Gastbeitrag von Lukáš Kubík
Dieser Beitrag erschien zuerst auf dem Blog der Staatsbibliothek.
During the mid‑fourteenth century, East Asia experienced a period of profound changes, labelled by researchers as the Great Chinggisid Crisis, corresponding to Europe’s Crisis of the late Middle Ages. This era was marked by significant climate changes, leading to several disasters, including natural calamities, famines, and plagues. These events set the stage for major political upheavals. The once mighty Mongol Empire (1206–1368) began to decline, paving the way for the rise of the Red Turbans, a new power in China that led to the founding of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). At the same time, Japan faced its own turmoil during the Northern and Southern Courts period, characterized by intense rivalry between the two imperial courts. In Korea, these turbulent times led to a significant shift in power as well. The Korean state of Koryŏ (918–1392) gave way to the Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910) by the end of the fourteenth century. This transition was part of a broader pattern of dramatic changes that reshaped the entire region of East Asia.
Today’s historians of East Asia have access to a rich collection of written sources spanning an impressive geographic and cultural range. These materials, originating from China, Japan, Central Asia, Arabic-speaking countries and Europe, provide a multifaceted view of the region’s historical landscape. The main written Korean historical sources for this period are the Koryŏsa 高麗史 (History of Koryŏ) and Koryŏsa Chŏryŏ 高麗史節要 (The Essential History of Koryŏ), both in the category of dynastic histories and annalistic works. These are “official” historical documents written by court historians, which offer valuable information about historical periods. The political agenda and ideologies of the ruling dynasty influenced the compilation of official histories and veritable records. Most of the sources are retrospective. That means in the case of Korea, the Chosŏn dynasty historians composed the History of Koryŏ; in the case of the Yuan dynasty, it was the Ming dynasty historians that wrote the History of Yuan. Different historiographical biases have particular traditions in Chinese historiography (and in historiography in general per se); for instance, the emphasis on moral judgment and categorising rulers into “good” or “bad” based on Confucian principles can lead to a somewhat simplistic or one-dimensional portrayal of historical figures. Historians working on these works also might have faced censorship leading them to exclude sensitive or controversial information. Additionally, self-censorship might have prompted historians to avoid topics that could jeopardise their positions or provoke the ruling regime. Official histories are typically compiled after the end of a dynasty or reign of the ruler, meaning historians may have been influenced by knowledge of later events. This can lead to a tendency to view past events through the lens of present circumstances, possibly distorting the interpretation of historical events. Chinese and Korean official histories also exhibit a degree of ethnocentrism, portraying China as the centre of the world and other cultures or nations as peripheral or subordinate. This perspective can result in a biased understanding of regional or global historical dynamics.
Alongside the official histories, an array of unofficial written sources offers a broader perspective on historical events. These include, for example, educational materials developed for private academies, known as Sŏwŏn 書院 in Korean, which summarize Korean history by drawing from a variety of earlier texts. Additionally, collections of personal writings and records from scholars, officials, and literati, known as Munjip 文集, provide invaluable insights into individual viewpoints and experiences often missing in official narratives.
One significant repository for such materials in Europe has been the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz. This collection, however, has been dispersed, with parts of it now residing in both Berlin and Kraków. Despite this geographical split, a collaborative effort known as the Berlin-Kraków Project has made these resources more accessible. Through this initiative, the East Asian sources housed in Poland are digitized, allowing scholars and the general public to explore these documents online.
In this blog post, I’ll explore several unofficial historical Korean sources in the East Asian collection of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. These sources shed light on the 14th century and beyond, offering rich alternatives to the more conventional dynastic records.
Cover of Tongguk t’ongkam chekang (The Basic Framework of the Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern Kingdom). – SBB-PK:. Libri cor. 23, image 1
One of these alternative sources for Korean history is the Tongguk t’ongkam chekang 東國通鑑提綱 (The Basic Framework of the Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern Kingdom), compiled by scholar Hong Yŏha (洪汝河, 1620–1674) in the 17th century. This work served as an instructional resource for private academies. It encompasses a historiography of Korean history, tracing from the Ancient Chosŏn to the Unified Silla (668–935) period. Notably, this text represents one of the earliest instances of exploring questions of legitimacy within ancient Korean history. It is generally known that it was published in 1786 with an introduction by An Chŏngbok (安鼎福 1712–1791). The book is printed using wooden type and consists of 13 volumes (卷) across 7 books (冊). It has been preserved and digitized at major South Korean archives, including the Kyujanggak and Jangseogak. Copies are also available at the Harvard-Yenching Library, Princeton, and Berkeley. In Europe, it is only found at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Therefore, it is quite a rare document, making the digitized version a valuable resource for researchers interested in accessing the original text.
Tongguk t’ongkam chekang: Introduction by An Chŏngbok. – SBB-PK:. Libri cor. 23, image 9
Another example is the Yŏsachekang 麗史提綱 (Annotated Outline of Koryŏ History), compiled by Yu Kye (兪棨, 1607–1664) in the 17th century.
Cover of the Yŏsachekang (Annotated Outline of Koryŏ History). – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 18, image 1
This work comprehensively covers the history of Koryŏ, spanning from the reign of King T’aejo of Koryŏ (太祖, 918–943) to the reign of King Ch’ang (昌王, r. 1388–1389). This manuscript represents a significant development in Chosŏn-period historiography influenced by Confucianism. The first edition was compiled in 1667, three years after Yu Kye’s death. In 1749, King Yŏngjo took issue with the record of King Kongyang (恭讓王, r. 389–1392) and had it reprinted; there are, therefore, two versions. Looking at the differences from the first edition, the expression ‘夷狄禽獸’ in the preface written by Song Si-yŏl 宋時烈 (1607–1689), which King Yŏngjo pointed out, has been changed to ‘倫綱弗正’, and other parts of the records of King Kongyang were deleted. The book is printed using wooden type and consists of 23 volumes (卷) across 23 books (冊). It has been preserved and digitized at major South Korean archives, including Kyujanggak and Jangseogak, but also in North Korea at the Grand People’s Study House (인민대학습당). Copies are available at Harvard’s Yenching Library, Princeton, Library of Congress, and Indiana University. In Europe, it is only at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.
Preface 序 to the Yŏsachekang (Annotated Outline of Koryŏ History). – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 18, image 4
Another indispensable alternative source for exploring Korean history is the Munjip (文集), a compilation that gathers essays, poetry, and other writings by one or several individuals. In Korea, the scope of Munjip is broad, encompassing records, collected works, compilations, posthumous works, daily records, complete works, collected letters, comprehensive collections, and factual records. These collections serve not only to preserve individual legacies for posterity, but also as a rich repository of diverse personal experiences.
The material value of Munjip for historical research is profound. Each collection offers a unique lens through which to view the past, reflecting their authors’ personal insights, cultural contexts, and intellectual climates. This personal dimension allows historians and scholars to access a range of narratives that might otherwise be lost in more formal historical accounts.
Front cover of the Collected Works of P’oŭn . – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 27, image 1
One noteworthy example of Munjip in the holdings of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is the P’oŭnjip 圃隱集 (Collected Works of P’oŭn). P’oŭn was the pen name of Chŏng Mong‑ju 鄭夢周 (1337–1392), a distinguished Confucian scholar and politician from the late Koryŏ dynasty. P’oŭn’s life and career were profoundly intertwined with the turbulent political shifts of his time, culminating in his assassination by Yi Pang-wŏn, the third king of the Chosŏn dynasty. This act was motivated by P’oŭn’s steadfast loyalty to the Koryŏ dynasty and his opposition to Yi Sŏng-gye, Yi Pang-wŏn’s father and the founder of the Chosŏn dynasty. Chŏng Mong‑ju held several key positions within the Koryŏ government, including Minister of Civil Appointments, Director of the Royal Academy, and Supervisor of the Office of Personnel. He was a significant figure during a time when factions within the Koryŏ court were deeply divided between the ones supporting the declining Yuan dynasty and supporters of the rising Ming dynasty. Chŏng emerged as a staunch advocate for pro-Ming policies among progressive scholars and demonstrated considerable diplomatic skills, serving as an envoy to both Ming China and Japan.
