Calligraphic Works by King Seonjo, Du Mu’s Poem

The writing of the 14th King of Joseon, Seonjo. He wrote Dumok (803-853) of Tang’s seven-word line poem 「Sending a hermit」 in a semi-cursive hand. This copy was stored at prince Uichaing’s (a son of Seonjo) place, but as time went by and the copy wore down, they carved it in the woodblock printing in the spring of Imjin year to pass it down to the descendants. It is a representative work of Seonjo’s semi-cursive writings.

* Text and annotation
無媒徑路草蕭蕭  / In a single lane path are lonely grasses.
自古山林遠市朝  / From old time, forest is far from the village.
公道世間惟白髮  / What is just in the world is silver hair.
貴人頭上不曾饒  / It shows no exception even to the nobleman.