(Translation) 成大中 靑城雜記 醒言

Original Script

Classical Chinese

English

惠化門外川東石壁，覆以石簷，雙柱支之，亦皆石也。壁面刻佛一軀，目以奴佛，名其川曰佛川。城東樵奴，日聚其下，仰詈之曰，使吾屬爲人奴者，是佛也，佛何眼而視我。聳鐮而鑿之，兩眼皆霔。虐使之怨，乃移於佛，可不畏哉。且其諺云，無是佛則亦無奴。無奴尙可，石佛孰使之無也。余少時，尙見其高峙，其趾川也，每歲大潦，山剝淵實，數十年之間，積沙齊簷，佛軀盡埋，無力可除，果然無是佛也。英宗辛亥，命良産從母，奴婢始縮，而今則無奴婢者居多。今上辛酉，命燒內寺奴婢案，公賤盡矣，私賤肯從役哉。終必歸於無也。大抵世奴婢，非中華聖世法也，獨我東有之。箕子懲盜，創一時之法也，豈使之世役哉。卒乃怨毒，至於鑿佛眼，佛如有靈，當爲之涕而不怒也。今則公籍盡灰，萬眉皆伸，祈天永命，莫大於是。今歲之大熟，歲歲可期，福歸於國，澤歸於奴，無奴婢之家，不足恤也。且亦豈無自賣者耶。此古法也，特不世奴婢爾。

(translation) Slaves’ Buddha and the Public Slaves Emancipated Outside the Hyehwa gate, there is a stone wall on the east of the stream. it is covered by a stone roof and supported by two pillars, which are also made of stones. On the surface of the wall is carved a body of Buddha. They call it as slaves' Buddha and also names the stream Buddha's stream. The firewood slaves on the east of the city wall has been gathering from day to day under this Buddha. Scolding it as they look up the Buddha, they said "that which made us become the slaves of others is this Buddha. With what eyes, does this Buddha see us?" Raising the sickle, they made holes into it, and the two eyes of Buddha wept. The resentment of cruel labor is moved to the Buddha; could it not be feared? Their vernacular says once there is no this Buddha, then there will be no slaves. Making slaves none is rather possible, as to this stone Buddha who would be able to make it none? When I was child, I still saw the high hill and the low stream. There was great rain each year. The hill got shaved, and the marsh got thick. After 10 years, the accumulated sand reached the eaves of the roof. The body of the Buddha was completely buried. There was no way to get rid of the sand. Truly, there was no this Buddha. In Shinhae(辛亥 Sinhae) year of King Yŏngjo(英宗, Yeongjo)'s reign, those who were born from the commoner women was ordered to follow the maternal status. The number of slaves began declining, and today there are numerous houses without slaves. In Shinyu(Sinyu) year of our King's reign, the slave register of the place temples was ordered to be burned, and the government slavery was abolished; Would the private slaves be willing to be worked? It will be led to being none in the end. In general, the slaves that is inherited(needs a better translation) was not a model from the Sagely era of the Central Efflorescence. Only our country has this; it was a momentary measure that was created when Kija(箕子, Gija) punished the thieves. How would he have made them to be worked for generations? The poison of resentment finally reached to that of digging out the eyes of the Buddha. The Buddha, as if it has a soul, wept and did not get angry as this is being done. The government is now burnt to ashed. When it comes to straightening eyebrows and praying the eternal life to Heaven, there has been nothing that is greater than this. The great flourishing of this period is enough to be hoped for years. The wealth returns to the state, and the benefits goes to the slaves. The house without slaves do not need the relief. Also, how the [benefits] will only be none of those that sells themselves. This law of the ancients is simply not-keeping succeeding slaves to later generations(not sure of this translation yet).

Translation

(sample) : Jaeyoon Song

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• Translations:

Outside the Hyehwa gate, there is a stone wall on the east of the stream. it is covered by a stone roof and supported by two pillars, which are also made of stones. On the surface of the wall is carved a body of Buddha. They call it as slaves' Buddha and also names the stream Buddha's stream. One day, those firewood slaves on the east of the city wall gathered under this Buddha. Scolding it as they look up the Buddha, they said "that which made us become the slaves of others is this Buddha. With what eyes, does this Buddha see us?" Raising the sickle, they made holes into it, and the two eyes of Buddha wept. The resentment of cruel labor is moved to the Buddha; could it not be feared? Their vernacular says once there is no this Buddha, then there will be no slaves. Making slaves none is rather possible, as to this stone Buddha who would be able to make it none? When I was child, I still saw the high hill and the low stream. There was great rain each year. The hill got shaved, and the marsh got thick. After 10 years, the accumulated sand reached the eaves of the roof. The body of the Buddha was completely buried. There was no way to get rid of the sand. Truly, there was no this Buddha. In Shinhae(辛亥 Sinhae) year of King Yŏngjo(英宗, Yeongjo)'s reign, those who were born from the commoner women was ordered to follow the maternal status. The number of slaves began declining, and today there are numerous houses without slaves. In Shinyu(Sinyu) year of our King's reign, the slave register of the place temples was ordered to be burned, and the government slavery was abolished; Would the private slaves be willing to be worked? It will be led to being none in the end. In general, the slaves that is inherited(needs a better translation) was not a model from the Sagely era of the Central Efflorescence. Only our country has this; it was a momentary measure that was created when Kija(箕子, Gija) punished the thieves. How would he have made them to be worked for generations? The poison of resentment finally reached to that of digging out the eyes of the Buddha. The Buddha, as if it has a soul, wept and did not get angry as this is being done. The government is now burnt to ashed. When it comes to straightening eyebrows and praying the eternal life to Heaven, there has been nothing that is greater than this. The great flourishing of this period is enough to be hoped for years. The wealth returns to the state, and the benefits goes to the slaves. The house without slaves do not need the relief. Also, how the [benefits] will only be none of those that sells themselves. This law of the ancients is simply not-keeping succeeding slaves to later generations(not sure of this translation yet).

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