Book VI 451
At first, when His Majesty was about to depart on his diplomatic mission
to China, Sŏng Sŏngnin, vice grand councilor, bid farewell to him by com-
posing a poem:
Being the son and subject of the king, you well understand that
To serve the great nation is to serve his people.
Everyone says that the everlasting fortune of Chosŏn depends
On your trip that braves the waters and mountains through heat
and rain.Upon meeting His Majesty, the scholars of Ming China showed him great
respect, calling him the crown prince of Chosŏn. When His Majesty passed
by the residence of Prince of Yan [later Emperor Yongle or Taizong], Prince
of Yan personally came out to see him. He had no personal guards with him
except one who appeared to be his attendant. He treated His Majesty with
kind words and great courtesy, ordering his attendant to bring out wine and
food of fine quality.
His Majesty resumed his trip to the Ming capital, but on his way he again
came across Prince of Yan, who traveled fast in a carriage driven by horses
in order to attend the meeting at the imperial court. As His Majesty paid
him his respects, quickly dismounting from his horse, the prince had his
carriage stop. Opening the curtain of the window of his carriage, the prince
exchanged warm words with His Majesty for a good while and then left.
Years later, His Majesty asked Hwang Ŏm, imperial envoy from Ming
China, “Who was the man standing by the emperor when I met him at the
residence of Prince of Yan?” Ŏm replied, “He was a tribal overseer (daren)
named Qing. He was the emperor’s most trusted advisor. However, he is
dead now.”
Sŏl Changsu, commissioner of the Court of Interpreters, and others sub-
mitted a memorial to the king: “According to what we have heard, in gov-
erning the state it is most fundamental to nurture men of talent, and the men
of talent need to be educated first more than anything else. So it is quite
necessary to establish a school for them.
“Since our country has served China from generation to generation, we
cannot but study the Chinese language. For that reason, Your Majesty estab-
lished the Court of Interpreters as soon as you inaugurated the new dynasty,
installing officials and instructors who would take charge of training students.