최세진의 輯覽類 사전에 대하여 -『老朴集覽』과 『吏文輯覽』을 중심으로-

Abstract

This paper focuses on Choe Sejin(崔世珍)’s “Nobakjimnam” and “Imunjimnam”, both varieties of ‘Jimnam(輯覽)’ dictionaries, and looks at the system and background of their compilation. Through considering their special features, this paper also analyzes Choe Sejin’s contributions to Chinese and Imun education. If the “Nobakjimnam” was a reference for colloquial Chinese from the original texts of the Chinese conversation teaching materials “Nogeoldae(老乞大)” and “Baktongsa(朴通事)”, then the “Imunjimnam” was a reference for official Chinese from the original text of “Imun”, a diplomatic document. During the Joseon era, the national policy towards China was one of subservience, and as a result of the need for exchange with China the acquisition of Chinese and Imun was incredibly important from a national perspective. A reference book responding to the chronological changes of the Chinese language was urgently needed, and Choe Sejin, the best scholar of Chinese from the Tang era, responded to this demand by compiling the variety of ‘Jimnam’ dictionaries. Choe Sejin, as a scholar with incredible ability in terms of Chinese and Imun, was irreplaceable, and he was unrivaled to the extent that there were always worries in the royal court. His deep knowledge of Chinese and Imun can also be sufficiently confirmed through the large number of books referred to in the “variety of Jimnam(輯覽)” dictionaries. The exchange of linguistic communication and diplomatic documents with China was an extremely important task that could not possibly be dealt with carelessly. Thus, no matter how much praise these two dictionaries receive for the importance of their compilation and their value as reference books, that praise could never be called excessive.