Tales of Korea, page 5
To-jong did not go to the top, but seated himself about half-way up. He asked the “holy man” if he would not be safe enough there.
The “holy man” replied, “Others would never escape if they remained where you are, but you will simply get a fright and live through it.”
When cock-crow came, sure enough the sea suddenly lifted its face, overflowed its banks, and the waves came rolling up to the heavens, climbing the mountain-sides till they touched the feet of To-jong. The whole town on the seashore was engulfed. When daylight came the waters receded.
To-jong bowed to the “holy man” and asked that he might become his disciple. The “holy man,” however, disclaimed any knowledge, saying that he had simply known it by accident. He was a man who did not speak of his own attainments. To-jong asked for his place of residence, which he indicated as near by, and then left. He went to seek him on the following day, but the house was vacant, and there was no one there.
Im Bang
CHAPTER 9
The Visit of the Man of God
In the thirty-third year of Mal-yok of the Mings (A.D. 1605), being the year Eulsa of the reign of Son-jo, in the seventh moon, a great rain fell, such a rain as had not been seen since the founding of the dynasty. Before that rain came on, a man of Kang-won Province was cutting wood on the hillside. While thus engaged, an angel in golden armour, riding on a white horse and carrying a spear, came down to him from heaven. His appearance was most dazzling, and the woodman, looking at him, recognized him as a Man of God. Also a Buddhist priest, carrying a staff, came down in his train. The priest’s appearance, too, was very remarkable.
The Man of God stopped his horse and seemed to be talking with the priest, while the woodcutter, alarmed by the great sight, hid himself among the trees.
The Man of God seemed to be very angry for some reason or other, raised his spear, and, pointing to the four winds, said, “I shall flood all the earth from such a point to such a point, and destroy the inhabitants thereof.”
The priest following cried and prayed him to desist, saying, “This will mean utter destruction to mortals; please let thy wrath rest on me.” As he prayed thus earnestly the Man of God again said, “Then shall I limit it to such and such places. Will that do?”
But the priest prayed more earnestly still, till the Man replied emphatically, “I have lessened the punishment more than a half already on your account; I can do no more.” Though the priest prayed still, the Man of God refused him, so that at last he submissively said, “Thy will be done.”
They ended thus and both departed, passing away through the upper air into heaven.
The two had talked for a long time, but the distance being somewhat great between them and the woodman, he did not hear distinctly all that was said.
He went home, however, in great haste, and with his wife and family made his escape, and from that day the rain began to fall. In it Mount Otai collapsed, the earth beneath it sank until it became a vast lake, all the inhabitants were destroyed, and the woodcutter alone made his escape.
Im Bang
CHAPTER 10
The Literary Man of Imsil
THE calling of spirits is one of the powers supposed to be possessed by disciples of the Old Philosopher (Taoists), who reach a high state of spiritual attainment. While the natural desires remain they cloud and obstruct spiritual vision; once rid of them, even angels and immortal beings become unfolded to the sight. They say, “If once all the obstructions of the flesh are eliminated even God can be seen.” They also say, “If I have no selfish desire, the night around me will shine with golden light; and if all injurious thoughts are truly put away, the wild deer of the mountain will come down and play beside me.”
Ha Sa-gong, a Taoist of high attainment, as an old man used to go out fishing, when the pigeons would settle in flights upon his head and shoulders. On his return one day he told his wife that they were so many that they bothered him. “Why not catch one of them?” said his wife. “Catch one?” said he. “What would you do with it?” “Why, eat it, of course.” So on the second day Ha went out with this intent in heart, but no birds came near or alighted on him. All kept a safe distance high up in mid-air, with doubt and suspicion evident in their flying.
In the year 1654 there was a man of letters living in Imsil who claimed that he could control spirits, and that two demon guards were constantly at his bidding. One day he was sitting with a friend playing chess, when they agreed that the loser in each case was to pay a fine in drink. The friend lost and yet refused to pay his wager, so that the master said, “If you do not pay up I’ll make it hot for you.” The man, however, refused, till at last the master, exasperated, turned his back upon him and called out suddenly into the upper air some formula or other, as if he were giving a command. The man dashed off through the courtyard to make his escape, but an unseen hand bared his body, and administered to him such a set of sounding blows that they left blue, seamy marks. Unable to bear the pain of it longer, he yielded, and then the master laughed and let him go.
At another time he was seated with a friend, while in the adjoining village a witch koot (exorcising ceremony) was in progress, with drums and gongs banging furiously. The master suddenly rushed out to the bamboo grove that stood behind the official yamen, and, looking very angry and with glaring eyes, he shouted, and made bare his arm as if to drive off the furies. After a time he ceased. The friend, thinking this a peculiar performance, asked what it meant. His reply was, “A crowd of devils have come from the koot, and are congregating in the grove of bamboos; if I do not drive them off trouble will follow in the town, and for that cause I shouted.”
Again he was making a journey with a certain friend, when suddenly, on the way, he called out to the mid-air, saying, “Let her go, let her go, I say, or I’ll have you punished severely.”
