剪燈新話의 享有와 그 底邊

Abstract

Jeon-gi(傳奇), having started from late Silla and early Goryeo, repeatedly has undergone incessant and pretty changes. Among those aspects of the changes, the introduction of Jeondeungsinhwa(剪燈新話) has had wide and constant influence. Jeondeungsinhwaguhae(剪燈新話句解) is a representative example that speaks for such situation. Especially, in the social mood of rejection of novels in Chosun, the publishment of a glossary for a novel really was an accident in the history of novels. Thus, it is true that there has been interest in Jeondeungsinhwaguhae from earlier, but its social/cultural backgrounds and significance has been overlooked in some sense. Considering the fact that along with Kim Si-seup's Geumosinhwa(金鰲新話), Jeongimanrok(傳奇漫錄) in Vietnam and Gabija(伽婢子) in Japan were influenced by Jeondeungsinhwa, its influence should not be regarded as a peculiarity of Chosun. However, Jeondeungsinhwa received such interest and affection even in Chosun Sadeabus' trend to reject novels that it was very special on the sides of literature and theme. In addition to this, Jeondeungsinhwa served as a study book for novices who needed literary cultivation. They needed textbooks for the preparation of the state examination, and Jungins(middle class men), who aspired to officials of governmental offices, also read and study Jeondeungsinhwa for the same reason. At that time, there was necessity of various authentic precedents and detailed explanation about historical facts for Jeondeungsinhwa. Such actual requirements for and interest in Jeondeungsinhwa gave rise to the establishment of the glossary for a novel, Jeondeungsinhwaguhae by two erudite and talented persons, Im Gi and Yun Chun-nyeon. This paper investigates the process of the establishment of Jeondeungsinhwaguhae by reconstructing the social/cultural requirements with respect to Jeondeungsinhwa and facets of the environment of novels in Chosun.