(Translation) 鄭道傳 朝鮮經國典 序

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  • 朝鮮經國典 序 조선경국전 서((Joseongyeonggukjeon seo) 1394(2)

Original Script

Classical Chinese

English

六典之作尙矣。若稽周禮。一曰治典。以經邦國。以治官府。以紀萬民。二曰敎典。以安邦國。以敎官府。以擾萬民。三曰禮典。以和邦國。以統百官。以諧萬民。四曰政典。以平邦國。以正百官。以均萬民。五曰刑典。以詰邦國。以刑百官。以糾萬民。六曰事典。以富邦國。以任百官。以生萬民。治則吏也。敎則禮也。政則兵也。事則工也。自古以來。天下國家之治亂興亡。昭然可考。其所以治且興者。以明夫六典也。其所以亂且亡者。以昧於六典也。高麗之季。政敎陵夷。紀綱頹敗。所謂六典者。名存實無。有志之士。扼腕嘆息者。久矣。亂極復治。理之必然。 惟我殿下應天順人。除殘去暴。乃革舊弊。一新敎化。以時考績。黜陟幽明。而治典明矣。輕徭薄賦。休養生民。而敎典明矣。車服有章。上下有別。則禮典可謂明矣。克詰戎兵。折衝禦侮。則政典可謂明矣。議刑得情。民無寃抑。刑典不可謂不明也。允釐百工。以煕庶績。事典不可謂不明也。於是。判三司事奉化伯臣鄭道傳。作爲一書。名之曰經國典。以獻 殿下。 宸心是悅。付諸有司藏之金樻。爰命臣揔。序其編端。臣揔竊伏惟念。一代之興。必有一代之制作。苟非明良相得。有同魚水。則何以臻此焉。今我 殿下推赤心。委任宰相。而三司公以天人之學。經濟之才。贊襄丕基。馳聘雄文。克成大典。非唯有補於 殿下乙夜之覽。且爲子孫萬世之龜鑑也。於戲。其至矣乎。若視爲文具。則書自書人自人矣。何益於治道哉。子思之作中庸也。論九經曰。其所以行之者一也。一者何謂。誠也。臣於是書。亦以此言焉。

(translation)

Translation

(sample) : Jaeyoon Song

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• Discussion Questions:

Student 1 : (Write your name)

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六典之作尚矣。若稽《周礼》，一曰治典，以经邦国，以治官府，以纪万民。 The six principles of administering a country have been created for a long time. If we look back on The Rites of Zhou, Firstly, there is the principle of governing（治典）, used for administering different states, managing the government, and ruling the people.

二曰教典，以安邦国，以教官府，以扰万民。 Secondly, there is the principle of indoctrinating, used for stabilizing the states, instructing the government, and taming the people.

三曰礼典，以和万邦，以统百官，以谐万民。 Thirdly, there is the principle of ethics, used for coordinating the states, commanding the officials, and harmonizing the people.

四曰政典，以平邦国，以正百官，以均万民。 Fourthly, there is the principle of regime, used for maintaining political fairness in each state, rectifying the attitude of the officials, and equalizing the taxes of the people.

五曰刑典，以诘邦国，以刑百官，以纠万民。六曰事典，以富邦国，以任百官，以生万民。 Fifthly, there is the principle of justice, used for interrogating the states, punishing the officials, and investigating the people. Sixthly, there is the principle of routine work（事典） used for enriching the states, appointing the officials, and nurturing the people.

治则吏也，教则礼也，政则兵也，事则工也。 Governance is about the officials？ Indoctrination is about ethics？ Regime is about military affairs？ ???

自古以来，天下国家之治乱兴亡，昭然可考。 From ancient time, the rise and fall of a country can be clearly observed in history.

其所以治且兴者，以明夫六典也。其所以乱且亡者，以昧于六典也。 The reason why a country become politically stable and prosperous is that it has a clear understanding of the six principles. The reason why a country became politically instable and perished is that it is ignorant of the six principles.

高丽之季，政教陵夷，纲纪颓败。所谓六典者，名存实无。有志之士，扼腕叹息者久矣。乱极复治，理之必然。 Towards the end of the end of the Goryeo dynasty, the regime and indoctrination have declined. The so called six principles existed in names only. People with noble aspirations sigh while wringing their hands for a long time. Once a country reaches its uttermost of instability, it will return to the status of stability, this is inevitable.

惟我殿下，应天顺人，除残去暴，乃革旧弊，一新教化。 Your highness follows the mandate of heaven and comply with the popular wishes of the people. Abolished those are ruthless and disposed those are cruel. Therefore, the maladministration was transformed and the indoctrination was renewed.

