‘Cheongguk Pyo Ryudo’, Viewing 19th Century Qing Dynasty Society and Life Through Japanese Eyes … Pukyong National University Publishes Marine Humanities Data Series

Cheongguk Pyo Ryudo.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Duyul] Pukyong National University has translated and published "Cheongguk Pyoryudo" (Somyung Publishing), which depicts early 19th-century Qing Dynasty society and lifestyle through the eyes of Japanese people.

Published as the fifth volume in the marine humanities series by Pukyong University's Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, this book is a drift record written by a Japanese person who drifted to the Qing Dynasty and later returned.

It provides very detailed descriptions of urban areas and ports in the Jiangnan region of the Qing Dynasty, as well as rural landscapes and famous scenic spots.

The book was authored by Moriyama Teijiro and translated by Professor Emeritus Park Hwajin and HK Professor Seo Gwangdeok.

The diary, titled "Cheongguk Pyoryu Ilgi," was written by Captain Moriyama Teijiro, who recorded the journey of 29 people including Satsuma Domain officials such as Hashiguchi Senpaku Shoho, departing from Naha in the Ryukyu Kingdom, arriving at Haimen in Jiangsu Province, China, and entering Nagasaki, Japan from Zhapu in Zhejiang Province. It was compiled into "Cheongguk Pyoryudo" in 1814.

This book realistically expresses the process of the drifters returning from the regions where they settled and their specific impressions of those areas.

It is recognized for its historical and literary value as it helps understand official records and the zeitgeist of maritime exchanges in East Asia before the modern era.

The illustrations included in the book depict the Qing Dynasty as seen by the Japanese, especially providing very detailed portrayals of the Jiangnan region in China, making it a valuable resource for East Asian researchers to access early 19th-century Qing society, commoners' lifestyles, and Japanese self and other perceptions.

Since the original text was written in early Edo period cursive script Hentaigana (???名), which has not been fully interpreted into modern Japanese, it was difficult for general researchers to use. This time, the original text was typeset and translated into Korean, receiving favorable evaluations.

Professor Park Hwajin said, "This book is an excellent resource not only for premodern East Asian drift studies but also for comparative studies of urban and rural history and folk lifestyles," adding, "It is expected to be widely used as foundational material for future comparative studies of maritime exchanges in East Asia."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.