Portrait of Chŏng Mong‑ju in the Collected works of P’oŭn. – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 27, image 4
The P’oŭnjip was first published in 1439. This collection represents a significant literary work that has accumulated various editions and supplements over the centuries. There are several editions of P’oŭnjip located in archives:
1. Old Edition (舊本), published in 1439: Initially published by his sons Jong Sŏng 宗誠 and Jong Bon 宗本. It was mentioned that Chŏng Mong‑ju’s works had been collected since 1409, indicating thirty years until the first edition’s publication.
2. Shingye Edition (新溪本), published in 1533: Updated by his descendant Se-shin 世臣 while serving as a county magistrate in Shingye, adding a chronological record to the original edition.
3. Kaesŏng Old Print Edition (開城舊刻本): Early in the reign of King Sŏnjo (宣祖 r. 1567–1608), this edition added three new poems to the original content. The exact year of publication remains unknown.
4. Scholar’s Library Edition (校書館本): Published in metal type during the early to mid-reign of King Sŏnjo.
5. Yŏngchŏn First Print Edition (永川初刻本), published in 1584: Compiled and revised under the commission of Yu Sŏng‑yong (柳成龍, 1542–1607). This edition was recompiled in 1607 by Yŏngchŏn magistrate Hwang Yŏ‑il (黃汝一, 1556–1622) and scholars from the Imgo Sŏwŏn 臨皐書院 after the original plates were destroyed during the Japanese invasions (Imjin War, 1592–1598).
6. Bonghwa Print Edition (奉化刻本), published in 1659, was carved by a descendant, Yu Sŏng (維城, ??) in Bonghwa. It has added sections on chronological discrepancies and ritual texts.
7. Yŏngchŏn Reprint Edition (永川再刻本), published in 1677: Reprinted in Yŏngchŏn with added corrections from the Bonghwa edition and extended records from various families, expanding the content from 4 to 9 volumes.
8. Kaesŏng Reprint Edition (開城再刻本), published in 1719: This edition was further expanded by a descendant, Ch‘an Hwi (纘輝, ??), who added three additional volumes of records to the four volumes of the Bonghwa edition. This extended content was eventually published in Kaesŏng in 1769.
9. Kaesŏng New Edition (開城新本), published in 1900: Compiled by descendant Hwan Ik (煥翼, ??) at the Sungyang Sŏwŏn 崧陽書院, primarily based on the Yŏngjo (英祖 r. 1735–1776) period edition, supplemented by materials from the Yŏngchŏn edition and additional records.
More information about the various editions is here in Korean.
The edition held by the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin contains a preface written by Song Si‑yŏl. It is presumably the Bonghwa Print Edition or a later one.
Collected works of P’oŭn: A preface written by Song Si‑yŏl. – SBB-PK:. Libri cor. 27, image 10
The Yaŭn sŏnsaeng ŏnhaeng sŭbyu 冶隱先生言行拾遺 (Anecdotes and the Words and Deeds of Master Yaŭn) housed in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is another exemplary Munjip that illuminates the scholarly and literary culture of the Chosŏn dynasty. This collection, dedicated to the works and legacy of Kil Chae 吉再 (1353–1419), known by his pen name Yaŭn 冶隱, compiles poetry and prose that span his life and recollections noted by later generations. Kil Chae’s life and works were first chronicled in 1573, originally under the title Yaŭn Sŏnsaeng Haengnok 冶隱先生行錄 (Chronicles of Master Yaŭn). Over time, this initial compilation underwent several revisions and augmentations. By 1615, his sixth‑generation descendants expanded the work to include various royal sacrificial texts and texts for veneration and rituals. They re-titled it to Yaŭn sŏnsaeng ŏnhaeng sŭbyu and released it as a three‑volume, one‑book edition with a postscript by Chang Hyŏn-Kwang (張顯光, 1554–1637). The 1858 edition represents further efforts by his descendants to honour Kil Chae’s legacy. This edition was proofread by Song Nae‑hee (宋來熙, 1791–1867) and includes a continuation collection that compiled new writings and poems by Kil Chae, alongside excerpts from various documents and poems in praise of him penned by later generations.
Preface to the Anecdotes and the Words and Deeds of Master Yaŭn. – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 26, image 20
In addition to the Korean manuscripts I have presented, I recommend further exploration of the Library’s catalogue and CrossAsia database. Moreover, the East Asia Department has recently acquired the posthumous collection of the late Professor Hans-Jürgen Zaborowski (1948–2021), which contains approximately 500 pre-modern Korean manuscripts. These manuscripts are currently in the process of being catalogued. It will be intriguing to see what unique treasures the collection reveals. For more information on the Zaborowski collection, please contact the subject specialist for Korean Studies at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Jing Hu at Jing.Hu@sbb.spk-berlin.de.
Inside the stacks with the Zaborowski collection. – Photo: Lukáš Kubík
With fellow koreanist Ms Hu Jing from the Korea section of the East Asia Department of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.. – Photo: Lukáš Kubík
Further reading:
-
- Glomb, Vladimír, Eun-Jeung Lee, and Martin Gehlmann, eds. Confucian Academies in East Asia. Science and Religion in East Asia, volume 3. Leiden ; Boston: Brill, 2020.
- Kim, Jungwon. “Archives, Archival Practices, and the Writing of History in Premodern Korea: An Introduction.” Journal of Korean Studies 24, no. 2 (2019): 191‑199. muse.jhu.edu/article/736501.
- Reynolds, Graeme R. “Culling Archival Collections in the Koryŏ-Chosŏn Transition.” Journal of Korean Studies 24, no. 2 (2019): 225‑253. muse.jhu.edu/article/736503.
- WWoolf, D. R., Andrew Feldherr, and Grant Hardy, eds. The Oxford History of Historical Writing. Volume 2. 400‑1400; Volume 3. 1400‑1800. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 2011‑2015.
Herr Lukáš Kubík, Institute of Asian Studies at the Charles University in Prague, war im Rahmen des Stipendienprogramms der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz im Jahr 2024 als Stipendiat an der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Forschungsprojekt: „Maritime Confrontations with Japan in Korean Historical Sources“
(Un)official Korean Sources on late Koryŏ in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin’s East Asian Collection
/in CrossAsia Stipendiaten, Newsletter 33/by CrossAsiaGastbeitrag von Lukáš Kubík
Dieser Beitrag erschien zuerst auf dem Blog der Staatsbibliothek.
During the mid‑fourteenth century, East Asia experienced a period of profound changes, labelled by researchers as the Great Chinggisid Crisis, corresponding to Europe’s Crisis of the late Middle Ages. This era was marked by significant climate changes, leading to several disasters, including natural calamities, famines, and plagues. These events set the stage for major political upheavals. The once mighty Mongol Empire (1206–1368) began to decline, paving the way for the rise of the Red Turbans, a new power in China that led to the founding of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). At the same time, Japan faced its own turmoil during the Northern and Southern Courts period, characterized by intense rivalry between the two imperial courts. In Korea, these turbulent times led to a significant shift in power as well. The Korean state of Koryŏ (918–1392) gave way to the Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910) by the end of the fourteenth century. This transition was part of a broader pattern of dramatic changes that reshaped the entire region of East Asia.