His appearance was so peculiar and threatening that the friend asked the cause. For the time being he gave no answer, and they simply went on their way.
That night they entered a village where they wished to sleep, but the owner of the house where they applied said that they had sickness, and asked them to go. They insisted, however, till he at last sent a servant to drive them off. Meanwhile the womenfolk watched the affair through the crack of the window, and they talked in startled whispers, so that the scholar overheard them.
A few minutes later the man of the house followed in the most humble and abject manner, asking them to return and accept entertainment and lodging at his house. Said he, “I have a daughter, sir, and she fell ill this very day and died, and after some time came to life again. Said she, ‘A devil caught me and carried, my soul off down the main roadway, where we met a man, who stopped us, and in fierce tones drove off the spirit, who let me go, and so I returned to life.’ She looked out on your Excellency through the crack of the window, and, behold, you are the man. I am at my wits’ end to know what to say to you. Are you a genii or are you a Buddhist, so marvelously to bring back the dead to life? I offer this small refreshment; please accept.”
The scholar laughed, and said, “Nonsense! Just a woman’s haverings. How could I do such things?” He lived for seven or eight years more, and died.
Im Bang
CHAPTER 11
The Soldier of Kang-Wha
THE East says that the air is full of invisible constituents that, once taken in hand and controlled, will take on various forms of life. The man of Kang-wha had acquired the art of calling together the elements necessary for the butterfly. This, too, comes from Taoism, and is called son-seul, Taoist magic.
There was a soldier once of Kang-wha who was the chief man of his village; a low-class man, he was, apparently, without any gifts. One day his wife, overcome by a fit of jealousy, sat sewing in her inner room. It was midwinter, and he was obliged to be at home; so, with intent to cheer her up and take her mind off the blues, he said to her, “Would you like to see me make some butterflies?”
His wife, more angry than ever at this, berated him for his impudence, and paid no further attention.
The soldier then took her workbasket and from it selected bits of silk of various colors, tucked them into his palm, closed his hand upon them, and repeated a prayer, after which he threw the handful into the air. Immediately beautiful butterflies filled the room, dazzling the eyes and shining in all the colors of the silk itself.
The wife, mystified by the wonder of it, forgot her anger. The soldier a little later opened his hand, held it up, and they all flew into it. He closed it tight and then again opened his hand, and they were pieces of silk only. His wife alone saw this; it was unknown to others. No such strange magic was ever heard of before.
In 1637, when Kang-wha fell before the Manchus, all the people of the place fled crying for their lives, while the soldier remained undisturbed at his home, eating his meals with his wife and family just as usual. He laughed at the neighbors hurrying by. Said he, “The barbarians will not touch this town; why do you run so?” Thus it turned out that, while the whole island was devastated, the soldier’s village escaped.
Im Bang
CHAPTER 12
Cursed by the Snake
HA YON graduated in the year 1396, and became magistrate of Anak County. He built many pavilions in and about his official place of residence, where people might rest. As he went about his district, seeing the farmers busy, he wrote many songs and verses to encourage them in their work. He became later a royal censor, and King Tai-jong commended him, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Later he became Chief Justice. He cleared out the public offices of all disreputable officials, and made the Court clean. When he had leisure it was his habit to dress in ceremonial garb, burn incense, sit at attention, and write prayer verses all day.
When he was young, once, in the Court of the Crown Prince, he wrote a verse which was commented upon thus: “Beautiful writing, beautiful thought; truly a treasure.” He was a great student and a great inquirer, and grateful and lovable as a friend. He studied as a boy under the patriot Cheung Mong-ju, and was upright and pure in all his ways. His object was to become as one of the Ancients, and so he followed truth, and encouraged men in the study of the sacred books. He used to awake at first cock-crow of the morning, wash, dress, and never lay aside his book. On his right were pictures, on his left were books, and he happy between. He rose to be Prime Minister.
The old family seat of Prince Ha Yon was in the County of Keum-chon. He was a famous Minister of State in the days of peace and prosperity, and used frequently to find rest and leisure in his summer-house in this same county. It was a large and well-ordered mansion, and was occupied by his children for many years after his death.
