A Study on Chen-Xuan's Commentary on Sohak(小學)

This paper examines the reasons why Chen-Xuan(陳選)'s Sohak-jipju(小學集註) is also known as Sohak-Gudu(小學句讀) and Sohak-Jeungju(小學增註), as well as the extent of its publication throughout East Asia and its significance in the region. Although it cannot be confirmed with absolute certainty, it is believed that the Sohak-jipju was first compiled in 1469, and after some modifications, it was published under the name Sohak-Gudu in 1473. At some point later, it was included in the Sohak-jipjudaejeon(小學集註大全) with additional annotations by Wu- Nu(吳訥) and Chen-Zuo(陳祚), gaining the title Jeungju(增註). Chen-Xuan's Sohak-jipju continued to be published in China from 1469 until the late Qing(淸) dynasty and had significant influence not only in China but also in Korea and Japan. In Korea, although a 1634 Chinese woodblock edition of Sohak-jipju is preserved, it seems that Chen-Xuan's work was never published locally. Instead, with the introduction of the Sohak-jipjudaejeon, Yulgok Lee-Yi (栗谷 李珥) compiled the Sohak-Jaegajipju(小學諸家集註) in 1597, incorporating contents from Chinese annotations by He-Shixin(何士信)'s Sohak-jipseong, Wang-Ao(王鏊)'s Sohak-jipjudaejeon, and Cheng-Yu(程愈)'s Sohak-jipseol. This indicates that the prior research suggesting that Sohak-Gudu spread to Japan through Korea is likely incorrect. In contrast, in Japan, after the introduction of Sohak-Gudu around the mid-1600s, Chen-Xuan's annotations were continuously published, particularly in Tokyo(東京), Kyoto(京都), and Osaka(大阪), from 1656 to 1934. Osaka was a notable center for these publications. During the Meiji era, publication efforts intensified, with annotated editions being produced by publishing houses and distributed nationwide through bookstores. This indicates a sustained and widespread influence of Chen- Xuan's Commentary on Sohak in Japan throughout this period.