Today’s historians of East Asia have access to a rich collection of written sources spanning an impressive geographic and cultural range. These materials, originating from China, Japan, Central Asia, Arabic-speaking countries and Europe, provide a multifaceted view of the region’s historical landscape. The main written Korean historical sources for this period are the Koryŏsa 高麗史 (History of Koryŏ) and Koryŏsa Chŏryŏ 高麗史節要 (The Essential History of Koryŏ), both in the category of dynastic histories and annalistic works. These are “official” historical documents written by court historians, which offer valuable information about historical periods. The political agenda and ideologies of the ruling dynasty influenced the compilation of official histories and veritable records. Most of the sources are retrospective. That means in the case of Korea, the Chosŏn dynasty historians composed the History of Koryŏ; in the case of the Yuan dynasty, it was the Ming dynasty historians that wrote the History of Yuan. Different historiographical biases have particular traditions in Chinese historiography (and in historiography in general per se); for instance, the emphasis on moral judgment and categorising rulers into “good” or “bad” based on Confucian principles can lead to a somewhat simplistic or one-dimensional portrayal of historical figures. Historians working on these works also might have faced censorship leading them to exclude sensitive or controversial information. Additionally, self-censorship might have prompted historians to avoid topics that could jeopardise their positions or provoke the ruling regime. Official histories are typically compiled after the end of a dynasty or reign of the ruler, meaning historians may have been influenced by knowledge of later events. This can lead to a tendency to view past events through the lens of present circumstances, possibly distorting the interpretation of historical events. Chinese and Korean official histories also exhibit a degree of ethnocentrism, portraying China as the centre of the world and other cultures or nations as peripheral or subordinate. This perspective can result in a biased understanding of regional or global historical dynamics.
Alongside the official histories, an array of unofficial written sources offers a broader perspective on historical events. These include, for example, educational materials developed for private academies, known as Sŏwŏn 書院 in Korean, which summarize Korean history by drawing from a variety of earlier texts. Additionally, collections of personal writings and records from scholars, officials, and literati, known as Munjip 文集, provide invaluable insights into individual viewpoints and experiences often missing in official narratives.
One significant repository for such materials in Europe has been the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz. This collection, however, has been dispersed, with parts of it now residing in both Berlin and Kraków. Despite this geographical split, a collaborative effort known as the Berlin-Kraków Project has made these resources more accessible. Through this initiative, the East Asian sources housed in Poland are digitized, allowing scholars and the general public to explore these documents online.
In this blog post, I’ll explore several unofficial historical Korean sources in the East Asian collection of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. These sources shed light on the 14th century and beyond, offering rich alternatives to the more conventional dynastic records.
Cover of Tongguk t’ongkam chekang (The Basic Framework of the Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern Kingdom). – SBB-PK:. Libri cor. 23, image 1
One of these alternative sources for Korean history is the Tongguk t’ongkam chekang 東國通鑑提綱 (The Basic Framework of the Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern Kingdom), compiled by scholar Hong Yŏha (洪汝河, 1620–1674) in the 17th century. This work served as an instructional resource for private academies. It encompasses a historiography of Korean history, tracing from the Ancient Chosŏn to the Unified Silla (668–935) period. Notably, this text represents one of the earliest instances of exploring questions of legitimacy within ancient Korean history. It is generally known that it was published in 1786 with an introduction by An Chŏngbok (安鼎福 1712–1791). The book is printed using wooden type and consists of 13 volumes (卷) across 7 books (冊). It has been preserved and digitized at major South Korean archives, including the Kyujanggak and Jangseogak. Copies are also available at the Harvard-Yenching Library, Princeton, and Berkeley. In Europe, it is only found at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Therefore, it is quite a rare document, making the digitized version a valuable resource for researchers interested in accessing the original text.
Tongguk t’ongkam chekang: Introduction by An Chŏngbok. – SBB-PK:. Libri cor. 23, image 9
Another example is the Yŏsachekang 麗史提綱 (Annotated Outline of Koryŏ History), compiled by Yu Kye (兪棨, 1607–1664) in the 17th century.
Cover of the Yŏsachekang (Annotated Outline of Koryŏ History). – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 18, image 1
This work comprehensively covers the history of Koryŏ, spanning from the reign of King T’aejo of Koryŏ (太祖, 918–943) to the reign of King Ch’ang (昌王, r. 1388–1389). This manuscript represents a significant development in Chosŏn-period historiography influenced by Confucianism. The first edition was compiled in 1667, three years after Yu Kye’s death. In 1749, King Yŏngjo took issue with the record of King Kongyang (恭讓王, r. 389–1392) and had it reprinted; there are, therefore, two versions. Looking at the differences from the first edition, the expression ‘夷狄禽獸’ in the preface written by Song Si-yŏl 宋時烈 (1607–1689), which King Yŏngjo pointed out, has been changed to ‘倫綱弗正’, and other parts of the records of King Kongyang were deleted. The book is printed using wooden type and consists of 23 volumes (卷) across 23 books (冊). It has been preserved and digitized at major South Korean archives, including Kyujanggak and Jangseogak, but also in North Korea at the Grand People’s Study House (인민대학습당). Copies are available at Harvard’s Yenching Library, Princeton, Library of Congress, and Indiana University. In Europe, it is only at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.
Preface 序 to the Yŏsachekang (Annotated Outline of Koryŏ History). – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 18, image 4
Another indispensable alternative source for exploring Korean history is the Munjip (文集), a compilation that gathers essays, poetry, and other writings by one or several individuals. In Korea, the scope of Munjip is broad, encompassing records, collected works, compilations, posthumous works, daily records, complete works, collected letters, comprehensive collections, and factual records. These collections serve not only to preserve individual legacies for posterity, but also as a rich repository of diverse personal experiences.
The material value of Munjip for historical research is profound. Each collection offers a unique lens through which to view the past, reflecting their authors’ personal insights, cultural contexts, and intellectual climates. This personal dimension allows historians and scholars to access a range of narratives that might otherwise be lost in more formal historical accounts.
Front cover of the Collected Works of P’oŭn . – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 27, image 1
One noteworthy example of Munjip in the holdings of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is the P’oŭnjip 圃隱集 (Collected Works of P’oŭn). P’oŭn was the pen name of Chŏng Mong‑ju 鄭夢周 (1337–1392), a distinguished Confucian scholar and politician from the late Koryŏ dynasty. P’oŭn’s life and career were profoundly intertwined with the turbulent political shifts of his time, culminating in his assassination by Yi Pang-wŏn, the third king of the Chosŏn dynasty. This act was motivated by P’oŭn’s steadfast loyalty to the Koryŏ dynasty and his opposition to Yi Sŏng-gye, Yi Pang-wŏn’s father and the founder of the Chosŏn dynasty. Chŏng Mong‑ju held several key positions within the Koryŏ government, including Minister of Civil Appointments, Director of the Royal Academy, and Supervisor of the Office of Personnel. He was a significant figure during a time when factions within the Koryŏ court were deeply divided between the ones supporting the declining Yuan dynasty and supporters of the rising Ming dynasty. Chŏng emerged as a staunch advocate for pro-Ming policies among progressive scholars and demonstrated considerable diplomatic skills, serving as an envoy to both Ming China and Japan.
Portrait of Chŏng Mong‑ju in the Collected works of P’oŭn. – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 27, image 4
The P’oŭnjip was first published in 1439. This collection represents a significant literary work that has accumulated various editions and supplements over the centuries. There are several editions of P’oŭnjip located in archives:
1. Old Edition (舊本), published in 1439: Initially published by his sons Jong Sŏng 宗誠 and Jong Bon 宗本. It was mentioned that Chŏng Mong‑ju’s works had been collected since 1409, indicating thirty years until the first edition’s publication.
2. Shingye Edition (新溪本), published in 1533: Updated by his descendant Se-shin 世臣 while serving as a county magistrate in Shingye, adding a chronological record to the original edition.
3. Kaesŏng Old Print Edition (開城舊刻本): Early in the reign of King Sŏnjo (宣祖 r. 1567–1608), this edition added three new poems to the original content. The exact year of publication remains unknown.
