Journal of
Languages and Culture

  • Abbreviation: J. Lang. Cult.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-6540
  • DOI: 10.5897/JLC
  • Start Year: 2010
  • Published Articles: 132

Essay

The son and the daughter of Maeg country, I am very proud of you!’ with a title ‘I will do my best for my children as if I stood in front of God!’: - Translation of the poem on Tcheonzamun (the book of ‘The Thousand Character Essay’), from 689th to 704th characters

Hyeonhi R. Park
  • Hyeonhi R. Park
  • Department of Elderly Care and Welfare, Joongbu University, Kumsan, Republic of Korea, South Korea.
  • Google Scholar
Jieun A. Kim
  • Jieun A. Kim
  • Department of Economics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
  • Google Scholar
Kunjoo D. A. Kim
  • Kunjoo D. A. Kim
  • FarmHannong, LG Chemicals, Seoul, South Korea.
  • Google Scholar
Jiah A. Kim
  • Jiah A. Kim
  • Départment d'Expertise economique, Université de Paris-Est Creteil, Paris, France.
  • Google Scholar
Sohwa T. Kim
  • Sohwa T. Kim
  • Department of French language and Literature, Seoul Women's University, Seoul, South Korea.
  • Google Scholar
Alain Hamon
  • Alain Hamon
  • L'Ecole Internationale Jean-Mermoz, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
  • Google Scholar
Rosa Kim
  • Rosa Kim
  • L'Ambassade de la République de Corée en Co te d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
  • Google Scholar
Sangdeog A. Kim
  • Sangdeog A. Kim
  • Department of Companion Animal and Animal Resources Science, Joongbu University, Kumsan, South Korea.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 17 October 2016
  •  Accepted: 14 December 2016
  •  Published: 31 March 2017

Abstract

Tcheonzamun, (book of ‘The Thousand Character Essay’), is so famous in China and in Korea that a lot of common phrases utilized in the practical life are have come from the book.  The researcher translated the poem of Tcheonzamun. It is a poem composed of 16 letters from 689th to 704th. It was done both by using Chinese characters and through Korean pronunciation. The researcher found that in on this poem, nearly all of Korean pronunciations of those Chinese characters are utilized in the modern Korean language. The author of Tcheonzamun expressed through Chinese character the common sense in the first line of the four lines of this poem,; We must speak good in order to obtain confidence from the people’.  While the author constantly on the next three lines wrote opposite things, ‘; the most important thing is not the saying but the behavior of the person’. The meaning of the translation through Chinese character is as follows; ’ I will do my best for my children as if I stood in front of God!’. And the meaning of the interpretation through Korean pronunciation is connected to the previous poem from 673rd to 688th characters. The Tcheonzamun author has consoled his defeated sons or colleagues from the battle on the previous poem, and he continued the advice to his son’s in the present poem. The brief meaning of the present poem through Korean pronunciation is as follows,; ‘The son and daughter of Maeg country, I am very proud of you!’

Key words: Tcheonzamun (book of ‘The Thousand Character Essay’), poem, Korean pronunciation, Maeg country’s people, 16 letters from 689th to 704th.