以时考绩，黜陟幽明，而治典明矣。 Assessing working performance of the officials at an appropriate time, demote officials that are badly behaved, promote officials that are enlightened. Therefore, the principle of governing is cleared.

轻徭薄赋，修养生民，而教典明矣。 Reducing corvee and taxes, leave people some time to recuperate, to breed and grow. Therefore, the principle of indoctrinating is cleared.

车服有章，上下有别，则礼典可谓明矣。 The use of carriage and clothing? are standardized, and there are clear differences between up and down. Therefore, the principle of ethics is cleared.

克诘戎兵，折冲御侮，则政典可谓明矣。 Having the ability to rule the country properly, and defend the country from outsiders. Therefore, the principle of regime is cleared.

议刑得情，民无冤抑，刑典不可谓不明也。 The conviction of criminals is precisely based on details of each case, there isn’t any injustice among the people. The principle of justice is no doubt cleared.

允釐百工，以熙庶绩，事典不可谓不明也。 All the officials fulfill their own part of duty, many of the things will be prosperous. The principle of chores is no doubt cleared.

于是，判三司事奉化伯，臣郑道传，作为一书，名之曰《经国典》，以献殿下。 Therefore, as判三司事奉化伯 and a minister, ? I wrote this book, named it Statutes of the Governance of Joseon and presented it to your highness.

宸心是悦，付诸有司藏之金樻，爰命臣㧾，序其编端。 The king was therefore pleased in mind, gave it to the official who is in charge of this, and put it in the golden cabinet. Then ordered me to undertake the task and write a preface to this book.

臣㧾窃伏惟念，一代之兴，必有一代之制作。 I, as a minister, once thought about it privately, when there is a rise of a new dynasty, there are some new establishments.

苟非明良相得，有同鱼水，则何以臻此焉？ If it’s not because of a wise king meets with some good officials, like a fish gets into the water, how could it reaches this particular situation?

今我殿下推赤心，委任宰相，而三司公以天人之学，经济之才，赞襄丕基，驰骋雄文，克成大典。 Now your highness appoints the Grand Councilor with sincere heart, the provincial officials use their intelligence about heaven and people, and skills of governing and benefit the people, to support the foundation of the dynasty.

非唯有补于殿下乙夜之览，且为子孙万世之龟鉴也。 Not only will this be presented as a supplement to what your highness has been reading at night, it will also serve as an example or warning to future generation.

於戲！其至矣乎？若视为文具，则书自书人自人矣，何益于治道哉？ Alas！Would this be the best of all things? If we regard it just as an object of decoration, then this book is just a book and we people are just ordinary people. How could this have anything good to the governance of a country?

子思之作中庸也，论九经曰：其所以行之者一也，一者何谓？诚也。臣于是书，亦以此言焉。 While子思 wrote 中庸, he commented on the nine classics and said: what these classics shared in common is the same, what is that? That is sincerity. My comment on this book is also the same.

• Discussion Questions:

Student 2 : (Write your name)

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• Discussion Questions:

Student 3 : Hu Jing

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• Discussion Questions:

Since the ancient times, China and Korea have different circumstances in many aspects. How could that be possible for Joseon to adopt Chinese institutions? How did the Joseon court domesticate the Chinese institution?

Student 4 : Martin

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• Discussion Questions:

1. Does Jeong Dojeon understand a strong state or strongly regulated state power as good governance?

2. What is his understanding of the role of the king?

Student 5 : (Write your name)

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• Discussion Questions:

Student 6 : (Write your name)

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• Discussion Questions:

Student 7 : King Kwong Wong

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• Discussion Questions:

1. Why the Rites of Zhou is so important that Jeong Dojeon had to put it at the beginning of his preface?
2. What are the reasons for the compilation of Gyeonggukjeon? How does Jeong Dojeon justify it in his preface?

Student 8 : Younès M'Ghari

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• Discussion Questions:

Was writting such a manuscript a way for the author to give the new king political advices? Was it a formality after having given them orally, as someone being close to Yi Seonggye? As the case may be, was it in fact also a document adressed to the other subjects, for instance to convince them of the legitimacy of the new power?

Student 9 : (Write your name)

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• Discussion Questions:

Although we haven't read the preface of Kyŏngguk taejŏn (경국대전), what's the difference between contents of this text and the preface of Kyŏngguk taejŏn?

Student 10 : (Write your name)

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Student 11 : (Write your name)

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Student 12 : (Write your name)

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Student 13 : (Write your name)

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Student 14 : (Write your name)

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