4. Scholar’s Library Edition (校書館本): Published in metal type during the early to mid-reign of King Sŏnjo.
5. Yŏngchŏn First Print Edition (永川初刻本), published in 1584: Compiled and revised under the commission of Yu Sŏng‑yong (柳成龍, 1542–1607). This edition was recompiled in 1607 by Yŏngchŏn magistrate Hwang Yŏ‑il (黃汝一, 1556–1622) and scholars from the Imgo Sŏwŏn 臨皐書院 after the original plates were destroyed during the Japanese invasions (Imjin War, 1592–1598).
6. Bonghwa Print Edition (奉化刻本), published in 1659, was carved by a descendant, Yu Sŏng (維城, ??) in Bonghwa. It has added sections on chronological discrepancies and ritual texts.
7. Yŏngchŏn Reprint Edition (永川再刻本), published in 1677: Reprinted in Yŏngchŏn with added corrections from the Bonghwa edition and extended records from various families, expanding the content from 4 to 9 volumes.
8. Kaesŏng Reprint Edition (開城再刻本), published in 1719: This edition was further expanded by a descendant, Ch‘an Hwi (纘輝, ??), who added three additional volumes of records to the four volumes of the Bonghwa edition. This extended content was eventually published in Kaesŏng in 1769.
9. Kaesŏng New Edition (開城新本), published in 1900: Compiled by descendant Hwan Ik (煥翼, ??) at the Sungyang Sŏwŏn 崧陽書院, primarily based on the Yŏngjo (英祖 r. 1735–1776) period edition, supplemented by materials from the Yŏngchŏn edition and additional records.
More information about the various editions is here in Korean.
The edition held by the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin contains a preface written by Song Si‑yŏl. It is presumably the Bonghwa Print Edition or a later one.
Collected works of P’oŭn: A preface written by Song Si‑yŏl. – SBB-PK:. Libri cor. 27, image 10
The Yaŭn sŏnsaeng ŏnhaeng sŭbyu 冶隱先生言行拾遺 (Anecdotes and the Words and Deeds of Master Yaŭn) housed in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is another exemplary Munjip that illuminates the scholarly and literary culture of the Chosŏn dynasty. This collection, dedicated to the works and legacy of Kil Chae 吉再 (1353–1419), known by his pen name Yaŭn 冶隱, compiles poetry and prose that span his life and recollections noted by later generations. Kil Chae’s life and works were first chronicled in 1573, originally under the title Yaŭn Sŏnsaeng Haengnok 冶隱先生行錄 (Chronicles of Master Yaŭn). Over time, this initial compilation underwent several revisions and augmentations. By 1615, his sixth‑generation descendants expanded the work to include various royal sacrificial texts and texts for veneration and rituals. They re-titled it to Yaŭn sŏnsaeng ŏnhaeng sŭbyu and released it as a three‑volume, one‑book edition with a postscript by Chang Hyŏn-Kwang (張顯光, 1554–1637). The 1858 edition represents further efforts by his descendants to honour Kil Chae’s legacy. This edition was proofread by Song Nae‑hee (宋來熙, 1791–1867) and includes a continuation collection that compiled new writings and poems by Kil Chae, alongside excerpts from various documents and poems in praise of him penned by later generations.
Preface to the Anecdotes and the Words and Deeds of Master Yaŭn. – SBB-PK: Libri cor. 26, image 20
In addition to the Korean manuscripts I have presented, I recommend further exploration of the Library’s catalogue and CrossAsia database. Moreover, the East Asia Department has recently acquired the posthumous collection of the late Professor Hans-Jürgen Zaborowski (1948–2021), which contains approximately 500 pre-modern Korean manuscripts. These manuscripts are currently in the process of being catalogued. It will be intriguing to see what unique treasures the collection reveals. For more information on the Zaborowski collection, please contact the subject specialist for Korean Studies at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Jing Hu at Jing.Hu@sbb.spk-berlin.de.
Inside the stacks with the Zaborowski collection. – Photo: Lukáš Kubík
With fellow koreanist Ms Hu Jing from the Korea section of the East Asia Department of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.. – Photo: Lukáš Kubík
Further reading:
Recap Hackathon zur Layouterkennung tibetischer Handschriften und Blockdrucke
/in Aktuelles, Digitalisierung, Handschriften, Newsletter 33, Veranstaltungen/by Antje ZiemerAm 22.11. fand in Dresden ein Hackathon, organisiert von Cloud & Heat in Zusammenarbeit mit AI Insights Saxony, statt. Einer der beiden Use cases wurde vom CrossAsis Team zur Verfügung gestellt: Die Layouterkennung tibetischer Handschriften und Blockdrucke. Ziel war es, die einzelnen Elemente auf den Seiten zu erkennen. Dazu gehören der Schriftblock, tibetische und ggf. chinesische Seitenzahlen sowie Illustrationen. Um den Hacker:innen die Besonderheiten vormoderner tibetischer Handschriften und Blockdrucke besser erläutern zu können, haben wir auch
Ausstellung tibetischer Blockdrucke und Handschriften während des Hackathons
einige Objekte nach Dresden geschickt, die den Teilnehmer:innen in einer kleinen Ausstellung präsentiert wurden. Es wurden verschiedenste Objekte gezeigt, um die Vielfalt der tibetischen Schriftkultur abzubilden. Die Objekte wurden mit regem Interesse begutachtet und ein Plan entwickelt, um die gesteckten Ziele zu erreichen.
Im Laufe des Tages entstand ein Tool auf der Basis eines bereitgestellten Large Language Modells, dass das Layout tibetischer Texte relativ zuverlässig erkannt hat. Belohnt wurden die Mühen mit einem CrossAsia Beutel, gefüllt mit einigen Mitbringseln.
Doch das Interesse, sich mit tibetischer Layouterkennung zu beschäftigen, ist noch nicht erloschen, sodass einige Teilnehmer:innen des Hackathons weiterhin an diesem Projekt arbeiten wollen.
Wir danken Cloud & Heat für die Einladung und Nico Hoffmann für die Initiative und die Idee für die Kooperation!
Netzwerkstörungen bei Zugriff auf Ressourcen aus VR China
/in Aktuelles/by Duncan PatersonLiebe Alle,
momentan kommt es zu stark verlangsamten Ladezeiten beim Zugriff auf lizenzierte Datenbanken aus der VR China (z. Bsp. bei CNKI) . Gemeinsam mit den Anbietern suchen wir nach der Ursache für diese Netzwerkstörungen, um diese zu beheben. Sobald die gewohnte Servicequalität wiederhergestellt ist werden wir diesen Post updaten.
Wir bitten die Unannehmlichkeiten zu entschuldigen.
Ihr/Euer
X-asia Team
UPDATE 13.12.24 Die Ressourcen des Anbieters CNKI sind wieder erreichbar, es gibt allerdings weiterhin Probleme bei Zugängen anderer Anbieter. Wir arbeiten weiterhin an der Behebung des Problems.
Dear all,
We are currently observing significantly slower loading times when accessing licensed databases from the People’s Republic of China (e.g. CNKI). We are working with the providers to locate the cause of these network disruptions in order to resolve them. As soon as the usual quality of service is restored, we will update this post.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Yours
X-asia team
UPDATE 13.12.24: CNKI ressources are accessible again. Some issues remain with other providers. We continue to work on solving these issues.
Neue Lizenzen: Media Korean Studies
/in Aktuelles, Datenbanken, Erwerbungen, Newsletter 33/by CrossAsiaLiebe Nutzer:innen,
Wir freuen uns Ihnen mitteilen zu können, dass wir ein Abonnement für Media Korean Studies abgeschlossen haben. Unsere Lizenz erlaubt den Nutzer:innen von CrossAsia außerdem den Zugriff auf folgende Inhalte:
Wir bedanken uns herzlich bei allen, die uns Feedback zur Lizenzierung gegeben haben!
