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<p>Dear Sem,</p>
<p>thank you, you are right and I am following up on this as well. Actually the idea fits "ruining" or "defeat" ...</p>
<p>But then, why scale down for only three days? Maybe <em><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">sang
hy</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ŏ</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">n</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">il</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "바탕","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">上弦日</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">,
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ha </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">hy</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">ŏ</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "맑은 고딕"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">n</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">il</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "바탕","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">下弦日</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 바탕; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: KO; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">,
the two half-moons approximately the 8<sup>th</sup> and the 23<sup>rd</sup> of a lunar month, had some influence?</span></p>
<p>By the way: Frank has pointed out to me that in Vietnamese and Burmese web pages which look like numerology the sequence 5-14-23 comes up quite often, but I have still to find an English language page from there (or look for a Vietnamese wife in the village...)</p>
<p>Best,</p>
<p>Werner<br>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>From:</b> Koreanstudies <koreanstudies-bounces@koreanstudies.com> on behalf of Sem <sem_ver@hotmail.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 13, 2016 12:55 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Korean Studies Discussion List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [KS] 5th 14th 23rd</font>
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<p>Dear Werner,</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>One thing that has not come up yet in the replies to your query is that two of the three days coincide with the so-called posadha days, the six "fasting days" (布薩, 六齋日) when the Buddhist laity had to observe thee additional precepts to the normal five.</p>
<p>These were the days when their behavior was scrutinized by four heavenly kings or other deities. They were originally the 8th, 14th, 15th, 23rd, 29th and 30th of every month. Perhaps the "three ruining days" are a simplification/corruption of this? The term
appears only twice in the database of Korean classics (<a class="OWAAutoLink" id="LPlnk64999" href="http://db.itkc.or.kr/" previewremoved="true">http://db.itkc.or.kr/</a>), and without specification of which days of the month they correspond to. I am not aware
of any reference to such custom in Koryo, so my guess is that it's a later simplification or corruption, perhaps influenced by the numerical thinking you point to...</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>best,</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Sem</p>
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<p><br>
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<div id="Signature">Sem Vermeersch
<div>Associate Prof., Dept. of Religious Studies<br>
Director, Int'l Center for Korean Studies<br>
Seoul National University<br>
1 Gwanangno, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742<br>
Tel. +82-2-880-4039<br>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>From:</b> Koreanstudies <koreanstudies-bounces@koreanstudies.com> on behalf of Werner Sasse <werner_sasse@hotmail.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Saturday, December 10, 2016 6:20 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> list korean studies<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [KS] 5th 14th 23rd</font>
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<p><font face="굴림"></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br>
</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Dear colleagues,</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">In a translation I am working at there is a paragraph which bothers me, but I cannot come up with solutions. Any help will be appreciated...</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br>
</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">初五</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">十四</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">二十三日</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">稱三敗日</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">
The 5</span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">, 14</span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">,
and 23</span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">rd</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"> days are called the “Three Ruining Days”.
</span></span></p>
<p><font face="굴림"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: 160%;"><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">每月忌百事</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">不敢動作</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">不宜出行
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 160%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Every Month people are afraid to do anything, any work or leaving the house.
</span></p>
<p><font face="굴림"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"></span></font><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">盖</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">自麗俗</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">以此三日</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">卽君上所用之日</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">故臣民不容爲忌日</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">云</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">本非敗日也</span><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">
It is said that since Kory</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">ŏ customarily the king took these three days and therefore ministers and all people incorrectly made them into taboo
days. Originally they were not “Ruining Days”</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br>
</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Questions I have:</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br>
</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">1) 5-14-23 with the difference of 9 makes me think of the<span style="font-size: 16pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Nine Influencers
</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "새굴림","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">九曜</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> (skr.
</span><i><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Nahagraha</span></i><span style="font-size: 16pt;">, often translated as “planets” or “luminaries”). Does it have to do with birthday or any other important event? With mercury (number
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">5 in numerology) </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">and its influence? Or with
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">jupiter
</span><i><span style="font-size: 16pt;">mok-chiks</span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">ŏng</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "새굴림","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">木直星, </span><font face="Times New Roman" size="5"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">the 5th of the
</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "새굴림","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">九曜</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">?</span></font><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">2) which Kory<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">ŏ
king (or, since it is a <em>hanmun</em> text, Kogury<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">ŏ "king")?
</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">3)
And who is behind the "It is said..."?</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br>
</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Translations,
secondary literature, and three days wasted in the internet did not help me. Of course, I could just not bother and translate the text as it is, but I would just like to find some background to these enigmatic statements. It would be nice for me and probably
for any serious reader of the translation...</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br>
</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Looking
forward</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 16pt;">Werner</span></span></span></span></span></p>
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