근대 사상 번역과 한자 ‒한일 기독교 문헌 비교를 중심으로‒

Abstract

This study attempted to discuss the linguistic modernity of the cultural region using Chinese character centering on two pivotal factors “Christianity” and “translation.” The research themes “cultural region of Chinese character,” “Christianity,” and “translation” are too broad to be handled in a single dissertation, but this paper attempted to sketch the modernity of East Asia from a new perspective by discussing the contact point of the three themes. For this, first all, we examined the characteristics of the linguistic modernity of the cultural region using Chinese character in East Asia, distinguished from those in Europe. Next, the roles of Chinese character and writing were examined in missionaries’ theories of translation and their translation of Christian literature through the history of Christian mission in modern East Asia. From this study was found that the urgency of modern times and the necessity of enlightenment demanded prompt translation into Chinese character and writing in East Asia, and modern ideas were translated at a fast rate using the high word formation ability of Chinese character. Such a discussion on “the cultural region of Chinese character,” “Christianity,” and “translation” provides a clue to the “other epistemology” of modern East Asia. That is, three points as follows will raise new research themes and shed light on the diversity and dynamism of modern East Asia: 1) reevaluation of translation as a means of recognizing others; 2) how to understand Chinese character as “other” in Korea and Japan; and 3) how to evaluate cultural heritages left in modern East Asia by foreigner missionaries as “others.”