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Ihr / Euer
CrossAsia Team
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Dear Users,
We are excited to announce that we subscribed to a new database Media Korean Studies. Our license also grants CrossAsia users access to the following content:
We sincerely thank everyone who has sent us feedback regarding the licensing!
Yours
CrossAsia team
CrossAsia Talks: Stefan Messingschlager 28.11.2024
/in Aktuelles, Newsletter 33, Veranstaltungen, Vortragsreihe "CrossAsia Talks"/by CrossAsia(See English below)
Im Rahmen seines Vortrages “Pekingologie und wissenschaftliche China-Expertise in Deutschland nach 1949: Zur Scharnierfunktion des Sinologen Wolfgang Franke (1912–2007)” am 28. November 2024 ab 18 Uhr wird Herr Stefan Messingschlager (Helmut-Schmidt-Universität/Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg) Einblicke in die Rolle und Praxis wissenschaftlicher China-Expertise nach 1949 geben. Dabei wird er besonderen Fokus auf den Hamburger Sinologen Wolfgang Franke legen, dem in den Nachkriegsjahrzehnten eine herausragende Bedeutung für die transkulturelle und politische Vermittlung zwischen China und dem „Westen“ zukam. Neben seiner Expertenrolle in Politik und öffentlichem Diskurs hatte Wolfgang Franke auch eine Scharnierfunktion zwischen universitärer Sinologie und außeruniversitärer China-Expertise inne, so der Referent – und förderte so die Etablierung der gegenwartsbezogenen Chinaforschung in der Bundesrepublik.
Mit der Ausrufung der Volksrepublik China im Oktober 1949 wurde das Land für westliche Gesellschaften innerhalb kurzer Zeit zu einer Art Blackbox. In den meisten westlichen Staaten entwickelte sich vor diesem Hintergrund die Praxis der „China-Expertise“ – eine vielfältige, auf den öffentlichen Raum gerichtete Tätigkeit des Deutens, Beratens und Vermittelns, die unterschiedlichste Formen annahm: von der Deutung und Vermittlung im öffentlichen Diskurs über Politikberatung bis hin zur vermittelnden Praxis im transnationalen Austausch in den Bereichen Diplomatie, Wirtschaft und Kultur.
Anders als in den USA war China-Expertise in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in der Phase des sogenannten „Great Interregnums“ der 1950er bis 1970er Jahre nicht in erster Linie ein wissenschaftliches Projekt, sondern wurde vor allem von „Old-China-Hands“ wie Lily Abegg oder Klaus Mehnert getragen. Trotzdem spielte auch die Wissenschaft von Anfang an eine wichtige Rolle, interessanterweise jedoch gerade nicht die Sinologie, die sich bis weit in die 1970er Jahre vor allem als philologische Disziplin verstand. Stattdessen waren es Politikwissenschaftler wie Gottfried-Karl Kindermann und Jürgen Domes, die prägende Deutungsangebote zur chinesischen Politik entwickelten. Jenseits der universitären Chinaforschung waren es aber vor allem die neu gegründeten Forschungsinstitutionen wie das Institut für Asienkunde (IfA) und die Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), die zu entscheidenden Trägern wissenschaftlicher China-Expertise wurden und ab den 1970er Jahren politikberatende Funktionen übernahmen.
In diesem Kontext avancierte der Sinologe Wolfgang Franke zu einer Schlüsselfigur: Er lieferte mit seinen Schriften nicht nur breit rezipierte Deutungen, wirkte politikberatend und vermittelte in den deutsch-chinesischen Beziehungen. Als wohl renommiertester Lehrstuhlinhaber für Sinologie in Deutschland förderte er auch eine stärkere Gegenwartsorientierung der Sinologie – ein entscheidender Schritt zur Etablierung der gegenwartsbezogenen Chinaforschung in der Bundesrepublik.
Die Vortragssprache ist Deutsch. Bei Fragen kontaktieren Sie uns unter: ostasienabt@sbb.spk-berlin.de.
Der Vortrag wird darüber hinaus via Webex gestreamt und aufgezeichnet*. Sie können am Vortrag über Ihren Browser ohne Installation einer Software teilnehmen. Klicken Sie dazu unten auf „Zum Vortrag“, folgen dem Link „Über Browser teilnehmen“ und geben Ihren Namen ein.
Alle bislang angekündigten Vorträge finden Sie hier. Die weiteren Termine kündigen wir in unserem Blog und auf unserem X-Account an. Weitere Informationen zum Leben und Wirken von Wolfgang Franke finden Sie im vom Vortragenden, Herrn Messingschlager, erstellten CrossAsia Themenportal “Im Banne Chinas” – Der Sinologe Wolfgang Franke als Forscher Mittler.
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The lecture ‘Pekingology and scientific China expertise in Germany after 1949: On the hinge function of the sinologist Wolfgang Franke (1912-2007)’ on November 28, 2024 from 6 pm, Mr. Stefan Messingschlager (Helmut-Schmidt-Universität/Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg) will provide insights into the role and practice of scholarly China expertise after 1949. He will place special focus on the Hamburg Sinologist Wolfgang Franke, who played a pivotal role in the postwar decades in facilitating transcultural and political mediation between China and the “West”. In addition to his role as an expert in politics and public discourse, Wolfgang Franke also served as a bridge between Sinology and China expertise outside academia, thereby advancing the establishment of contemporary China studies in the Federal Republic of Germany.
With the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China in October 1949, the country quickly became a kind of black box for Western societies. In most Western states, the practice of “China expertise” developed in response – a multifaceted practice aimed at the public sphere that involved interpreting, advising, and mediating, taking various forms: from interpretation and mediation in public discourse to policy advising and intermediary practices in the transnational exchange of diplomacy, economics, and culture.
Unlike in the United States, China expertise in the Federal Republic of Germany during the so-called “Great Interregnum” of the 1950s to the 1970s was not primarily an academic endeavor but was largely shaped by “Old China Hands” such as Lily Abegg and Klaus Mehnert. However, from the outset, academia also played a role, though interestingly not through Sinology, which until well into the 1970s primarily understood itself as a philological discipline. Instead, political scientists like Gottfried-Karl Kindermann and Jürgen Domes developed important interpretative frameworks for Chinese politics. Beyond China research in academia, it was particularly the newly founded research institutions, such as the Institute of Asian Studies (IfA) and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), that became key contributors to scholarly China expertise and, from the early 1970s onward, increasingly assumed advisory roles in policy matters.
In this context, Sinologist Wolfgang Franke became a key figure: not only did he contribute significant interpretations of China through his writings, but he also engaged in policy advising and facilitated Sino-German relations. As perhaps the most renowned Sinology chairholder in Germany, he also promoted a stronger contemporary focus within Sinology – a crucial step in establishing contemporary China studies in the Federal Republic of Germany.
The lecture will be held in German. If you have any questions, please contact us: ostasienabt@sbb.spk-berlin.de.
The lecture will also be streamed and recorded via Webex*. You can take part in the lecture using your browser without having to install a special software. Please click on the respective button “To the lecture” below, follow the link “join via browser” (“über Browser teilnehmen”), and enter your name.
You can find all previously announced lectures here. We will announce further dates in our blog and on X. Further information on the life and work of Wolfgang Franke can be found in the CrossAsia thematic portal ‘Im Banne Chinas’ – Der Sinologe Wolfgang Franke als Forscher Mittler, created by the lecturer Mr. Messingschlager.
*Mit Ihrer Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung räumen Sie der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz und ihren nachgeordneten Einrichtungen kostenlos alle Nutzungsrechte an den Bildern/Videos ein, die während der Veranstaltung von Ihnen angefertigt wurden. Dies schließt auch die kommerzielle Nutzung ein. Diese Einverständniserklärung gilt räumlich und zeitlich unbeschränkt und für die Nutzung in allen Medien, sowohl für analoge als auch für digitale Verwendungen. Sie umfasst auch die Bildbearbeitung sowie die Verwendung der Bilder für Montagen. / By participating, you grant the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz and its subordinate institutions free of charge all rights of usage of pictures and videos taken of you during this lecture presentation. This declaration of consent is valid in terms of time and space without restrictions and for usage in all media, including analogue and digital usage. It includes image processing and the usage of photos in composite illustrations. German law will apply.
