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倪謙多才放曠，途中題詠累數十篇，聯爲稿，榜于太平館壁。又 consolidate his relationship with them. The king shared his
書所作登樓賦，以掛于樓，或者譏其逞才驕矜… 謙等初不受贈 Neo-Confucian cultural vision through poetry and painting,
遺，後乃受之，至有求索如此。 36 and elicited responses from scholar officials. Poems and
This sense of competitiveness extended both ways. On paintings produced under these circumstances had political
one occasion, Ni Qian sensed the desire of the Minister of implications, functioning as an expression of unity between
Works, Jeong Yinji 鄭麟趾, to challenge him in poetry. This the king and scholar officials. Through his policies, Sejong
took place after he composed the poem describing the scene successfully established the new cultural authority of the
at the temple of the Royal Confucian Academy. When Ni Joseon dynasty within 50 years of its foundation.
read Jeong’s poem, he was stunned and said:
Early on when I composed the poem on visiting the temple, I Notes
had intended to praise [Joseon] for being non-Chinese (yi) yet 1 On culture during the Sejong period in general, see
still valued culture. Unexpectedly Jeong Yinji (Minister of Sejongdaewang ginyeom saeophoe 1984–6; Hanguk jeongsin
Works) responded to my poem at the banquet, seemingly with munhwa yeonguwon 2001.
condescension. I followed and replied to his work. From then 2 JWS Sejong sillok 24 (6/4/庚戌) and (6/4/丁巳); Yi Seong-mu 2001,
20–1.
onwards, whenever I had to reply to his poems, I would reply 3 The fall in the status of Buddhism during the early Joseon period is
immediately after reading them, finishing in a moment’s time. also well reflected in the change of clerical system. Ryu 2002.
Then all were shocked and impressed. 4 Studies on the art of the Sejong period include Ahn 1982, 61–71;
Choi 2001; Hong and Chang 2009.
初作謁廟詩，本以嘉其夷而右文也，不意工曹席間吟和，似有陵 5 See detailed studies on this by Cho Insoo. Cho 2004; Cho 2006.
騁意，隨和還之。自此凡和其詩，俱觀罷卽答，頃刻而就，始皆 6 On the portrait of Taejo at Gyeonggi Royal Portrait Hall, see Lee
驚服。 37 2005; Lee 2010. For a catalogue of Gyeonggi Royal Portrait Hall,
The above quote, recorded in Ni Qian’s own poetry see Jeonju National Museum 2005.
anthology, shows his self-flattering reminiscence of his 7 Ro 2004, 169–71; JWS Sejong sillok 55 (14/1/丙子).
8 Cho 2006, 178–9.
experience in Joseon Korea. On the other hand, some 9 JWS Sejong sillok 5 (1/8/庚辰).
Joseon scholars thought Ni Qian’s literary talent was 10 JWS Taejo sillok 1 (1/7/丁未 and 8/壬戌).
overrated. For example, Seong Hyeon 成俔 (1439–1504) 11 JWS Sejong sillok 8 (8/5/壬子).
mentions in Yongjae chonghwa 慵齋叢話 (Sayings from the Yong 12 Cho 2006, 168.
13 JWS Sejong sillok 37 (9/8/乙丑), Sejong sillok 41 (10/8/庚辰).
Studio) that, 14 JWS Sejong sillok 60 (15/6/丙申).
At the time the Jiphyeonjeon scholar Jeon Seong saw his [Ni 15 Ro 2006, 226–36.
Qian’s] poem, laughed at it and said: ‘This poem is written by a 16 There is a record indicating that a garment was offered after an
pedantic and outmoded instructor-official. I can beat him with ancestral ceremony at Goryeo Taejo Jinjeon. See Goryeosa 21,
only one of my sleeves rolled up.’ Sinjong (6/9/甲午).
17 Ro 2004, 195.
是時集賢儒士全盛 見詩哂之曰：眞迂腐敎官所作，可袒一肩而 18 Kang 1998.
制之。 19 Kim 1982.
38
20 JWS Sejong sillok 1(1/8/乙未).
21 Song 2008.
The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty further stress that 22 Yi Jong-mook 2001, 249–53.
Ni Qian and Jeong Yinji grew close and exchanged poems 23 On the Night Banquet at Huiwujeong, see Seo Geojeong, ‘Huiwujeong
every day after the incident at the banquet. It records that yayeondo si’ 喜雨亭夜宴圖詩 (The Poem for the Painting of Night
39
Ni Qian finally praised Jeong Yinji after they wrote poems Banquet at Huiwujeong Pavillion), in Seo 2004, vol. 2, 110–12. On
and drank together, saying that ‘one night’s conversation the Pleasure of the Moon along the Riverbank, see Seong Sammun,
‘Seongsuchan yimgang wanwoldo si seo’ 成修撰臨江翫月圖詩序
with you is more valuable than ten years of reading books (Yu (Seong’s Preface for the Painting and Poem of the Pleasure of the
jun yiye hua, sheng du shinian shu 與君一夜話, 勝讀十年書)’. 40 Moon along the Riverbank, in Sin Sukju 1988, vol. 15, 117–18. The
Joseon scholars thought that their exchange of poetry was text is accessible in Hanguk gojeon jonghap DB, http://db.itkc.
not simply a means of communication but also a way of or.kr/itkcdb/mainIndexIframe.jsp.
41
manifesting their cultural pride. They believed that literary 24 Yi Jong-mook 2001, 247–9; JWS Sejong sillok 104, (26/4/辛丑).
25 On Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land, see Ahn 1991, 107–19.
ability would be one way to change the Ming envoy’s 26 Yi Jong-mook 2008, 171–4. For the exchange of poetry between
attitude of superiority towards them and to overcome the Prince Anpyeong and contemporary literati, see Yi Jong-mook
42
hierarchy between the two states. Writing poetry was, 2001.
therefore, not a personal matter, but had broader 27 JWS Sejong sillok 68 (17/6/戊申).
28 JWS Sejong sillok 69 (24/5/丁亥).
implications for the government. Sejong created an 29 On the Eight Steeds of Taejo, see Cheong 1991.
institutional system that encouraged officials to become 30 Cheong 1991, 12; JWS Sejong sillok 117 (29/8/丁丑).
highly cultivated scholars adept in the literary arts who 31 On this scroll, see Sin 2004.
could act as competent representatives of Joseon Korea in its 32 JWS Sejong sillok 127, (32/1st leap month/丙午).
key diplomatic relationship with Ming China. 33 The first version of Hwanghwa jip, called Gyeong’o bon 庚午本, is a
collection of poems which Ni Qian and Sima Xun exchanged with
After laying the foundation for his political power by Joseon officials in 1450. However, Gyeong’o bon does not appear to be
discarding the Goryeo dynasty’s royal portraits and statues compiled in Korea. It is assumed that Gyeong’o bon was included
while enshrining the portraits of the Joseon founder Yi when Hwanghwa jip was published as a series in the reign of King
Seonjo referring to Liaohai pian of China. Kim 1999.
Seonggye across the country, Sejong proceeded to establish 34 Sin 2004, 300–9.
Joseon’s cultural authority in earnest. Sejong encouraged 35 Hwanghwa jip, ‘Al munmyo’ 謁文廟 (Visiting the Confucian
opportunities for literary activities in order to communicate Temple printed in 1773. The text is accessible in National Library
with scholar officials and royal family members, and to of Korea DB (http://viewer.nl.go.kr:8080/viewer/viewer.jsp).

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