(2017Translation) 崔瑩

Original Script

崔鐵城瑩少時。其父常戒之曰。見金如土[石]。瑩。常以四字書諸紳。終身服膺而勿失。雖秉國政。威行中外。而一毫不取於人家。纔足食而已。當時宰樞相邀迓。以棋局消日。爭設珍饌。以務豪侈。公獨邀客。過午不設饌。日暮糅黍稻炊飯。兼陳雜菜。諸客枵腸盡啖菜飯曰。鐵城之飯甚甘也。公笑曰。此亦用兵之謀也。 《慵齋叢話.卷三》

Translation

Student 1 : Sanghoon Na

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When Ch’oe Yŏng of Chŏlsŏng, was young, his father always admonished him, saying, "Regard gold as dirt or rocks." Yŏng always had the four characters[見金如土] written on the sashes and kept them in mind and did not forget [them] all his life. Although he assumed the reins of government and his authority was wielded in and out [of court], he did not exploit a bit from other people's houses. He was just content with food to eat {%% but barely enough to eat%%}. In those days ministers invited and received each other as guests to spend a day {00 better be "days"00} playing paduk. They competitively set sumptuous meals with which they pursued luxury and extravagance. Mr. {00 Maybe "Master"?00} Ch'oe alone invited guests and did not set the [lunch] table [even] afternoon. At sunset, he mixed millet and rice and cooked meals with various greens he prepared. All the guests who had empty intestines {%%stomach%%} ate up the vegetables and rice and said that [Ch'oe of] Chŏlsŏng's meal was astonishingly delicious. Mr. Ch'oe smiled and said, "This also is a strategy of maneuvering soldiers."

Student 2 : Younès M'Ghari

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When Ch’oe Yông of Chôlsông was young, his father used to warn him and say: “Look at gold like dirt [stone].” Ch’oe Yông constantly had these 4 characters written on his sash. All his life, he wore it on the chest and did not lose it. Even though he was holding the administration of the State and his authority was ruling inside and outside, he did not even take a hair from other people’s houses, {^but^} just enough to eat and that was it. At that time, high ranking officials were inviting each other [and] there by spending their days playing chess¹, organizing competitively exquisite meals in which they worked on their luxury and extravagance. [Once] Mister Ch’oe invited {%%Only Master Ch'oe would invite%%} guests and passed {%%pass%%] the noon without serving food. At dusk, he mixed millet and rice and cooked a meal, at the same time he served miscellaneous vegetables; all the guests’ stomachs were empty [so] they ate up all the vegetables and rice and said: “Ch’oe Yông’s meal is really delicious.” Mister Ch’oe said smiling: “This also is a stratagem to maneuver troops.”

¹: People may only be playing go (Korean: 圍棋, paduk) at the time.

Student 3 : Petra Sváková

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When Ch'oe Yŏng¹ of Chŏlsŏng was young, his father always warned him saying:“Look at gold like it is dirt [rock]." Ch'oe Yŏng, he would always have these four characters(見金如土) written on [his] sash. The whole life he wore it on [his] chest and did not lose it. Although he held the state's administration and his power swayed inside and outside [the central government], he did not take even a hair from other people's houses, just [took] enough to eat and nothing more. At that time high-ranking officials² invited and welcomed each other, spent days with playing paduk³ and janggi⁴, and were competitively serving delicate food by which they were striving for luxury and extravagance. [Once] mister Ch'oe invited {%%Only Master Ch'oe would invite%%} guests by himself and [even] after noon he did {%%would%%} not serve any food. At dusk, he mixed {%%would mix%%} millet and rice and cooked {%%cook%%} a meal, and at the same time he laid {%%would lay%%} out miscellaneous vegetables. All the guests were [so] hungry [that] they ate up [all the] vegetables and rice and said: "Master Ch'oe Yŏng's food is very sweet⁵!" Mister Ch'oe was laughing and said: "This is also a strategy of troops."

¹ Ch'oe Yŏng (1316–1318) was a general of Koryŏ period.[1]

² first-grade and second-grade officials of the Secretariat-Chancellery and the Security Council[2]

³ Korean 'go'

⁴ Korean chess

⁵ 'very sweet' here means 'very delicious'

Student 4 : (Write your name)

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When Ch'oe Yŏng of Chŏlsŏng¹ was young, his father constantly exhorted him, saying, "View gold [the same] as earth {%%dirt%%}." [Ch'oe] Yŏng always used these four characters to write {00 or had these four letters written00} on [his] sash. All his life he wore the cloths and did not lose them.