CrossAsia Talks: Thies Staack 20.02.2025
/in Newsletter 33, Veranstaltungen, Vortragsreihe "CrossAsia Talks"/by CrossAsia(See English below)
Den ersten CrossAsia Talk des Jahres 2025 wird Herr Thies Staack (Universität Hamburg) am 20. Februar 2025 ab 18 Uhr halten. Der Titel seines Online-Vortrags lautet: “The Provenance of the Chinese Medical Manuscripts in the Unschuld Collection: New Evidence from an Unpublished Acquisition Notebook”. Wir können uns somit auf einen weiteren CrossAsia Talk freuen, der die umfangreiche Sammlung Unschuld mit chinesischen medizinischen Handschriften in den Blick nimmt, sich aber erstmals und mittels einer bisher unveröffentlichten Quelle aus dem Besitz von Herrn Prof. Paul U. Unschuld der Provenienz der Handschriften widmen wird.
The provenance of the Chinese medical manuscripts collected by Paul Ulrich Unschuld has long remained an open question. Even the catalogue of the collection, published in 2012, offers very little information in this respect. The present lecture introduces a new source of provenance information: an unpublished acquisition notebook in which Unschuld recorded the date and place of purchase for nearly 800 manuscripts he acquired between 1996 and 2006. By synthesising the data contained in the notebook and in the documents kept in the archives of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin and the Berlin State Library, it has been possible to obtain provenance information on 490 manuscript volumes, which are now listed under 471 separate shelf marks in the “Unschuld collection” of the Berlin State Library. In addition to the year and month of acquisition, the city of origin could be determined for 371 of these manuscripts, and for a total of 67 even the specific location within that city. The lecture will present the results of this provenance research and describe how it was possible to match notebook entries with actual manuscripts in the Berlin State Library collection. In addition, it will further probe into the provenance of a sub-group of manuscripts that all went through the hands of the same book collector from Shanghai. Finally, the presentation will demonstrate the benefits of provenance data for research into regional peculiarities of medical knowledge and healing practices.
Die Vortragssprache ist Englisch. Bei Fragen kontaktieren Sie uns unter: ostasienabt@sbb.spk-berlin.de.
Der Vortrag wird via Webex gestreamt*. Sie können am Vortrag über Ihren Browser ohne Installation einer Software teilnehmen. Klicken Sie dazu unten auf „Zum Vortrag“, folgen dem Link „Über Browser teilnehmen“ und geben Ihren Namen ein.
Alle bislang angekündigten Vorträge finden Sie hier. Die weiteren Termine kündigen wir in unserem Blog und auf unserem X-Account an.
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The first CrossAsia Talk of the year 2025 will be held by Mr Thies Staack (University of Hamburg) on February 20, 2025 from 6 pm. The title of his online lecture is: ‘The Provenance of the Chinese Medical Manuscripts in the Unschuld Collection: New Evidence from an Unpublished Acquisition Notebook’. We can therefore look forward to another CrossAsia Talk, which will focus on the extensive Unschuld Collection of Chinese medical manuscripts, but for the first time and by means of a previously unpublished source from the possession of Prof. Paul U. Unschuld will be dedicated to the provenance of the manuscripts.
The provenance of the Chinese medical manuscripts collected by Paul Ulrich Unschuld has long remained an open question. Even the catalogue of the collection, published in 2012, offers very little information in this respect. The present lecture introduces a new source of provenance information: an unpublished acquisition notebook in which Unschuld recorded the date and place of purchase for nearly 800 manuscripts he acquired between 1996 and 2006. By synthesising the data contained in the notebook and in the documents kept in the archives of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin and the Berlin State Library, it has been possible to obtain provenance information on 490 manuscript volumes, which are now listed under 471 separate shelf marks in the “Unschuld collection” of the Berlin State Library. In addition to the year and month of acquisition, the city of origin could be determined for 371 of these manuscripts, and for a total of 67 even the specific location within that city. The lecture will present the results of this provenance research and describe how it was possible to match notebook entries with actual manuscripts in the Berlin State Library collection. In addition, it will further probe into the provenance of a sub-group of manuscripts that all went through the hands of the same book collector from Shanghai. Finally, the presentation will demonstrate the benefits of provenance data for research into regional peculiarities of medical knowledge and healing practices.
The lecture will be held in English. If you have any questions, please contact us: ostasienabt@sbb.spk-berlin.de.
The lecture will be streamed via Webex*. You can take part in the lecture using your browser without having to install a special software. Please click on the respective button “To the lecture” below, follow the link “join via browser” (“über Browser teilnehmen”), and enter your name.
You can find all previously announced lectures here. We will announce further dates in our blog and on X.
*Mit Ihrer Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung räumen Sie der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz und ihren nachgeordneten Einrichtungen kostenlos alle Nutzungsrechte an den Bildern/Videos ein, die während der Veranstaltung von Ihnen angefertigt wurden. Dies schließt auch die kommerzielle Nutzung ein. Diese Einverständniserklärung gilt räumlich und zeitlich unbeschränkt und für die Nutzung in allen Medien, sowohl für analoge als auch für digitale Verwendungen. Sie umfasst auch die Bildbearbeitung sowie die Verwendung der Bilder für Montagen. / By participating, you grant the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz and its subordinate institutions free of charge all rights of usage of pictures and videos taken of you during this lecture presentation. This declaration of consent is valid in terms of time and space without restrictions and for usage in all media, including analogue and digital usage. It includes image processing and the usage of photos in composite illustrations. German law will apply.
Neue Kooperation zwischen der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin und der Nationalbibliothek Indonesiens
/in Aktuelle Testzugänge, Aktuelles, Newsletter 33/by Tristan HinkelAm 20. November 2024 unterzeichneten Prof. Dr. Achim Bonte, Generaldirektor der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, und Prof. E. Aminudin Aziz, Generaldirektor der Perpustakaan Nasional Republik Indonesia, ein Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) zur Intensivierung der gemeinsamen Zusammenarbeit. Die Vereinbarung zielt auf eine engere Vernetzung, regelmäßigen fachlichen Austausch und gemeinsame Projektarbeit ab. Neben der Kooperation im Bereich der südostasiatischen Handschriftensammlung umfasst dies auch vielfältige Aspekte der digitalen Zusammenarbeit, wie den Zugang zu Ressourcen und Daten sowie potenzielle KI-Projekte.
Trial für Asahi Shimbun Digital bis 19.12.24 | Trial for Asahi Shimbun Digital until December 19th 24
/in Aktuelles/by Ursula FlacheFür registrierte Nutzer:innen steht bis zum 19. Dezember 2024 ein Testzugang zur japanischen Zeitung Asahi Shimbun Digital zur Verfügung. Um das Angebot zu testen, loggen Sie sich bitte wie üblich ein und nutzen Sie bitte den hier hinterlegten Link. Anschließend klicken Sie auf dem nächsten Bildschirm unbedingt auf「朝日新聞デジタルにアクセスする」und gelangen somit zu den Beiträgen. Nach der Recherche ist es zwingend notwendig, die Webseite rechts oben über「マイページ」und den im dortigen Pull Down Menü angebotenen Logout-Button wieder zu verlassen, da sonst unnötig Simultanzugriffe blockiert werden. Ein einfaches Schließen des Browsers beendet NICHT die Session beim Anbieter. Vielen Dank für die Kooperation!
