새 자료 번역필사본 『망남□』에 대하여

Abstract

This study introduces the Hangul version of the recently discovered Mangnama and discusses its textual characteristics and value. The Hangul version of the Mangnama is a translated version of the Qing淸Dynasty novel Mangnaner(莽男兒). The main theme of the novel concerns the story of the hero Dong Manger(董蟒儿), who was born with the spirit of the otter. Specifically, the novel deals with Dong Manger stepping into adulthood, his alliance with salt smugglers, and the revolts and battles leading up to his crushing of the Boniguo(浡泥国).BR The Chinese novel Mangnaner was also recently discovered and is considered the oldest existing novel about the Nodalchi(老獺稚) fable in the East Asian region. Moreover, the Mangnaner was printed during the period of the Qing Dynasty and is currently housed in China, but it is bound in the manner of the Joseon朝鮮Dynasty. This means that it was a Chinese novel that found its way into Joseon during the rule of the Joseon Dynasty.BR The Hangul version of the Mangnama is currently kept at the Yonsei University Library. Of a total of five books, only the last in the series, Juanzhiwu(卷之五), still remains. It is titled Namajeon(男兒傳) and Mangnama is written on its first page. The book has a total of 120 pages and uses a very elegant, semi-cursive style found in Joseon court writing.BR The most important characteristic of this book is that it was translated and read within the Joseon royal family. At the bottom of its first page is an imprint, yeongbinbangyin(暎嬪房印), where yeongbin(暎嬪) refers to Yeong bin Lee(暎嬪李氏, 1696～1764), who was both the royal concubine of King Yeongjo(英祖1694～1776) and the birth mother of Prince Sado (思悼世子,1735～1762).BR Just like the Hangul version of the Mangnama, there are two other novels, Sonbangyeoni andMumogwangjeongchungnok, with yeongbinbangyin stamped in them that were stored at Nakseonjae(樂善齋).BR Currently, both novels are stored at the Jangseokak Archives at the Academy of Korean Studies. Both novels were kept and handed down through generations of the royal family, and while they are known through document lists maintained by the royal family, the Hangul version of the Mangnama introduced in this study was a work whose existence could not be confirmed through records of any kind.BR The most significant feature about this novel, however, is that it is a novel translated in a relatively early period of the mid- to late-18th century and, more specifically, it is an important piece of literature that was read in the royal family, particularly by Yeongbin Lee. It can be hoped that many more translated novels will come to light to aid the study of the diverse reading culture of the Joseon Dynasty.