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Publication of Books by Boseong Park Geun-hyo’s After the During the Japanese Invasion

  • Journal of Studies in Bibliography
  • Abbr : JSB
  • 2020, (84), pp.257~278
  • DOI : 10.17258/jib.2020..84.257
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Bibliography
  • Research Area : Interdisciplinary Studies > Library and Information Science
  • Received : November 20, 2020
  • Accepted : December 24, 2020
  • Published : December 30, 2020

LeeSangHyun 1

1한국학중앙연구원

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study examines the book publishing activities of Park Geun-hyo (1550-1607), as an example of a trend in which the private sector emerged as a main publisher of books in the 17th century, after the Japanese Invasion of Joseon ended. Park Geun-hyo was a sajok, or local gentleman of the Boseong region, and one of the righteous army chiefs during the Japanese Invasion. Park Geun-hyo, one of the sons of Park Kwang-jeon (1526-1597), who served as the prince’s master, was a chief of staff under the command of Im Gye-young, leader of the left Jeolla guerrilla forces during the Japanese Invasion. Park Geun-hyo was also responsible for preparing and procuring military supplies. The records of his publications are found in the three articles and six letters contained in the collection Manpojib. The circumstances around his publication activities at that time are described in these articles. Park Geun-hyo regretted that scholars were not able to read books, because most of them had been burned during the Japanese Invasion. For this reason, he worked with other like-minded people to publish and distribute books, trying to maintain Samgang and Osang, the three rules and five virtues in Confucianism, and set the world right again. Park Geun-hyo began preparing for printing at Jukcheon Seodang in 1599 (the 32nd year of King Seonjo). But due to a shortage of supplies, Park Geun-hyo sent letters requesting help to left-wing councilor Lee Deok-hyung (1561-1613), Chief Commander of Jeolla Han Hyo-soon (1543-1621), provincial military commander Lee Kwang-ak (1557-1608), Supreme Commander Lee Si-eon (?-1624), and Jin Rin (1543-1607), Commissioner-in-Chief of the Ming Dynasty. Among them, it is notable that Park Geun-hyo asked Lee Deok-hyung to deploy engravers, concentrated in Naju, and that Lee Si-eon provided him with 200 woodblocks and grains. Their support was also referenced in the epilogue of his book, The 19 Historic Enigmas of Ancient and Modern Times. In addition, during the publication process, Park Geun-hyo sent an official notice to comrades who helped him about the publication, and later asked them to donate supplies. In 1600 (33rd year of King Seonjo), the books published at Jukcheon Seodang were mainly educational books. These include Sohak Jibseol, The 19 Historic Enigmas of Ancient and Modern Times, A Korean Annotation of a Military Strategy Book, and The Thousand-Character Classic. Original copies of all books are still preserved, with the exception of The Thousand-Character Classic. These books were distributed or sold via land and sea routes, and it was confirmed through records that they were sold in Jangsu-gun, Jeolla. Park Geun-hyo’s publication of books was among the earliest private publishing projects after the Japanese wars, and was also an effort to restore books with the help of local government officials.

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