An eight panel folding screen supporting calligraphy of an interpretation of the Eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5) in Chinese. The artist, Rev. Eun-deok Choi, has signed the work with his sobriquet, 義山 (의산; Righteous Mountain). The artist, Rev. Choi, was an acquaintance of the former President of Methodist Theological University in Seoul, Bong-bae Park, and may have originally gifted the work to him. Park, in turn, was a friend and colleague of former Emory University President and US Ambassador to Korea, James T. Laney, and possibly gifted the work to him. Ultimately, the work was gifted to Candler School of Theology by Laney.
Transcription: 安貧樂道乃眞福 / 巍巍天國斯人屬 // 哀悼痛哭乃眞福 / 斯人終當承溫煥 // 溫恭克己乃眞福 / 大志應由彼嗣續 // 飢渴慕義乃眞福 / 心期靡有不飫足 // 慈惠待人乃眞福 / 自身必見慈惠渥 // 心靈光明乃眞福 / 主必賜以承顏樂 // 以和致龢乃眞福 / 天主之子名稱卓 // 爲義受辱乃眞福 / 天國已在彼掌握
Translation (Korean, by Sangeon Kim): 안빈낙도내진복 / 외외천국사인속 // 애도통곡내진복 / 사인종당승온환 // 온공극기내진복 / 대지응유피사속 // 기갈모의내진복 / 심기미유불어족 // 자혜대인내진복 / 자신필견자혜악 // 심령광명내진복 / 주필사이승안락 // 이화치화내진복 / 천주지자명칭탁 // 위의수욕내진복 / 천국이재피장악
Translation (English, by Sangeon Kim): Be comfortable with poverty and enjoy the Tao (道); / That person belongs to the high and lofty kingdom of heaven. // Sadness and wailing are true happiness; / That person will eventually be saved by a gentle glow. // Self-denial with gentleness and reverence is true happiness; / That person will surely inherit the earth. // Hungering and thirsting for what is righteous is true happiness; / That person will be fully satisfied. // Treating others with kindness and grace is true happiness; / That person itself will certainly be merciful and gracious. // When your heart shines brightly, it is true happiness; / The Lord will surely give that person the joy of meeting him. // Reaching harmony through gentleness is true happiness; / That person’s name will be magnified as God’s children. // To suffer from humiliation for righteousness' sake is true happiness; / For heaven is already in the palm of that person’s hand.
Attribution (panel 8, left side) transcription: 山上聖訓 義山 崔恩俊書
Attribution (panel 8, left side) translation: Lessons on the Mountain, Righteous Mountain (sobriquet), written by Choi Eun-deok