Jeonju University Publishes "Jeonbuk Hanshi Featured in Joseonhwanyeoseungnam"

16th Volume of the Institute for Korean Classical Studies Research Series Published

The Institute for Korean Classical Studies at Jeonju University (Director: Byun Juseung) announced on the 2nd that it has recently published the 16th volume of its research series, "Jeonbuk Han Poetry Featured in Joseon Hwanyeo Seungnam."

The Institute for Korean Classical Studies, which has led the advancement of the humanities through classical translations, now presents Han poetry by Confucian scholars from the Jeonbuk region during the Japanese colonial period.

A booklet of Jeonbuk classical Chinese poetry featured in the Joseon Hwanyeoseungnam, Volume 16 of the Jeonju University Korean Classical Studies Research Series. Provided by Jeonju University

The original text, "Joseon Hwanyeo Seungnam," was compiled by Lee Byeongyeon (1894-1977), a Confucian scholar from Gongju, after Japan consolidated administrative districts in 1914 for colonial governance. He personally surveyed the humanistic and geographical status of 129 out of 241 counties nationwide to create a book intended to replace traditional local gazetteers.

"Joseon Hwanyeo Seungnam" is recognized for continuing the tradition of humanistic geography books that had been discontinued since the "Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam," and for proudly documenting the geography, history, and prominent figures of Joseon during the Japanese colonial era.

"Jeonbuk Han Poetry Featured in Joseon Hwanyeo Seungnam," co-translated by Professor Byun Juseung of the Department of History Content at Jeonju University (Director of the Institute for Korean Classical Studies) and Dr. Jeon Byeonggu of the Institute for Korean Classical Culture, translates previously unknown Han poetry from 13 counties in Jeonbuk and introduces information about authors who had remained obscure.

The translators traced the titles of poems by comparing them with other literature and the authors' collected works, corrected errors and typos in the original texts, and made repeated revisions and edits over three years, adding as many footnotes as possible to enhance readers' understanding.

Professor Byun Juseung stated, "If the translation of 'Yeoji Doseo,' a collection of local gazetteers from the Joseon Dynasty, revealed that geographical records are a treasure trove of local history, then 'Jeonbuk Han Poetry Featured in Joseon Hwanyeo Seungnam' is expected to serve as an important starting point for regional historical research by identifying the mountains and rivers that inspired poetry and discovering authors rooted in the region."

Meanwhile, the Institute for Korean Classical Studies at Jeonju University continues to collect and research historical materials from the region, with the expectation that these resources will be utilized as content for local cultural projects in the future.