Even though he held [power in] state government, impressively running [state business] within and outside [the state], he did not take [even] one tiny hair from other people's houses, just [took] enough to eat and that was all.

During that time high-ranking ministers invited and welcomed each other to play board games in order to pass the time and vied to set out rare dishes in order to engage in luxury and extravagance.

Ch'oe Yŏng only invited guests {00 This is more likely "Only Ch'oe Yŏng would invite guests and..." The rest could use "would" tense, as well. 00}. Noon passed by [but] he did not set out food. At dusk he mixed millet and rice to cook a meal and laid out random vegetables.

All the empty-bellied guests, eating their fill of the vegetables and grains, said, "The food of [Ch'oe Yŏng of] Chŏlsŏng is very sweet."

Ch'oe Yŏng, laughing, said, "This is also an employing troops strategy."

¹ Ch'oe Yŏng (1316–1318) was a prominent general of the Koryŏ period who was sometimes called by the name of an area under his jurisdiction. For more information on Ch'oe Yŏng see the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, "General Choe Yeong".

Edited:

When Ch'oe Yŏng of Chŏlsŏng was young, his father constantly exhorted him, saying, "View gold [the same] as dirt." [Ch'oe] Yŏng always had these four letters written on [his] sash. All his life he wore the cloths and did not lose them.

Even though he held [power in] state government, impressively running [state business] within and outside [the state], he did not take [even] one tiny hair from other people's houses, just [took] enough to eat and that was all.

During that time high-ranking ministers invited and welcomed each other to play board games in order to pass the time and vied to set out rare dishes in order to engage in luxury and extravagance.

Only Ch'oe Yŏng would invite guests and not set out food [even] past noon. At dusk he would mix millet and rice to cook a meal and lay out random vegetables.

All the empty-bellied guests, eating their fill of the vegetables and grains, said, "The food of [Ch'oe Yŏng of] Chŏlsŏng is very sweet."

Ch'oe Yŏng, laughing, said, "This is also an employing troops strategy."

Student 5 : (Jae Yong Chang)

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When, Ch’olsong Ch’oe Yŏng {%% Ch'oe Yŏng of Ch'ŏlsŏng%%} was young, his father always warned him and said, “Look at gold like dust {%%dirt%%].” He was always with the four characters {^written^}on his belt. He kept it in mind and did not forget during his whole life. Although he took an administrative position on the state, his authority spread inside and outside. But he did not take off a hair {%%take even a hair%%}from other people’s house. Just enough to eat. At that time, high ranking officials invited each other and spent all days, playing Go. They competitively served delicious meals with which they worked luxuriously {%%on luxury and extravagance%%}. Master Ch’oe just invited {00 This is more likely "Only Ch'oe Yŏng would invite guests and..." The rest could use "would" tense, as well. 00}guests. After passing afternoon, he did not serve any food. At sunset, he mixed rice and millet and cooked for a meal. With it, various vegetables were also served. All hungry guests finished all these vegetables and rice and they said, “Master Ch’oe’s meal was extremely delicious!” Master smiled and said, “It was also a military strategy.”

Student 6 : (Goeun Lee)

崔鐵城瑩少時。其父常戒之曰。見金如土[石]。

When Choe Yeong, the lord of Cheolseong, was young, his father would warn him saying, "Regard gold as dust[stone]".

瑩。常以四字書諸紳。終身服膺而勿失。

Yeong would write down those four letters on his girdle {%%sash%%}. All his life, he remembered them at his heart and did not forget.

雖秉國政。威行中外。而一毫不取於人家。纔足食而已。

Although he held a government position and his authority spread inside and outside [the capital], he would not take {^even^} a hair from other’s house. Just enough food to eat, that was that.

當時宰樞相邀迓。以棋局消日。爭設珍饌。以務豪侈。

At that time, high ranking officials invited each other to spend time playing chess and go. They competitively served gourmet meal, putting efforts [to be] luxurious and extravagant.

公獨邀客。過午不設饌。日暮糅黍稻炊飯。兼陳雜菜。

Choe alone invited guest. Passing the noon, meal was not served. At sunset, mixed millet and rice were cooked for a meal. Along with it, various vegetables were served.

