the other party their age. But it can be done. You will find that you are much more reluctant to ask someone’s age than most Koreans.

      Very few foreigners are aware that in the old days it was impolite to say ‘Good morning, Professor Kim.’ The name in Korea had a sacred aura like the name of Yahweh in the Old Testament; it was not to be used if at all possible. Only rude foreign devils were capable of such boorish exposure of a man’s name.

Скачать книгу