During the reign of King Yeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty, Jeong Ho, who had once served as Chief State Councilor, retired from government service and devoted himself to tending an orchard in his hometown.
One day, Yi Hyeong-jwa, the Chief Royal Secretary, came to visit and saw Jeong Ho grafting branches onto a pear tree.
“Sir,” he said, “aren’t you already in your eighties? If you are still grafting trees, when do you expect to enjoy the fruit?”
Jeong Ho gave no reply.
Years later, when Yi Hyeong-jwa became the Governor of Chungju, he visited Jeong Ho again. This time, Jeong Ho served him a perfectly ripe pear.
“It’s so sweet and delicious! Where did you get such a pear?” Yi asked.
Jeong Ho quietly replied,
“This is the fruit from the tree I was grafting the day you visited me. If I had not grafted it simply because I would not enjoy the result right away, I would never have tasted this pear.”