A Pair of Carp
Carp are common subjects of Korean folktales, ordinarily thought to be transformed dragons. Artist: unknown. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). (Art Institute of Chicago)
Tiger
The tiger is arguably the most important subject of Korean folklore and folk art (minhwa). A leading character in several popular tales, the tiger was historically both feared and revered by Koreans. Artist: unknown. Late 19th/early 20th century. (Brooklyn Museum)
Mountain Spirit (Sanshin)
A divine mountain sage is shown seated on a tiger, itself an animal identified with mountains. Two servants attend in the background. Artist: unknown. 19th century. (Brooklyn Museum)
Daoist Immortal on a Qilin and Two Attendants
In this painting, a Daoist immortal is pictured riding a mythical qilin beast flanked by two attendants. Daoist legends became popular subjects in Korean art in the late Joseon dynasty. Artist: unknown. Late 19th century. (Cleveland Museum of Art)
Poet Fisherman
The Daoist scholar Zhang Zhihe is shown here fishing in a raft. He seems less interested in catching fish than in drinking wine and the crane flying above. Artist: unknown. 19th century. (Cleveland Museum of Art)
Tiger and Magpie
“The Tiger and the Magpie” is a popular Korean folktale. The angry tiger represents a corrupt authority figure while the disapproving magpie represents the common man. Artist: unknown. 19th century. (Brooklyn Museum)
Tiger Family
A tigress, her two cubs, and a leopard are seen here beneath the rising sun. Symbolic of a new year’s celebration, the pine tree represents longevity, the tigress and her cubs, prosperity, and the leopard, good fortune. Artist: unknown. Late 19th century. (Cleveland Museum of Art)
The Fourth King of Hell
The Fourth King of Hell is seated in judgment as a minion carries out horrific punishments to condemned sinners. Artist: unknown. Late 14th century. (Cleveland Museum of Art)
Ksitigarbha and the Ten Kings of Hell
The bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, who was a protector of children and believed to be able to rescue unfortunate souls condemned to hell, is shown here surrounded by the ten kings of hell and their minions. Artist: unknown. 18th century. (Minneapolis Institute of Art)
Children Bathing in a River
In this lighthearted scene, a group of children are seen bathing and frolicking in a river. Artist: unknown. 19th/20th century. (Minneapolis Institute of Art)
Dog Treeing a Cat
The timeless battle between cat and dog plays out in this painting as a cat scrambles up a tree to escape a pursuing dog. Artist: unknown. 19th century. (Minneapolis Institute of Art)
Mountain God with Tiger and Attendants
A mountain god is shown here as a kindly old man. The tiger serves as a seat and attendants surround the deity. A peach tree, a symbol of longevity, stands in the background. Artist: unknown. 1874. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Golden Rooster and Hen
Artwork picturing birds and flowers was popular in Korea during the Joseon dynasty. Here a golden rooster is perched on a paulownia tree under a red sun while a golden hen sits on a rock surrounded by crashing waves below. Artist: unknown. 19th century. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Dragon in Clouds
Dragons are common subjects in Korean folk art (minhwa). In Korean lore, dragons are usually benevolent creatures, associated with agriculture and, most often, water. Artist: unknown. 18th century. (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
Plum Branch
A sturdy branch of a plum tree is shown here with delicate shoots and young blossoms. The stark scene suggests an overcast day. Artist: Yi Yu-won. 1888. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Birds and Flowers
In this scene, ducks swim by camellia blooms while above, swallows mingle with peach blossoms. Artist: unknown. 19th century. (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
The people of that county used to tell a very strange story of Ha and his prosperity, which runs thus: He had placed in an upper room a large crock that was used to hold flour. One day one of the servants, wishing to get some flour from the jar, lifted the lid, when suddenly from the depths of it a huge snake made its appearance. The servant, startled, fell back in great alarm, and then went and told the master what had happened. The master sent his men-slaves and had the jar brought down. They broke it open and let out a huge, awful-looking snake, such as one had never seen before. Several of the servants joined in with clubs and killed the brute. They then piled wood on it and set fire to the whole. Vile fumes arose that filled the house. From the fumes all the people of the place died, leaving no one behind to represent the family. Others who entered the house died also, so that the place became cursed, and was left in desolation. A little later a mysterious fire broke out and burnt up the remaining buildings, leaving only the vacant site. To this day the place is known as “haunted,” and no one ventures to build upon it.
Im Bang
CHAPTER 13
The Man on the Road
In the Manchu War of 1636, the people of Seoul rushed off in crowds to make their escape. One party of them came suddenly upon a great force of the enemy, armed and mounted. The hills and valleys seemed full of them, and there was no possible way of escape. What to do they knew not. In the midst of their perplexity they suddenly saw some one sitting peacefully in the main roadway just in front, underneath a pine tree, quite unconcerned. He had dismounted from his horse, which a servant held, standing close by. A screen of several yards of cotton cloth was hanging up just before him, as if to shield him from the dust of the passing army.
The people who were making their escape came up to this stranger, and said imploringly, “We are all doomed to die. What shall we do?”
The mysterious stranger said, “Why should you die? and why are you so frightened? Sit down by me and see the barbarians go by.”
The people, perceiving his mind so composed and his appearance devoid of fear, and they having no way of escape, did as he bade them and sat down.
The cavalry of the enemy moved by in great numbers, killing every one they met, not a single person escaping; but when they reached the place where the magician sat, they went by without, apparently, seeing anything. Thus they continued till the evening, when all had passed by. The stranger and the people with him sat the day through without any harm overtaking them, even though they were in the midst of the enemy’s camp, as it were.
At last awaking to the fact that he was possessor of some wonderful magic, they all with one accord came and bowed before him, asking his name and his place of residence. He made no answer, however, but mounted his beautiful horse and rode swiftly away, no one being able to overtake him.
