But the day following he appointed him to an office one degree still
higher. Again they all protested, and his Majesty said, "Really,
if you so object, I'll drop the matter."
The day following he appointed him to an office still one degree
higher. Again they all protested and he apparently yielded to them. But
the day following higher still he was promoted, and again the protests
poured in, so much so that his Majesty seemed to yield. On the day
following this the King wrote out for him the office of Vice-President
of all the Literati.
The high officials gathered again and inquired of one another as
to what the King meant, and what they had better do about it. "If
we do not in some way prevent it, he will appoint him as President
of the Literati." They decided to drop the matter for the present,
and see later what was best to do.
A royal banquet was announced to take place, when all the officials
gathered. On this occasion the high Ministers of State said quietly
to the King, "It is not fitting that so obscure a person have so
important an office. Your Majesty's promoting him as you have done
has thrown the whole official body into a state of consternation. On
our protest you have merely promoted him more. What is your Majesty's
reason, please, for this action?"
The King made no reply, but ordered a eunuch to bring the Book
of Changes. He opened it at the place of special difficulty, and
inquired as to its meaning. Even among the highest ministers not
one could give an answer. He inquired by name of this one and that,
but all were silent. The King then said, "I am greatly interested
in the reading of the Book of Changes; it is the great book of the
sages. Any one who understands it surely ought to be promoted. You,
all of you, fail to grasp its meaning, while Yoo, whom you protest
against, has explained it all to me. Now what have you to say? Yoo's
being promoted thus is just as it ought to be. Why do you object? I
shall promote him still more and more, so cease from all opposition."
They were afraid and ashamed, and did not again mention it.
Yoo from that time on became the royal teacher of the Choo-yuk (Book
of Changes), and rose higher and higher in rank, till he became Head
of the Confucian College and first in influence, surpassing all.
Note.--Many people of ability have no chance for promotion. It is
difficult to have one's gifts known in high places; how much more
difficult before a king? The good fortune that fell to the first
scholar was of God's appointment. By caring for a vacant house the
honour came to him, and he was promoted. The other's going thus
unbidden into the Palace was a great wrong, but by royal favour he
was pardoned, received and honoured.
By one line of poetry a man's ability was made manifest, and by
one explanation of the Choo-yuk another's path was opened to high
promotion.
If Se-jong had not been a great and enlightened king, how could it
have happened? Very rare are such happenings, indeed! So all men
wondered over what had befallen these two. I, however, wondered more
over the King's sagacity in finding them. To my day his virtue and
accomplishments are known, so that the world calls him Korea's King
of the Golden Age.
Im Bang.