A Visit from the Shades

[Choi Yu-won.--(The story of meeting his mother's ghost is reported to be of this man.)

〔チェ・ユウォン——(母の霊に会った話は、この人のことだと伝えられている。)

Choi Yu-won matriculated in 1579 and graduated in 1602, becoming Chief Justice and having conferred on him the rank of prince. When he was a boy his great-aunt once gave him cloth for a suit of clothes, but he refused to accept of it, and from this his aunt prophesied that he would yet become a famous man. He studied in the home of the great teacher Yul-gok, and Yul-gok also foretold that the day would come when he would be an honour to Korea.

チェ・ユウォンは1579年に入学し、1602年に及第して大司憲となり、君の位を授けられた。少年のころ、大叔母があるとき服を一着仕立てる布をくれたが、チェは受け取るのを断った。これを見て叔母は、この子はやがて名高い人物になるだろうと予言した。チェは偉大な師栗谷(ユルゴク)の家で学び、栗谷もまた、この子はいつか朝鮮の誉れになるだろうと予言した。

Yu-won once met Chang Han-kang and inquired of him concerning Pyon-wha Keui-jil (a law by which the weak became strong, the wicked good, and the stupid wise). He also asked that if one be truly transformed will the soul change as well as the body, or the body only? Chang replied, "Both are changed, for how could the body change without the soul?" Yu-won asked Yul-gok concerning this also, and Yul-gok replied that Chang's words were true.

ユウォンはあるとき寒岡(ハンガン)チャンに会って、変化気質(ピョンファ・キジル)(弱い者が強く、悪い者が善く、愚かな者が賢くなる法則)について尋ねた。また、人がほんとうに変われば、体と一緒に魂も変わるのか、それとも体だけなのかと尋ねた。寒岡は答えた。「両方とも変わる。魂なしにどうして体が変わろう。」ユウォンはこのことを栗谷にも尋ね、栗谷は寒岡の言葉は正しいと答えた。

In 1607 Choi Yu-won memorialized the King, calling attention to a letter received from Japan in answer to a communication sent by his Majesty, which had on its address the name of the Prime Minister, written a space lower than good form required. The Korean envoy had not protested, as duty would require of him, and yet the King had advanced him in rank. The various officials commended him for his courage.

一六〇七年、チェ・ユウォンは王に上疏して、陛下の送った書簡への返事として日本から届いた手紙が、宛名に宰相の名を礼式の求めるより一字下げて書いていることに注意を促した。朝鮮の使節は、務めとして抗議すべきなのにしなかったのに、王はその使節の位を上げていた。役人たちはみなチェの勇気をたたえた。

In 1612, while he was Chief Justice, King Kwang-hai tried to degrade the Queen Dowager, who was not his own mother, he being born of a concubine, but Yu-won besought him with tears not to do so illegal and unnatural a thing. Still the King overrode all opposition, and did according to his unfilial will. In it all Choi Yu-won was proven a good man and a just. He used to say to his companions, even as a youth, "Death is dreadful, but still, better death for righteousness' sake and honour than life in disgrace." Another saying of his runs, "All one's study is for the development of character; if it ends not in that it is in vain."

一六一二年、チェが大司憲だったとき、光海君は、自分は側室の生まれで、実の母ではない大妃を廃そうとしたが、ユウォンは涙ながらに、そのような不法で人の道に外れたことをしないよう懇願した。それでも王はあらゆる反対を押し切って、その不孝な意志のままにした。そのすべてのなかで、チェ・ユウォンは善良で正しい人であることを示した。チェは若いころから仲間によくこう言っていた。「死は恐ろしい。だが、恥のうちに生きるより、義と誉れのために死ぬほうがよい。」チェのもうひとつの言葉はこうである。「学問はみな人柄を育てるためのものだ。そこに行き着かなければ無駄である。」

Korea's ancient belief was that the blood of a faithful son served as an elixir of life to the dying, so that when his mother was at the point of death Yu-won with a knife cut flesh from his thigh till the blood flowed, and with this he prepared his magic dose.]

朝鮮の古い信仰では、孝行息子の血は死にかけた者への命の霊薬になるとされていたので、母が死に瀕したとき、ユウォンは小刀で太ももの肉を血が流れるまで切り、それで魔法の薬をこしらえた。〕

The Story

話

There was a minister in olden days who once, when he was Palace Secretary, was getting ready for office in the morning. He had on his ceremonial dress. It was rather early, and as he leaned on his arm-rest for a moment, sleep overcame him. He dreamt, and in the dream he thought he was mounted and on his journey. He was crossing the bridge at the entrance to East Palace Street, when suddenly he saw his mother coming towards him on foot. He at once dismounted, bowed, and said, "Why do you come thus, mother, not in a chair, but on foot?"

