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A Research on Importation and Publication of Chinese Books in the Early Chosŏn Period: Focused on the Category of Confucian Classics

  • Journal of Korean Classical Chinese Literature
  • Abbr : 한문고전연구
  • 2020, 40(1), pp.195-242
  • DOI : 10.18213/jkccl.2020.40.1.007
  • Publisher : The Classical Chinese Literature Association of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature
  • Received : May 25, 2020
  • Accepted : June 16, 2020
  • Published : June 30, 2020

Noh, Johann 1

1고려대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This article explores the importation and the publication of Chinese Books in the late Koryŏ and early Chosŏn period focusing on the category of Confucian classics. King Sejong endeavored to realize his ideal of establishing a country of Confucian culture by studying Confucian classics renovating the national cultural system based on that. He struggled to adopt the academic and cultural achievement of Ming China through Chinese classics of the four categories of Jingshi ziji (經史子集, jing-classics, shi-histories, zi-masters and ji-collections) to secure the legitimacy and to organize the cultural system, of newly established country. He sought to obtain the fine copies of Chinese books through several routes not only to publish or reprint them, but to compile and print the wholly new editions with annotations based on study with scholars at Chiphyŏnjŏn Hall. Then, what were the books that the king and the scholars scrutinized the principle of Confucianism with in the royal lecture at that time? What were the original texts that were used when they edited wholly new editions based on them. Chosŏn court had to send an official letter (咨文) to the ministry Rites (禮部) of Ming China to obtain books which were granted as imperial gifts. It was the only way to obtain books from Ming China though it was relatively easy to import books from Yuan China under relatively few regulations. Sishu Wujing Daquan (四書五經大全), Daxue Yanyi (大學衍義), Zizhi Tongjian (資治通鑑), Tongjian Gangmu (通鑑綱目) that were imported via that route in the early Chosŏn period are the good examples. Along with this, books passed down from Koryŏ dynasty were also republished in the early Chosŏn period. This article examined the importation and publication of Chinese books in the early Chosŏn period including Sishu Wujing Daquan (四書五經大全), Zhouyi Huitong (周易會通), Yizuanyan (易纂言), Shujizhan Jiluzuanzhu (書集傳輯錄纂註), Yinshi Shujizhuan (音釋書集傳), Yinshi Shijizhuan (音釋詩集傳), Chunqiu Jingzhuan Jijie (春秋經傳集解), Chunqiu Hushizhuan (春秋胡氏傳), Chunqiu Zuoshizhuan Jujie (春秋經左氏傳句解), Chunqiu Zhuzhuan Huitong (春秋諸傳會通).

Citation status

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