Calligraphic Works by King Seonjo, Park Mun-Chang’s Poem

The writing of the 14th King of Joseon, Seonjo. He wrote Mun-Chang Park’s seven-word line poem 「writing to the folding screen of Unheunggwan, Gwaksan」 in a 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 to pass it down to the descendants. Seonjo lived the same era as the calligrapher Ho Han (1543-1605), but he took such pride in his writing. The seal at the end is ‘sinjang’ and ‘sinmuk’. It is a valuable material showing us Seonjo’s calligraphy.

* Text and annotation
萬頃蒼波欲暮天  / Sun is about to set in the boundless expanse of water.
穿魚換酒柳橋邊  / Borrowed fish is exchanged with the drink under the willow tree. 
客來問我興亡事  / Someone came and asked about the world.
笑指蘆花月一船  / So I smiled and pointed out reed flowers and a boat under the moon.