昔、ある大臣がいて、承旨だったころのある朝、出仕の支度をしていた。礼服をまとっていた。まだ少し早かったので、ひじかけにもたれていると、ちょっとのあいだ眠気に襲われた。夢を見て、夢のなかで自分は馬に乗って道を進んでいると思った。東宮の通りの入口の橋を渡っていると、突然、母が歩いてこちらへやって来るのが見えた。承旨はすぐに馬から降りてお辞儀をして言った。「お母さま、どうしてこのように、輿にも乗らずに歩いておいでなのですか。」

She replied, "I have already left the world, and things are not where I am as they are where you are, and so I walk."

母は答えた。「わたしはもうこの世を去ったのです。わたしのいるところでは、お前のいるところとはようすが違うので、歩くのですよ。」

The secretary asked, "Where are you going, please?"

承旨は尋ねた。「どちらへいらっしゃるのですか。」

She replied, "We have a servant living at Yong-san, and they are having a witches' prayer service there just now, so I am going to partake of the sacrifice."

母は答えた。「うちの召し使いが龍山に住んでいて、ちょうど今そこで巫女の祈りの儀式をしているので、そのお供えをいただきに行くのです。」

"But," said the secretary, "we have sacrificial days, many of them, at our own home, those of the four seasons, also on the first and fifteenth of each month. Why do you go to a servant's house and not to mine?"

「でも」と承旨は言った。「わたくしどもの家にも祭祀の日はたくさんあります。四季の祭祀も、毎月の一日と十五日の祭祀もあります。どうしてわたくしの家ではなく、召し使いの家へいらっしゃるのですか。」

The mother replied, "Your sacrifices are of no interest to me, I like the prayers of the witches. If there is no medium we spirits find no satisfaction. I am in a hurry," said she, "and cannot wait longer," so she spoke her farewell and was gone.

母は答えた。「お前の祭祀にはわたしは興味がないのです。わたしは巫女の祈りが好きなのです。巫女がいなければ、わたしたち霊は満たされないのです。急いでいるので」と母は言った。「もう待っていられません。」そして別れを告げて去った。

The secretary awoke with a start, but felt that he had actually seen what had come to pass.

承旨ははっと目を覚ましたが、起こったことを実際に見たのだと感じた。

He then called a servant and told him to go at once to So-and-So's house in Yong-san, and tell a certain servant to come that night without fail. "Go quickly," said the secretary, "so that you can be back before I enter the Palace." Then he sat down to meditate over it.

そこで承旨は召し使いを呼んで、すぐに龍山の某の家へ行き、ある召し使いに今夜必ず来るよう伝えよと言った。「急いで行け」と承旨は言った。「わしが宮中に入る前に戻ってこられるように。」それから承旨は座ってそのことを思いめぐらした。

In a little the servant had gone and come again. It was not yet broad daylight, and because it was cold the servant did not enter straight, but went first into the kitchen to warm his hands before the fire. There was a fellow-servant there who asked him, "Have you had something to drink?"

しばらくすると、召し使いは行って戻ってきた。まだすっかり明るくなってはおらず、寒かったので、召し使いはまっすぐ入らずに、まず台所へ行って火で手を温めた。そこにいた仲間の召し使いが尋ねた。「一杯ひっかけてきたのか。」

He replied, "They are having a big witch business on at Yong-san, and while the mutang (witch) was performing, she said that the spirit that possessed her was the mother of the master here. On my appearance she called out my name and said, 'This is a servant from our house.' Then she called me and gave me a big glass of spirit. She added further, 'On my way here I met my son going into the Palace.'"

召し使いは答えた。「龍山で大がかりな巫女の儀式をやっていて、ムーダン(巫女)が儀式をしているとき、自分に憑いている霊はここの旦那さまのお母上だと言ったんだ。わたしが顔を出すと、ムーダンはわたしの名を呼んで、『これはうちの家の召し使いだ』と言った。それからわたしを呼んで、大きな杯で酒をくれたんだ。そしてさらにこう言った。『ここへ来る途中で、宮中へ入る息子に会った』と。」

The secretary, overhearing this talk from the room where he was waiting, broke down and began to cry. He called in the servant and made fuller inquiry, and more than ever he felt assured that his mother's spirit had really gone that morning to share in the koot (witches' sacrificial ceremony). He then called the mutang, and in behalf of the spirit of his mother made her a great offering. Ever afterwards he sacrificed to her four times a year at each returning season.

待っていた部屋からこの話を立ち聞きした承旨は、泣きくずれた。召し使いを呼び入れて詳しく尋ね、その朝、母の霊がほんとうにクッ(巫女の祭祀)に加わりに行ったのだと、いっそう確信した。それから承旨はムーダンを呼んで、母の霊のために盛大な供え物をさせた。それからずっと、承旨は季節がめぐるたびに年に四度母を祀った。

Im Bang.

任埅(イム・バン)