I once regarded Chung Ju-yung's autobiography "There may be ordeals, but there is no failure" as nothing more than a campaign brochure for Chung Ju-yung, who ran for president. But after recently reading several founders' autobiographies, I can't shake the thought that this book is an excellent autobiography on par with Lee Byung-chul's "Hoamjajeon." In particular, in frankly laying bare vivid experiences of life, it even surpasses "Hoamjajeon."
Chung Ju-yung was born in 1915 and raised in the remote mountain village of Asan (峨山) in Songjeon (松田), Gangwon Province. Asan was also Chung Ju-yung's pen name. In old times, many people took not a town but a village as their pen name. Yulgok Yi I is representative, having taken it from Yulgok-ri in Paju.
The eldest son among six sons and two daughters in a poor family, Chung Ju-yung had to work on the farm from around age 10. Before that, young Chung Ju-yung studied classical Chinese from age 6 to 9 because his grandfather, who had opened the village seodang, was a teacher. This is Chung Ju-yung's recollection.
"At my grandfather's seodang, I started with 'The Thousand Character Classic' and learned 'Dongmongseonseup,' 'Lesser Learning,' 'The Great Learning,' 'Mencius,' and 'The Analects,' and I also learned untitled poems, linked-bead poems, and Tang poetry." (Born in This Land)
In "There may be ordeals, but there is no failure," he recalls it this way.
"Even after three years at the seodang, having mastered 'Lesser Learning,' 'The Great Learning,' 'Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government (Outline),' five-character verse, and seven-character verse, there was little for me to learn in elementary school."
He said he had no fond memories and only memorized out of fear of the rod. What stands out in the recollections in the two books, however, is the frequent mention of poetry.
After that, Chung Ju-yung attended Songjeon Elementary School from 1924 to 1930, which is his highest level of formal education. And starting the following year, over three years, he went through a "runaway struggle" and finally broke away from his father and came up to Seoul.
He may not have realized it at the time, but the classical Chinese studies of his childhood gave him wisdom that could not be obtained anywhere else. In fact, he also said this.
"The classical Chinese studies I continued from age six to nine were painfully learned while being caned on the calves, but that classical learning became a large part of the capital of knowledge for living my life."
It can be said that it was a source and spring of wisdom rather than knowledge.
The benefits of studying poetry according to Confucius
In "The Analects," Confucius discusses from various angles the benefits of studying poetry. Naturally, this is something Chung Ju-yung, who had practically memorized "The Analects," would have known. First, the chapter "Wei Zheng."
Confucius said.
"If one were to sum up the three hundred poems contained in the 'Book of Songs' in a single phrase, it would be that one's thoughts must be without depravity."
This is both the spirit that encompasses the entire 'Book of Songs' and its starting point, called samuha (thinking without depravity). The starting point of being a person is to be without xie (deviance), that is, without what is wrong. This corresponds to sincerity, or honesty, or trust. It shows where the "credit" that entrepreneur Chung Ju-yung consistently emphasized later in life originated. Next is the chapter "Zi Lu."
Confucius said.
"Even if one can recite the 300 poems, if when entrusted with governance one cannot do it properly, and when sent as an envoy to the four quarters one cannot make decisions independently, then though one has learned much, of what real use is it?"
This is about method of study. It is not hard to confirm in the later figure of manager Chung Ju-yung the pragmatic spirit of Confucius that if one cannot properly apply it in reality, it is of no use. One of Chung Ju-yung's famous sayings, "Hey, have you tried it?" is exactly that. Lastly, the most important chapter, "Yang Huo."
Confucius said.
"Disciples. Why do you not study those poems? If you learn poetry, you can properly arouse the intent toward right principle, properly examine affairs and people, associate with those who are proper, and properly express resentment.
At close range (or in private), you can serve your parents, and at a distance (or in public), you can serve your ruler."
Here, Confucius states four benefits of studying poetry.
First, one can arouse the intent toward right principle. This means it helps establish a proper view of life. A common trait of Korea's early founders is that they matured early. This was entirely thanks to seodang study, and in this respect, not only Lee Byung-chul and Chung Ju-yung but also Koo In-hwoi of LG, Cho Hong-je of Hyosung, and Shin Kyuk-ho of Lotte were the same. Maturing early allows one to use the remaining time in life more efficiently. That is why they could become giants.
Second, one can acquire the discernment to properly assess people, the mirror for seeing people. Dasan Jeong Yak-yong called it the method of observing people, and it means the same thing. Whether in the state or in corporations, the most important thing for a founder is the ability to judge people. The founding process is an extremely difficult task that requires discovering numerous talents while also screening out in advance those who harbor wrongful intent. Misjudging people just two or three times can cause a founding to come to nothing.
Third, one can learn the wisdom to identify those who will share one's purpose and go a long way together. It is not enough to merely recognize them well; one must maintain a good relationship with them. This, too, is wisdom contained intact in the 'Book of Songs' and 'The Analects.'
Fourth, to properly resent means to be resolute toward those with whom one must not associate. One must not be ensnared by private affection. Such people, needless to say, are those who harbor xiexin (evil mind) or selfish motives.
These four are virtues that are essential not only for founders but also for those who inherit the great enterprise of corporations or the state.
Chung Ju-yung's shizhong (hitting the mean at the right time)
Confucius said that when a junzi does things, one must practice shizhong. It means one must hit the mark of the time, that is, the situation of the moment. On this point, Chung Ju-yung, relating it to the question of fortune, said this: "It is absurd to say that a person's life is determined by the time they are born. It is not the four pillars that determine our life, but how one responds, in this or that time, as one lives—success and failure are decided by that.
Those who always work hard at everything never miss good times and use them as a springboard for a leap, and in bad times, instead of losing heart because the times are bad, they open their eyes wide, do their best to contain, sidestep, and vault over them to prepare for the next stage of ascent."
I have never seen such an exact elucidation of shizhong in any guidebook to Eastern philosophy.
The Eastern classics that raised Chung Ju-yung
Chung Ju-yung, at every critical juncture, recalled the wisdom of the East and disciplined himself. Right after the Korean War ended, he won the contract to restore the Goryeong Bridge. But due to lack of preparation, lack of capability, and lack of equipment, the work ran into difficulties, and in the meantime, inflation sent prices up 120-fold. Experiencing this hardship, he naturally recalled the phrase "pohobingha (fighting a tiger barehanded and fording the Yellow River barefoot)" from "Minor Odes of the Kingdom" in the 'Book of Songs.' "It was said you cannot catch a tiger with bare hands, and you cannot cross the Yellow River barefoot without a boat." It was, in particular, a thorough self-reflection on having rushed into the restoration work with reckless greed and without proper equipment. Afterward, Chung Ju-yung placed top priority on securing superior construction equipment and made even more meticulous plans when launching new businesses. Pohobingha (暴虎馮河) also appears in the "Shu Er" chapter of "The Analects."
Confucius said to Yan Yuan.
"Only you and I possess this: if employed (by the ruler as talent), act; if discarded, retire into seclusion!"
Zi Lu said.
"If you were to command three armies, Master, with whom would you go?"
Confucius said.
"I could not go with someone who would try to strike down a tiger with bare hands and cross a river with a bare body, who would not know regret even if they died. I would certainly go with those who, when facing affairs, are wary (timely cautious) and who are good at planning so as to lead matters to success."
The Goryeong Bridge experience transformed Chung Ju-yung into a manager who, when facing affairs, is wary.