Laut Aussage des Anbieters waren die Artikel der Papier- und der digitalen Ausgabe ursprünglich identisch. Inzwischen werden jedoch vermehrt eigenständige Artikel in der digitalen Ausgabe veröffentlicht, von denen nur 10-100 monatlich in die Datenbank Asahi Shimbun Cross-Search aufgenommen werden. Insofern sind die Inhalte von der im Trial angebotenen Asahi Shimbun Digital und der bereits für CrossAsia lizenzierten Datenbank Asahi Shimbun Cross-Search nicht völlig übereinstimmend.
Wenn Sie eine Fortführung der Asahi Shimbun Digital nach Ende des Trials befürworten, schreiben Sie uns bitte eine Rückmeldung an x-asia@sbb.spk-berlin.de. Ohne Ihr Feedback können wir nicht tätig werden! Vielen Dank für Ihr Engagement!
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Registered users can test access to the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun Digital until December 19th 2024. To test the offer, please log in as usual and use the link provided here. Then click on「朝日新聞デジタルにアクセスする」on the next screen to access the articles. After researching, it is absolutely necessary to leave the website via「マイページ」and use the logout button offered in the pull-down menu at the top right, as otherwise simultaneous access will be blocked unnecessarily. Simply closing the browser does NOT end the session with the provider. Thank you for your co-operation!
According to the provider, the articles in the paper and digital editions were originally identical. In the meantime, however, more and more independent articles are being published in the digital edition, of which only 10-100 are included in the Asahi Shimbun Cross-Search database each month. In this regard, the contents of the Asahi Shimbun Digital offered in the trial and the Asahi Shimbun Cross-Search database already licensed for CrossAsia are not completely identical.
If you are in favour of continuing Asahi Shimbun Digital after the trial ends, please write to us at x-asia@sbb.spk-berlin.de. We cannot take action without your feedback! Thank you for your commitment!
Military Drugs and Medical Texts: The Berlin Chinese Medical Manuscripts and Patterns of Consumption in the Mid to Late Qing
/in Aktuelles, CrossAsia Stipendiaten, Newsletter 33/by CrossAsiaGastbeitrag von Forrest Cale McSweeney
Herr Forrest Cale McSweeney, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, war im Rahmen des Stipendienprogramms der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz im Jahr 2024 als Stipendiat an der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Forschungsprojekt: „Military Drugs From Soldiers to Physicians“
Dieser Beitrag erschien zuerst auf dem Blog der Staatsbibliothek.
In the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), military medicine, and particularly military drugs, were an aspect of the income of soldiers. In a complex system of local procurement, the Qing government steered both simple ingredients and physicians themselves to the privileged Manchu warrior elite in the Eight Banners often stationed in the far West, and likewise to regular soldiers in the Green Standard Armies. After the 1780s this procurement process was governed by the War Expenditures Regulations junxuzeli 軍需則例 (the Qing created specialized regulations called zeli 則例 for a variety of administrative domains). However, apart from this, the Qing emperors dispatched chengyao 成藥, or pre-prepared formulas, directly to soldiers throughout the empire through the honorary conferral system which had been a regular feature of government in imperial governments since the Tang Period (618–907).
Such pre-prepared formulas were the products of China’s new and enormous bulk of pharmaceutical industry. By the 18th century these firms had begun to aggressively publish and market their drugs directly to consumers, particularly through the circulation of their catalogues (yaomu 藥目). The most successful pharmacy and the one closest to the Qing government was the Tongrentang 同仁堂. Of the 95 formulas confirmed to have been distributed to Qing soldiers from the 18th through the 19th century, 47 appeared on the Tongrentang’s catalogue. This amounted to a virtual subsidy for the metropolitan pharmaceutical industry in the Qing.
This cuts against our typical understanding of medicine in the Qing, which according to most scholars became far less attached to the state both materially and discursively throughout late imperial China from the mid-Ming (1368–1644). But was the state merely an indirect player in this new scene? Is it possible that the Qing state’s drug distribution efforts actually enhanced the profile of some drugs over others, even over that of the efforts of the pharmaceutical industry? Moreover, what can the Berlin Library’s Unschuld collection, the “Chinese Medical Manuscripts”, add to this discussion? These roughly thousand manuscripts contain a wide variety of individually copied medical texts primarily intended for private or use within a closed system of associates and circulated only incidentally. They range from copies of esteemed medical classics to large numbers of recipe collections reflecting the individual inclinations of physicians often operating beneath the level of mainstream medical literature.
It has long been a suspicion by scholars that in the late imperial period, the classical medical tradition operated more often than not as a legitimizing veneer over a much more obscure level of practical discourse which, in practice, viewed classical medical systems established in the Han Period (202 BCE–220 CE) expediently. With the added variable of known military drugs, we can further develop and clarify this hypothesis. Was Chinese practical medical discourse organized in any systematic way? Were there obvious patterns of consumption and practice which point to the influence of institutions, including the state? We can start to answer these questions by first trying to create a clear indicator of the Qing state’s capacity to modify medical discourse, starting at the published literate level. With the use of digital humanities tools and including many open-source databases, it is possible to see in clear terms the profile specific formulas had in the published medical records. The big pharmacies like the Tongrentang did not limit themselves to formulas they themselves allegedly invented, but rather they also co-opted previously existing formulas from a wide variety of origins, sometimes medieval or even ancient. Comparing the incidence of military formulas vs. Tongrentang (TRT) formulas across time, reaching back to the Song‑Jin‑Yuan Period (SJY, 960–1368), all relative to a control group as a baseline, can begin to illustrate the relative power of the state to enhance the profile of a specific formula.
Nearly all formulas distributed by the Qing or sold by the TRT which ultimately came from the medieval period begin at a consistently low textual incidence of 1‑2 texts per formula during the SJY and remain flat until the mid-Ming, when printing in all literary fields exploded. TRT formulas show a tendency to increase over time from the Ming (3.2 texts per formula) to the end of the Qing (10.1) – a factor of 3.2, noticeably higher than control at 2.7. The Qing government, when distributing medieval-era formulas, tended to select from high profile formulas, which increase from 7.45 in the early Ming to 35.25 by the late Qing texts – a factor of 4.3. But the Qing government often distributed TRT formulas to Qing soldiers. Such hybrid formulas skyrocketed in Qing texts, increasing by a factor of 7.85. It seems from this that Qing military distribution could have acted as a multiplier on TRT formulas, but this can only be seen most clearly when comparing these against military formulas totally unaffiliated with the TRT, where the factor actually increases – to 8.3. The Qing government was just as strong a multiplier as the most famous pharmacy in China, if not stronger.
The Unschuld manuscripts provide a glimpse into the efforts by physicians by the late Qing and early republican periods to determine the composition of such popular formulas, as the great pharmacies tended only to publish their applications, not their compositions. Formulas which came from the Qing’s Imperial Medical Academy Taiyiyuan 太醫院 were only recorded semi-officially in the private intra-government diaries and formularies of the Taiyiyuan and Imperial Pharmacy Yuyaofang 御藥房 physicians, which remained unpublished until modern times.
One group of military formulas stands out in terms of their relevance to the collection. They are those formulas which have an extremely limited or even negligible presence in the larger historical-literary record, yet were nonetheless distributed to Qing soldiers. It is in the Unschuld collection where some of the only historical records exist of what precisely these formulas (in total 14) consisted of and what they were used for by physicians. If Qing military distribution was a significant multiplier to a formula’s profile, then why did these formulas remain relatively obscure and appear only in practical literature? Analyzing the Unschuld manuscripts for patterns against the assumption that military distribution affected the formulas’ profiles offers clues. Despite all having virtually no presence in mainstream texts, medical or otherwise, some formulas can still be incredibly common across the practical domain. The drug Huanglianshangqingwan 黃連上清丸 “Pills with Rhizoma Coptidis to Clear the Upper Body” is an example of this, being invisible in medical and historical literature yet appearing in 52 separate manuscripts. At the other extreme is “Depression-Overcoming Harmony-Preserving Pill” Yuejubaohewan 越菊保和丸, which appears in only two.
