淸代에 제작된 滿漢合璧 成語集 연구

Abstract

This study examined various Manchu–Chinese bilingual glossaries of set phrases (滿漢合璧成語集) compiled during the Qing dynasty, classifying them according to their typology, analyzing the contexts of their compilation, and investigating their contents and structural features in detail. The major findings of this study can be summarized in three main points. First, it was confirmed that multiple glossaries compiling set phrases selected from the Confucian classics or frequently used expressions found in Qing dynasty official documents (公文書), memorials (章奏文), and imperial edicts (上諭文) — consisting of Chinese headwords of two to ten characters with corresponding Manchu translations — are currently held in institutions around the world, including in Korea, China, Germany, and Japan. These glossaries were surveyed comprehensively and classified by their textual characteristics, with bibliographical details and publication backgrounds closely examined for those with high research value. Second, the study explored the background of their compilation. It was demonstrated that bannermen (旗人) compiled such bilingual glossaries as preparatory tools for the imperial translation examinations (繙譯考試), which required translating Classical Chinese texts into Manchu, including Confucian classics, official memorials, and edicts. Drawing on imperial edicts issued by the Qianlong Emperor that emphasized the correct use of Manchu set expressions, this study contextualized the need for bilingual expertise in Qing administrative and educational systems. The demand for these glossaries was directly tied to the practical need for bannermen to translate Chinese documents into proper Manchu in daily bureaucratic practice. Third, the study analyzed the structure and linguistic features of these glossaries. By comparing examples produced across different periods, it became evident that even privately compiled glossaries reflected changes in official language policy. In particular, the Imperially Commissioned New Standard Manchu (欽定新淸語), promulgated in the 12th year of Qianlong’s reign (1747), served as a watershed moment in Qing translation practice. This standardized lexicon emphasizing semantic translation (義譯) over phonetic transcription (音譯) was faithfully incorporated not only into imperial editions but also into later privately produced bilingual glossaries. Evidence from sources produced as late as the Guangxu era suggests that bannermen continued to study and internalize these normative Manchu expressions into the final decades of the Qing dynasty. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive survey of the Manchu–Chinese bilingual glossaries of set phrases compiled throughout the Qing dynasty, situating them within the broader socio-political context of language policy, imperial examination, and translation practice. These glossaries — encompassing both essential passages from the Confucian canon and standardized expressions used in Qing administrative documents — serve as invaluable resources for understanding how the Qing state’s Manchu language policy was implemented and internalized within the bannerman society.