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Cultural meaning of the Anthology of Chinese short stories 『Shanbu Wenyuanzhaju(刪補文苑楂橘)』 published by the Chosŏn Dynasty

Kim, Sooyoun 1

1이화여자대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

『Shanbu Wenyuanzhaju(刪補文苑楂橘)』 is the anthology of Chinese short stories by the Chosŏn Dynasty. This book can not be confirm in China at present, and Korean manuscripts and printed books are held in Korea and Japanese. The title of this book is ‘Shanbu Wenyuanzhaju’ (Shanbu means supplements and deletes it), but it is not confirmed the book Wenyuanzhaju. Perhaps it seems that all the novels in Chinese are called works Wenyuanzhaju. This book was published in national publishing house of Chosŏn, The highest ranking official was the chief of this work. King Yŏngjo also wrote poetry and criticized the book and praised it. This means that Chinese novels have a different status than ordinary Chosŏn novel in the late Chosŏn. 『Shanbu Wenyuanzhaju』 contains novels from Tang dynasty to Ming dynasty, which is called ‘Yanqinglei(言情類, depicting people’s relations and desires)’ novels. Yanqinglei is novels reflecting Chinese society. Yanqinglei novels are popular in the Chinese publishing market in late Ming and early Qing dynasty. Senior officials and royal people are exposed to these books through Yanxing(燕行, diplomats to China) in Chosŏn. Chosŏn people considered Chinese novels as a way to introduce new culture. Chosŏn people used 『Shanbu Wenyuanzhaju』 as a resource for history. This indicates that Chosŏn intellectuals regarded Yanqinglei novels as information and knowledge of Chinese culture. This is because Yanqinglei novel have a history complementary nature(補史性). In other words, Yanqinglei writers write novels in the attitude of historian. So people regard Yanqinglei novels as literary knowledge similar to history books. As a result, Chosŏn bureaucrats Chines Yanqinglei novels as literary knowledge. 『Shanbu Wenyuanzhaju』 is a work that shows the status of Chinese novel as a cultural knowledge.

Citation status

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

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.