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King Jeongjo, “Royal dictum to encourage farming” (Gweonnong yuneum 勸農綸音, 1781)
Student 1
甲戌朔/下勸農綸音于八道兩都: "王若曰, First day of the gapsul year. A royal edict encouraging farming was sent down to the eight provinces and two secondary capitals. Thus spoke the king.
予自臨御以來, 勸農之敎, 凡幾下矣? 國之本在民, 民之本在農, 而農之勤惰, 又在蕫飭之如何。 Since I have taken up the reins of state how many times already have I sent down edicts encouraging farming? The foundation of the state lies in the people. The foundation of the people lies in farming. But the diligence and laziness of farming lies in turn in how the order and management are.
肆先王設農師、置田畯, 汲汲焉惟是之爲先務, 予其敢忽諸? So therefore the previous king established the positions of nongsa, the teacher of farming, and jeonjun, the inspector of fields. The king was avid in this and considered the act of this as a matter of first importance . How could I dare to neglect it?
玆故每當歲首, 輒敷十行, 用飭我道臣、守令, 俾盡勸農之方, 而迄無其效何也? It is for for this reason that each start of the year, I always spread out ten lines in order to put my provincial ministers and magistrates in order, and to make them spend their efforts in the methods of encouraging farming, but why has there been no effects up till now?
豈予愛民之誠, 未足以下孚歟? 抑長吏怠慢, 不克奉宣予德意歟? 噫! Is the sincerity of my love for the people still not enough to be trusted those below? Or is it the case that the seniors officers are lazy and unable to deferentially promulgate my virtuous intentions? Hmm!
凡玆八方民庶, 皆予赤子也。或未免艱于食, 而塡于壑, 是憂是懼, 雖處廈氈、臨玉食, 而心未嘗一息不在于民于農。 The multitudes of people in all of the eight directions are all my newborn children. Some have still not avoided difficulties in food or have fallen in a ditch. This worries me and concerns me. Even though I live in a palace and look down on exquisite food, my heart has never been for one moment not with the people and farming.
賴天之眷佑, 一二年來雨暘不愆, 稼穡稍登. 抑未知蔀屋之生, 其盡無饑歟; 流移之氓, 其盡安集歟; 耕耘之糧, 其盡不匱, 而荒廢之土, 其盡墾闢歟。苟未盡然也, 予之憂懼, 曷敢少弛? Relying on the care and assistance of the heavens, rain and sunlight were not delayed in recent years, while sowing and reaping increased a little. Or is it that I do not know yet about the lives of humble houses and whether they are all free from starvation; and whether the drifters have all safely collected; and whether the grains of plowing and weeding are not all lacking; and whether the rough and deserted land has all been cleared and reclaimed. If it is indeed not yet all so, how could I relax my worries even a little bit?
而凡所以救饑而懷安, 助糧而闢荒, 其責顧不在於長吏歟? Is the responsibility of all the means with which to relieve famine, harbor peace, help the grains and reclaim neglected lands not with the senior officials?
況天心難必於屢豐, 人情易懈於稍裕. Moreover, whereas the heart of the heavens is hardly certain after repeated abundance, human nature easily turns slothful after a little surplus.
苟不倍加蕫飭,作勞服勤, 則竊恐來秋之虞, 反有甚於前日矣。 If we do not double our efforts in orders, labor and toil, then I fear the coming fall will be more grave than the past days.
夫耕種有時, 耘耔有節。倘能不奪, 使趨其期, 而黍稷茂則喜而賞, 田不治則怒而罰, 亦必如古長吏之爲, 則民豈不競勸疾作,而庶幾其有秋乎? It is so that plowing and sowing has its times, and weeding and hoeing earth has its seasons. If we could not deprive them and make them follow these periods, and make the grains flourish, then be happy and reward them. If the fields are not well ordered then be angry and punish them.
咨! 爾長吏, 有勤、有慢,朝廷亦宜有賞罰。今予誕諭, 其毋曰應故事, 而惕念擧行。 Alas! Among you senior officials there are those who toil and those who laze. The royal court for its part has punishments and rewards too. Now then, I have talked excessively but you should not say that I respond to past matters and keep it in mind carefully and uphold these lines.
