The Kagakushū (下学集, "Collection of Low/Mundane Studies"), alternatively read as Gegakushū, was a 1444 Japanese dictionary of Chinese characters arranged into semantic headings. The title alludes to Confucius' self-description in the Lunyu: 下学而上達 "My studies lie low, and my penetration rises high."[1]
The Kagakushū's colophon is dated 1444 CE, but does not name the dictionary's editor except for obscurely mentioning Tōroku Hanō (東麓破衲 "East-foothills Torn-robes"; possibly Hadō). Scholars presume this was a Muromachi Period Buddhist priest because Tōroku is a variant name for Tōzan (東山 "East Mountain"), which is the location of Kennin-ji (建仁寺), the head temple of the Sōtō school of Zen.[2]
The Kagakushū was one of the first Japanese dictionaries designed for common people rather than intelligentsia. In the lexicographical evolution of Japanese dictionaries, Nakao explains how
[R]eference books took a significant further step towards Japanese, and the dictionaries, which had been almost exclusively employed by scholars, priests, literati, and the learned minority of the country, consequently reached a wider audience and began to be used as practical guides to reading and writing. Moreover, the developing technology of printing enabled the literate public to obtain handy and practical dictionaries quite cheaply. Kagakushu (1444), produced in two volumes and edited by a monk in Kyoto, was a sort of Japanese language dictionary with encyclopedic information. It served as a textbook on Chinese characters and was reissued many times, each time with further additions.[3]
This anonymous Japanese dictionary, in two fascicles (kan 卷 "scroll; volume"), defines some 3000 words.[4] Head entries in the Jikyōshū give the kanji, Japanese readings in katakana to the right, definition, usage notes, and occasionally etymology. Collation for the entries involves 18 semantic headings, as shown below.
Compared with the semantic categorizations in earlier Japanese dictionaries such as the Wamyō Ruijushō or Iroha Jiruishō, these simplified 18 in the Kagakushū are easier to understand.
Many Kagakushū editions have an appendix entitled Tenkaku-shōji (点画小異字 "characters differing only by one stroke") that lists pairs like ya 冶 "smelt; cast" and chi 治 "govern; regulate".
The origins of the Kagakushū, like the Setsuyōshū, are associated with an early type of Japanese textbook used in Buddhist Terakoya private schools, the ōraimono (往来物, "correspondences; model letter book; copybook"). According to Don Bailey:
The Kagakushū, although only sparsely annotated, was in fact intended to serve as a small encyclopedia and textbook as well as a dictionary; the compiler, apparently realizing that many of the ōrai then in use were too detailed, cumbersome, and tome-like, condensed and abstracted from these texts in order to produce a reference tool containing minimally essential information and Chinese characters. That he succeeded is attested by the fact that over thirty copies of the Kagakushū have survived from the Muromachi period alone.[5]
Referencesedit
^. Chinese Classics & Translations. XIV.35. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
^Kamei, Takashi (1944). Kagakushū: Gennabon. Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. p. 137.
^Nakao, Keisuke (1998). "The state of bilingual lexicography in Japan: learners' English–Japanese / Japanese–English dictionaries". International Journal of Lexicography. 11 (1): 35–50. doi:10.1093/ijl/11.1.35. p. 37.
^Kaneko Akira 金子彰. (1996). "下学集 (Kagakushū)." In Nihon jisho jiten 日本辞書辞典 (The Encyclopedia of Dictionaries Published in Japan), Okimori Takuya 沖森卓也, et al., eds., pp. 50–52. Tokyo: Ōfū. ISBN4-273-02890-5 p. 51.
^Bailey, Don Clifford (1960). "Early Japanese Lexicography". Monumenta Nipponica. 16 (1/2 April/July): 1–52. doi:10.2307/2383355. JSTOR 2383355. p. 37.
