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A Study of Gyeong’am Kim Nosu’s “Jahakgo”

Shin, Sang Hyun 1

1고려대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper first examines the background and purpose of the compilation; analyzes the structure and content, and last, considers the significance of “Jahakgo” 字學考 written by Gyeong’am 敬菴 Kim Nosu 金魯洙 (1878-1956). Gyeong’am is the 13th descendant of the renowned scholar Kim Inhoo 金麟厚 (1510-1560). He was a Confucian scholar originally from Ulsan, lived through the end of the Chosun Dynasty and Japanese Occupation. He studied under Song Byungseon (1836-1905), and was associated with Yoon Nak Yeon and scholars of that time. “Jahakgo” was published in the winter of 1945 when Gyeong’am was 67 in order to rid of the harmful effects caused by the mass distribution of various forms of sokja (secular form of Chinese character); it helped the country standardize the characters. At that time, he realized that sokja circulated massively as “Kyujang-jeonun” 奎章全韻, “Chonun-okpyeon” 全韻玉篇, and “Kangxi-zidian” 康熙字典 were used concurrently. To rectify this, he referred to “Kyujang-jeonun” to correct mistakes found in “Chonun-okpyeon”; and referred to “Kangxi- zidian” for the mistakes found in “Kyujang-jeonun”. The compilation of “Jahakgo” is significant in that it reveals that the character form in “Kyujang-jeonun” and “Chonun-okpyeon” should be made as standard. He compiled “Jahakgo” in order to oppose the policies abolishing classical Chinese writing installed by the US Military Government in Korea (USMIGK) and those powers supporting the USMIGK. It can also be seen as a part of the foundational references of Korean-Classical Chinese Mixed Script 國漢文倂用. We can see that since the late Chosun Dynasty, “Kyujang-jeonun” and “Chonun-okpyeon” has continued with tradition and kept the role of a standard preface. However, in actuality, “Kyujang-jeonun” is used as the primary, and “Chonun-okpyeon” and “Kangxi-zidian” as references, in revisions.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.