Book XIV 849reject heresies [i.e., Buddhism]. In his early years, he led a life of poverty
but remained calm, believing that he was well equipped with both literary
and military talent. When he arrived in the Northeast Region, following the
king, he saw that his army was well- ordered and disciplined, and he secretly
said to the king, “They are absolutely impressive. What could be impossible
with such an army?” The king asked, “What do you mean by that?” Tojŏn
replied, “What I am saying is that you should attack Japanese marauders
from the southeast.”
In front of the military camp there stood an old pine tree. Tojŏn requested
that he be allowed to write a poem on it, and, peeling off the bark, he wrote
as follows:I see a pine tree^53 that has endured myriad years,
That was born and grew in ten thousand folds of green mountains.
I wonder if we can see each other in years ahead.
The world changing at a dizzying pace is suddenly a thing of the past.Around the time when the dynasty was newly established, he drank
heavily and in an alcoholic stupor would murmur, “It was not that Gaozu of
Han employed Zhang Zifang; it was Zhang Zifang who employed Gaozu of
Han.” Whenever things came up that could be of any help to the king, Tojŏn
never failed to act or participate. Consequently, he managed to make great
achievements and became the foremost merit subject. However, he was
narrow- minded, jealous, and also timid, so he always tried to harm the
people whom he believed were better than he, settled old scores, and urged
the king to display his authority by killing people, but the king did not
always listen to him. The History of Koryŏ, which he compiled, contained
many things that did not agree with the facts because of omissions or false
additions, especially when it came to the incidents occurring after Kongmin.
Men of judgment were critical of it.
At first, Tojŏn took Hansan Yi Saek as his master and made friends with
Och’ŏn Chŏng Mongju and Sŏngsan Yi Sungin,^54 and his relationship with
- It refers to T’aejo whose pen name was Songhŏn or Songhŏn kŏsa (Pine Hut or Pine
Hut Dweller). - Hansan (Mountains of Korea), Och’ŏn (Crow Stream), and Sŏngsan (Starry Mountain)
are used here either as names of family seat or titles of nobility of Yi Saek, Chŏng Mongju, and
Yi Sungin, respectively.