諸客枵腸盡啖菜飯曰。鐵城之飯甚甘也。公笑曰。此亦用兵之謀也。

All the guests with empty stomach devoured the vegetables and rice saying, “Cheolseong’s meal is so delicious.” Choe said smiling, “This is {^also^} a strategy for using soldiers, too.”

《慵齋叢話.卷三》 <<Yongjaechonghwa, Gwon 3>>

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Student 7 : (Alexandre Le Marchand)

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During {%%When%%}Ch’oe Yong of Cheol Seong young age {%%was young%%}, his father used to warn him by saying: “look at gold the way you look dust {%%dirt%%}”. He constantly wears this phrase written in four characters on his belt so he can wear it all on his from the stomach to the chest {%%on his body all the time%%} and don’t forget it. Even when he ruled {%%held the power over%%} the country, and his authority spread inside and outside, he did not even take a hair from other people house. He was talented to eat only what he need {%%Just enough to eat and that no more%%}. At this time high ranking official used to invite and receive each other {^as guests^}for playing paduk {^to pass the time^}. When they meet they prepare luxurious and extravagant food {%%And they competitively served delicate food by which they were striving for luxury and extravagance%%}. But Master Ch’oe was the only one who invites guest and doesn’t serve food during {%%past%%} the afternoon. He mixed millet and rice to cook rice and serve vegetable rice {%%random vegetables%%}. The guests' stomach was {%%stomachs were%%}empty, so they eat all the vegetable and rice. They said: “The meal at {%%of Master%%} Cheol Seong is delicious, so Ch’oe Yeong laughed and said: “this is also a strategy we use with soldiers”.

Student 8 : Bryan Sauvadet

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崔鐵城瑩少時。

When he was young, Ch’oe Yŏng of Cholsong,

其父常戒之曰。

His father often warned him and said:

見金如土[石]。

“Look gold like earth {%%dirt%%}”

瑩。

Ch’oe Yŏng,

常以四字書諸紳。

Always, read {%%wrote%%} their four characters on his sash.

終身服膺而勿失。

On {%%All%%} his life, he wore that on his chest and he didn’t lose it.

雖秉國政。

Even though he held a position {%%the power%%} on the administration of the country.

威行中外。

He went majestically {%%and his authority swayed%%} inside and outside the central government.

而一毫不取於人家。

He didn’t even take one fine hair from the other peoples houses.

纔足食而已。

Just only in off, he ate {%%Just enough to eat and no more%%}.

當時宰樞相邀迓。

At that time, the high ranking persons received {%%invited and greeted%%} each other.

以棋局消日。

Spending days, they played paduk (the Korean version of Go)

爭設珍饌。

They served gourmet food.

以務豪侈。

By did {%%doing%%}this, they worked on this luxurious life.

公獨邀客。

Master Choe welcomed {%%invited%%}guests.

過午不設饌。

On {%%Passing%%} afternoon, he didn’t serve them food.

日暮糅黍稻炊飯。

{^At sunset^}He mixed rice and millet to cook meal,

兼陳雜菜。

And served them vegetables {%%with random vegetables%%}.

諸客枵腸盡啖菜飯曰。

All the guest finished vegetables and rice because they had empty stomach, and they said:

鐵城之飯甚甘也。

‘Mister Ch’oe’s cook is extremely delicious!’

公笑曰。

Ch’oe smiled and said:

此亦用兵之謀也。

‘It is also a strategy use by soldiers {%%of using soldiers%%}.’

《慵齋叢話.卷三》

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Student 10 : Jelena Gledić

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When Ch’oe Yong of Cholsong was young, his father often cautioned him by saying: “View gold as dirt [rocks]”. He always had [these] four words written on his sash. All his life he kept them in mind and did not forget. Even though he grasped state administration, and his authority swayed in the central government and beyond, he did not take a single hair from people. He was content with being sustained and that is all. At that time, when those in power would meet and entertain, they would spend their days [playing] baduk and compete in serving [the most] rare dishes. They thus indulged in luxury and extravagance. When the general himself invited guests, noon would pass and he would not serve food. In the evening he mixed millet and rice and cooked it as the staple food, and at the same time prepared some side-dishes {%%random vegetables%%}. The guests, with empty stomachs, finished the simple meal and said: “Cholsong food is extremely satisfying.” The general laughed and said: “This is also [called] using military strategy.” “Yongjae ch’onghwa, scroll 3”

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