원의 철학
13회 출판프로젝트
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE CIRCLE
When polar opposites connect,
the philosophy of the circle is complete.
It runs through the book.
● The Founder
At last, I realize that my life has become a circle.
I have lived through both extremes by my own will.
In youth, at the crossroads of life; in old age, in thoughts.
I have always tested the limits of myself.
The poles met each other sooner or later.
Each time, a circle was formed.
Now I encounter The Birth Revolution,
and a new giant circle embraces all previous circles.
Thus, the philosophy of the circle is born—
and in this book, it comes to completion.
The revolution and abundant creativity in this book are, in the light of philosophy of the circle, acts of creating new poles and connecting them to existing ones.
A circle revolves on its own.
It is beautiful and perfect.
When polar opposites connect, the philosophy of the circle is complete.
● The West and the East
Not only geographically, but also from the perspective of the philosophy, both stand on opposite sides.
They seem alike, yet are distinctly different.
Each must first know itself, and then know the other, to defeat the most wicked demon ever—
because it grows in each of our hearts, and the sum of it is the low birthrate.
West and East must connect to encircle and exterminate the demon.
1. Dream
□ The West
Boys, be ambitious.
It’s for success.
□ The East
Play big.
It’s for achievement.
2. Life
The West is a line; the East is a circle.
□ The West
Robert Frost
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
□ The East
An old villager
Concentric Circle
Life seems like an endlessly stretching straight line,
But at the end, it curves—back to the beginning, a perfect circle.
It’s no hamster wheel stuck in place,
But a concentric circle, glowing at its center.
Even when struck by rocks or scratched by thorns,
Press on, and you'll see the end—
You’ve just drawn a circle of wandering.
Gather strength and move forward again,
A fragrant path will welcome you—
You’ve just drawn a circle of fulfillment.
Don’t be greedy.
Draw it too wide, and the journey is long and hard.
But drawing it too small won’t help either—
You’ll just have to start again soon.
So draw it gently, generously.
Don’t be impatient.
Rush it, and you'll veer off course.
But going too slow can grow tiresome.
So draw it steadily, consistently.
Don’t worry.
If your circle is dented or a tooth is missing, so what?
You can always fix it when you pass by again.
No need to cover it up—just keep drawing.
When young, love
Is two concentric circles suddenly overlapping in heat,
Burning as if to consume all—
Then scattering like ash in a passing wind.
Friendship
Is resonating with each other’s concentric circle,
Rooted in shared memories despite different lives,
Grown together through a lifetime.
Consideration
Is respecting the circle another is drawing,
And stepping aside with a generous heart.
Happiness
Isn’t something found only after finishing your circle,
But in knowing contentment within each moment of drawing.
If you keep drawing the years like that,
One day you’ll come to have
Your own unique concentric circle in this world.
If you keep drawing the years like that,
One day you’ll have it—
A one-of-a-kind concentric circle that is truly yours.
When you’ve drawn your whole life like that,
You’ll naturally realize—
It all begins and ends at the center point.
Epilogue
Who can know for sure?
When the final moment of life arrives,
The concentric circle vanishes—without a trace.
Only the center point remains.
And from that point, just a single step
Leads to bottomless cliffs cloaked in pitch-black night.
Standing there alone, won’t I tremble in fear?
But at that very last breath,
Won’t a radiant light greet me from above?
Might it not be—
My young and beautiful mother in my childhood?
동심원
인생은 가없이 뻗은 직선 같지만
다다르면 끝이 시작인 동그라미라네
제자리 맴도는 쳇바퀴 아니어서
중심이 반짝이는 동심원이라네
바위에 부딪히고 가시에 할퀴어도 헤쳐 가면 끝이 보이지
방황의 원 하나를 그린 걸세
힘내어 다시 나아가면 향기로운 꽃길이 반길 걸세
성취의 원을 한 바퀴 그린 거라네
욕심내지 말게나
크게 그리면 멀리 돌아 힘겹다네
조그만 게 좋은 것도 아니어서 곧 다시 출발해야 한다네
그러니 그저 넉넉히 그려 나가게나
조급하지 말게나
서둘러 그리면 벗어나기 쉽다네
느린 게 나은 것도 아니어서 금새 지루해진다네
그러니 그저 꾸준히 그려 나가게나
근심 말게나
동그라미가 찌그러지면 어떠하고 이 빠지면 대수인가
다음에 옆을 지나다 손보면 그만일세
그러니 덧칠 말고 그려 나가게나
젊어서 사랑이란
어느 날 갑자기 두 개의 동심원이 뜨겁게 겹치는 것이어서
한순간 모든 걸 삼킬 듯 타오르다
이내 재 되어 지나는 바람에 흩날린다네
우정이란
서로의 동심원을 공감해 주는 것이어서
다른 삶이지만 같은 추억에 뿌리를 두고
평생 키워 가는 것이라네
배려란
다른 이가 그리고 있는 동심원을 존중하는 것이어서
잠시 비켜주는 마음의 여유라네
행복이란
동심원을 다 그리고 난 후에 찾아오는 것 아니고
그리는 순간 순간 만족할 줄 아는 것이라네
그렇게 세월을 그려 나가다 보면
언젠가 갖게 될 걸세
세상 하나뿐인 나만의 동심원을
그렇게 평생을 그리고 나면
스스로 그러하니 깨닫게 될 걸세
중심점에서 삶이 시작되고 끝난다는 것을
후기
누군들 알겠는가
마침내 삶이 다하는 순간이 오면
동심원은 홀연히 흔적도 없이 사라져
오직 중심점 하나만 남게 되고
그 점은 한 발만 떼어도
사방이 천 길 낭떠러지에 칠흑 같은 어둠에 싸여 있어
그 위에 홀로 서서 겁에 질려 떨고 있지 않겠는가
마지막 단 한 번 남은 숨을 거두는 그때
하늘에서 찬란한 빛이 맞이하지 않겠는가
어린 시절 젊고 고운 어머니가 아니겠나
3. Death
□ The West
Heaven or hell after death.
□ The East
Life and death are one.
Death’s Age
Death is not the final stop of life.
It is life’s twin born together,
A companion that walks with life every moment,
A sentinel who stands watch at life’s end.
Life and death are not before and after.
Both are born together, live together, and die together.
Death is always by life’s side,
So life and death are one.
Therefore,
Do not fear life, and do not waste death.
Do not fear death, and do not waste life.
죽음의 나이
죽음은 삶의 종착역이 아니어서
삶과 함께 태어난 쌍둥이이고
매 순간 삶과 함께 한 동반자이고
삶의 마지막을 지키는 파수꾼이다.
삶과 죽음은 선과 후가 아니어서
같이 태어나 같이 살다가 같이 죽는다.
죽음은 삶의 곁을 항상 지키니
삶과 죽음은 한몸이나 다름 없다.
그러니 삶을 두려워 말고 죽음을 낭비 말라.
죽음을 두려워 말고 삶을 낭비 말라.