Formulas were often obscure in literature but popular in manuscripts: cf. entry Huanglianshangqingwan 黃連上清丸 “Pills with Rhizoma Coptidis to Clear the Upper Body” from Wansangaodan 丸散膏丹 “Pills Powders Plasters and Elixirs”, p. 54. – SBB‑PK: Slg. Unschuld 8002 (Retrieved from http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000601F00000054)
Despite such range, most of the formulas exhibit a profound degree of standardization throughout the collection in spite of the fact that the published record could not have provided a conduit of communication between the authors of the manuscripts. The fact that many such formulas appear on the TRT catalogue would in theory account for this. Huanglianshangqingwan is regularly appended with variants of the catalogue’s claim that it “treats overabundance/fullness of heat/fire in the triple burner” 治三焦實火. Fenqingwulinwan 分清五淋丸 “Clear-Turbid Five Stranguaries Pill” is a counterexample. Being absent from the TRT catalogue, practitioners would have had to find its application of “treating heat evil of the bladder and a swollen and painful penis” elsewhere, yet not only is its composition very consistent across documents, but this application does even repeat verbatim. Where did this formula come from, if not from medical literature? The most immediate possibility is: directly from the Qing court. Fenqingwulinwan appears in at least two modern reconstructed private intra-government diaries or formularies, where their applications to bladder diseases were the same, but their compositions were inconsistent. The ingredients from the Unschuld documents, though, draw from the common ingredients from the government formularies. There is a possibility that composition diffused from the imperial court.
A concordance between imperial court use and the practical literature of the Unschuld manuscripts would not be unexpected. Using Chen Keji’s 陈可冀 systematic cataloguing of court medical cases in the Qing, one can find many obscure military formulas in use both at court in the Qing and in the manuscripts, such as Wujisanwan 五積散丸 (for cold affliction in the stomach), Jinyiqushuwan 金衣祛暑丸 (dispelling summerheat and unseasonal qi), Jiuqiniantongwan 九氣拈痛丸 (heart problems). The Qing court regularly used highly obscure formulas it shared with its soldiers, completely bypassing its own orthodox medical compilation, the “Golden Mirror of Medical Orthodoxy” 醫宗金鑒. Fully three-quarters of Qing military drugs do not appear in it, and half were absent from the Golden Mirror and yet were still used at court. The question remains, was it really the big pharmacies which were accounting for this concordance?
Only one obscure military formula is in the best position to approach this question. Xijiaoshangqingwan 犀角上清丸 “Rhinoceros Horn Upper-Body-Clearing Pill” did not appear on the TRT catalogue, was used at court (to treat heat related diseases), and also appears among the Unschuld manuscripts. The only records of its composition are four internal formularies, where the composition profile is inconsistent with only a few overlapping ingredients. Nonetheless, when appearing in the Unschuld documents its applications always include the treatment of heat, and virtually all of its ingredients named in the Unschuld collection can be found in at least one of the surviving internal formularies. The implication is a tempting hypothesis: The Qing imperial court dictated to the Qing and later practical medical domain, by bypassing medical literature, through subsidizing the pharmaceutical industry and dispersing specific formulas through military distribution. It was the state, not the pharmacies, which enhanced drug profiles. More research is needed of course.
A counterpoint to this hypothesis would be the interesting case of Pinganwan 平安丸 “Peace and Security Pill”, certainly the most enigmatic formula of the early modern period. A simple search through the catalogues of the First Historical Archives of China will reveal that this formula was nearly omnipresent in the Qing official sector from approximately the Yongzheng Period (1722–1735), being distributed to civil officials, generals, bannermen, regular soldiers. No other medical formula appears more commonly in military distribution records or even in civil or court records.
Pinganwan appears on the TRT catalogue as a formula for treating a number of ailments, including “the nine kinds of heart pain” jiuzhongxintong 九種心痛 and a variety of gastrointestinal pains and disorders. However, because of its ubiquity in Qing government, a variety of archival sources reveal it had a wide variety of incompatible applications. It was sent to the Manchu general Fukanggan (1644–1766) in the Miao campaigns of the 1790s to help cure summerheat stroke. In Nepal in 1793, a thousand soldiers received the drug to combat miasmas. In 1729, an official received it for exposure to cold pathogen – probably a febrile disease. In 1722 Emperor Yongzheng himself cut straight to the point and just called it a wonder drug. This gets even more complicated in a case from 1759, when in Xinjiang, a memorial from the Manchu general Zhao Hui thanked the emperor for a conferral containing pinganwan and xianglianwan, both explicitly labelled “such medicines which cure blade and firearm wounds”. I can find only very limited evidence within any state or private sources suggesting pinganwan was used to treat wounds, especially ones identified so specifically. The only relatively well-known text pinganwan appears in is Ma Wenzhi’s 1892 collection on external medicine, which omits its application.
Widely circulated Pinganwan was all but unknown in wider medicine: cf. entry Pinganwan 平安丸 “Peace and Security Pill”, p. 109. – SBB-PK: Slg. Unschuld 8222 (Retrieved from http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000608E00000109)
The mystery only compounds with the Unschuld collection, which has only a single entry of the drug, explicitly labeling it a “secret formula” mifang 秘方 and only very cursorily referencing aspects of its TRT description while giving only scant details of its composition. This is a departure from the normal experience when analyzing Qing military formulas in the Unschuld collection, which normally exhibit a reliable degree of standardization. However, in this case it is perhaps understandable as even Chen Keji could find no fewer than four separate recipes prevailing in the Qing period, each with highly inconsistent ingredients. The formula being in some sense secret cannot be an explanation for its inability to break out into larger discourse, as nothing could have been less of a secret in Qing government. At this point I speculate that the explanation lies at the top: Pinganwan was essentially a discretionary panacea, possibly influenced by the whims of imperial medical dilettantism, particularly of the emperor Yongzheng, who informally prescribed the drug to dozens of officials at a whim. Its resulting lack of standardization hampered any ability for it to circulate in the informally formatted system that was Qing practical medical discourse. This could explain how such a drug with such wide support from the state could have such a marginal impact outside of the state sector while allowing for the very real active correspondence between Qing medicine in government and in common medical practice. In the Qing, medical knowledge descended from state sectors via the military, but in many ways the halls of court, the offices of bureaucracy, and the garrisons of soldiers could each be their own medical worlds.
Vortrag im Rahmen von CrossAsia Talks am 20. 6. 2024
Hackathon zur Layouterkennung tibetischer Handschriften und Blockdrucke
/in ITR und Entwicklungen, Newsletter 33, Veranstaltungen/by Antje ZiemerAm 22. November findet in Dresden ein Hackathon statt – und CrossAsia ist dabei!
Gemeinsamen mit Experten von Silicon Saxony und dem KI Netzwerk Dresden arbeiten wir an einer KI-basierten Layouterkennung für tibetische Handschriften und Blockdrucke. Es werden dabei leistungsstarke Modelle wie YOLO, SAM2 und GroundingDino zur automatischen Erkennung von Layouts und hier auch Illustrationen sowie Textinhalten benutzt. Im nächsten Schritt können Open-Source-Language-Models wie LLaMA 3.1 oder APIs (z.B. ChatGPT) eingesetzt werden, um die gesammelten Daten zu analysieren und Zusammenhänge zwischen Texten und Bildern zu erschließen. So können Lösungen für den automatischen Vergleich von Textinhalten in historischen Dokumenten und deren Annotation entwickelt werden.
Die Veranstaltung ist ideal für alle, die sich für den Einsatz von DH-Methoden und ihren Einsatz bei vormodernen Objekten interessieren.
Alle Infos im Überblick finden Sie auf der Webseite des Hackathons.
Eine kostenfreie Anmeldung ist hier möglich.