Student 2
On the first day of 11th year king layed down a royal edict to encourage farming to 8 provinces and 2 capitals.
Thus the king spoke: Since I took the throne how many times have I gave you the teaching about farming? The root of country lies in people, and farming is crucial to human existence. The previous king established officials of farming and eagerly made it their first duty, how would I dare to neglect it?
Every time facing the beginning of the year, I spread royal messages, using them to order provinces' gubernators and encourage farming, but there is no effect, why? Why my sincerity of loving the poeple does not gain enough confidence among citizens down below? If it is not so, is it you, senior officers, to be lazy and not illuminate my virtuous intensions?
Oh! All these people in 8 directions are like my new born babies.
Whether or not they are avoiding being deprived of food or fall into ditches - that is what concerns me, even though I reside in a royal mansion, enjoying beautiful food, but in my heart there was not even one moment when I was not with people and farming. Relying on heaven's care and help within last few years, the rain and sunlight were not delayed and the sowing and harvest extended. Perhaps we don't know about the lives of the poeple in the humble houses, whether or not they suffer starvation and if the scattered people that are drifting around would be collected and secured, whether the seed of farming would not be lacking and if the deserted land would be recultivated. If it is indeed so, it concerns me, how my words can be ignored? But if we think about the reason, does not helping starving people and embracing them, helping with crops and cultivating deserted lands lay in senior officials' responsibilities?
Moreover, we can hardly be sure of the fruitful harvest as heaven's mind can not be easily defined. The human nature can easily turn into laziness because of surplus and if we don't establish order and make people work diligently, I'm fairly concerned that coming fall will be more serious than the previous one.
Student 3
The first day of kapsul year. The king laid down a royal edict to encourage farming to 8 provinces and 2 capitals Thus the king spoke: Ever since I took the throne how many times have I announced the teaching on encouraging farming? The root of country lies in people, and the people foundation is based on farming. The previous king established officials of farming and eagerly made it their first duty, how would I dare to neglect it? Everytime with the beginning of the new year, I promogate royal announcements, using them to order magistrate gubernators and encourage farming. But why there is no effect of it until now? Perhaps, my sincere love for people is not enought to win get their trust. If it is not so, is it you, senior officers, that are lazy and do not fullfill my virtous intensions? It must be so! All these people in all directions are like my newborn babies. Whether or not they avoided being deprived of food or falling into ditches - that is what concerns me, even though I reside in a royal mansion, enjoying beautiful food, in my heart there was not even one moment when I was not with people and farming. Relying on heaven's care and help within the last few years, the rain and sunlight were not delayed and the sowing and harvest extended. Perhaps we do not know about the lives in the humble houses, whether or whether they suffer starvation and if the scattered people that are drifting around would be collected and secured. Whether the seed for farming would not be lacking and if the deserted land would be recultivated. If it is indeed so, how could I relax and relieve my worries a bit? But if we think about the reason, does not helping starving people and embracing them, helping with crops and cultivating deserted lands lay in senior officials' responsibilities? Moreover, we can hardly be sure of the fruitful harvest as heaven's mind can not be easily defined. The human nature can easily turn into laziness because of surplus and if we do not establish order and make people work diligently, I am fairly concerned that the coming fall will be more serious than the previous one. The plowing and sowing has its times, and there is time for removing weeds and hoeing. If the senior officials could not deprive people of time and labour, make them follow farming season and if the millets will grow well, be pleased and reward them. But if the fields are not well maintained, be ferious and order punishment. You senior officials, some of you are dilligent and some neglect their responsibilities. The royal court must as well punish or reward you. If we continue like this, how can we expect that there will be harvest season? If the old practice is used to encourage officials, people could work dilligently and competevely, and we could possibly expect autumn harvest. Today I give you guidance and do not say it only corresponds to old matters, but be focused and watchfully perform my teachings.
