The first and complete version of Hangul Hong Gildong Discovered

19세기 중반 전주서 간행한 '홍길동전' 원간본 최초 발굴
임동근 기자  / 기사승인 : 2021-02-19 05:00:03
전주 내 각기 다른 출판사서 인쇄한 36장본·35장본 두 종류
유춘동 강원대 교수, 인천·강릉의 개인 소장자에게서 확인

 

 

19세기 중반 전주서 간행한 ′홍길동전′ 원간본 최초 발굴

 

 

 

Hong Gil-dong jeon (洪吉童傳, The Biography of Hong Gildong), set in the Joseon Dynasty where social discrimination was severe, is considered a representative novel of the classical Korean era that dreamed of such a social transformation.

For a long time, this novel was considered to have been written by Heo Gyun 許筠 (허균, 1569–1618), a politician and literary writer during the middle of the Joseon Dynasty period, but recently the author is unknown, and there is a strong objection that it was written in the late Joseon Dynasty.

 

Two editions of Hong Gil-dong, published in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do in the mid-19th century, have been discovered  complete with the entire narrative. 

 

Jeonju, which was specially treated as the birthplace of the dynasty throughout the Joseon Dynasty era, was also called Wanju or Wansanju, so the books published here are called Wanpanbon, Wanju-edition after the first letter of the place name.

 

 

경판京版 홍길동전 1847년 간행 낱장본

 

 

There are four known versions of Hong Gil-dong, published in the late Joseon Dynasty. In addition to Wanpanbon, these include the Gyeongseong edition printed in Seoul, the Anseong edition printed in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, and the manuscript.

 

However, the Wanpanbon version of Hong Gil-dong, discovered this time, is the first original published in several later books. This is evaluated as evidence that Hong Gil-dong was written in the late Joseon Dynasty.

 

 

프로페서 춘동 유

 

 

Professor Yoo Chun-dong of the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Kangwon National University, who majores in cultural history of the Joseon Dynasty, said on the 19th that he recently found two kinds of 36 sheet, and 35 sheet Wanpanbon edition of the original novel” published in the mid-19th century.

 

Each of these versions is owned by individuals.

 

During the late Joseon Dynasty period, as novels become popular among the common people, the 'Hangul Banggakbon novels' appeared in woodblock printing to supply novels in large quantities.

 

Hangul Banggakbon novels were published in regions with active economic activities such as Seoul, Anseong, and Jeonju. Hangul Banggakbon novels refer to works that have been translated or written in Korean and published locally or privately. 

 

 

완판完版 36장본 완간본

 

 

Such novels were published in regions with active economic activity, such as Seoul, Anseong, and Jeonju. 

 

The original editions of Honggildong unearthed this time were printed at Wanseo (完西) and Wansan (完山), which were representative Banggakbon publishing houses in Jeonju during the late Joseon Dynasty era. 

 

According to Professor Yoo, the complete edition of Honggil-dong was first published in the form of 36 sheet (72 pages) edition at Wanseo in 1857.

 

 

35장본 원간본의 보각본

 

As this book gained popularity, in 1860, its rival Wansan published 35 sheet edition of Hon Gildong.

 

Prof. Yoo said, "It is not known when the 36 sheet edition Hong Gil-Dong, but other novels printed in the same form were found to have been published in 1857, so the date of publication can be estimated. 35 sheet edition Hong Gildong can be seen as being published in Wansan in 1860 in the same way."

 

 

완판본의 간기. 완서 방각소의 간기