kagakushū, 下学集, collection, mundane, studies, alternatively, read, gegakushū, 1444, japanese, dictionary, chinese, characters, arranged, into, semantic, headings, title, alludes, confucius, self, description, lunyu, 下学而上達, studies, penetration, rises, high, co. The Kagakushu 下学集 Collection of Low Mundane Studies alternatively read as Gegakushu was a 1444 Japanese dictionary of Chinese characters arranged into semantic headings The title alludes to Confucius self description in the Lunyu 下学而上達 My studies lie low and my penetration rises high 1 The Kagakushu s colophon is dated 1444 CE but does not name the dictionary s editor except for obscurely mentioning Tōroku Hanō 東麓破衲 East foothills Torn robes possibly Hadō Scholars presume this was a Muromachi Period Buddhist priest because Tōroku is a variant name for Tōzan 東山 East Mountain which is the location of Kennin ji 建仁寺 the head temple of the Sōtō school of Zen 2 The Kagakushu was one of the first Japanese dictionaries designed for common people rather than intelligentsia In the lexicographical evolution of Japanese dictionaries Nakao explains how R eference books took a significant further step towards Japanese and the dictionaries which had been almost exclusively employed by scholars priests literati and the learned minority of the country consequently reached a wider audience and began to be used as practical guides to reading and writing Moreover the developing technology of printing enabled the literate public to obtain handy and practical dictionaries quite cheaply Kagakushu 1444 produced in two volumes and edited by a monk in Kyoto was a sort of Japanese language dictionary with encyclopedic information It served as a textbook on Chinese characters and was reissued many times each time with further additions 3 This anonymous Japanese dictionary in two fascicles kan 卷 scroll volume defines some 3000 words 4 Head entries in the Jikyōshu give the kanji Japanese readings in katakana to the right definition usage notes and occasionally etymology Collation for the entries involves 18 semantic headings as shown below Classified headings in the Kagakushu Heading Rōmaji Kanji Subject 1 Tenchi 天地 nature 2 Jisetsu 時節 seasons 3 Jingi 神祇 Shintō deities 4 Jinrin 人倫 human relations 5 Kan i 官位 offices and ranks 6 Jinmei 人名 names of people 7 Kaoku 家屋 buildings 8 Kikei 気形 creatures 9 Shitai 支体 anatomy 10 Taigei 態芸 art and form 11 Kenpu 絹布 cloth 12 Inshoku 飲食 foods and drinks 13 Kizai 器材 utensils 14 Sōmoku 草木 plants 15 Saishiki 彩色 colors 16 Suryō 数量 weights and measures 17 Genji 言辞 miscellaneous words 18 Jōji 畳字 synonym compounds Compared with the semantic categorizations in earlier Japanese dictionaries such as the Wamyō Ruijushō or Iroha Jiruishō these simplified 18 in the Kagakushu are easier to understand Many Kagakushu editions have an appendix entitled Tenkaku shōji 点画小異字 characters differing only by one stroke that lists pairs like ya 冶 smelt cast and chi 治 govern regulate The origins of the Kagakushu like the Setsuyōshu are associated with an early type of Japanese textbook used in Buddhist Terakoya private schools the ōraimono 往来物 correspondences model letter book copybook According to Don Bailey The Kagakushu although only sparsely annotated was in fact intended to serve as a small encyclopedia and textbook as well as a dictionary the compiler apparently realizing that many of the ōrai then in use were too detailed cumbersome and tome like condensed and abstracted from these texts in order to produce a reference tool containing minimally essential information and Chinese characters That he succeeded is attested by the fact that over thirty copies of the Kagakushu have survived from the Muromachi period alone 5 References edit Lun Yu The Analects of Confucius translated by Legge and Lau to English and Couvreur to French Chinese Classics amp Translations XIV 35 Archived from the original on 27 September 2007 Retrieved 6 May 2021 Kamei Takashi 1944 Kagakushu Gennabon Tōkyō Iwanami Shoten p 137 Nakao Keisuke 1998 The state of bilingual lexicography in Japan learners English Japanese Japanese English dictionaries International Journal of Lexicography 11 1 35 50 doi 10 1093 ijl 11 1 35 p 37 Kaneko Akira 金子彰 1996 下学集 Kagakushu In Nihon jisho jiten 日本辞書辞典 The Encyclopedia of Dictionaries Published in Japan Okimori Takuya 沖森卓也 et al eds pp 50 52 Tokyo Ōfu ISBN 4 273 02890 5 p 51 Bailey Don Clifford 1960 Early Japanese Lexicography Monumenta Nipponica 16 1 2 April July 1 52 doi 10 2307 2383355 JSTOR 2383355 p 37 External links edit下学集 first page of Kagakushu Tsukuba University 下学集の複写 Kagakushu entry for 楝 Chinaberry Tomitaro Makino Manuscript scans at Waseda University Library 1669 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kagakushu amp oldid 1189801019, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
