A research team, led by Prof. Song Jin-han from the Dept. of Korean Education, has recently conducted a project, funded by Korea Research Foundation. Prof. Lee Deung-yeon from the Dept. of Chinese Lang. & Lit. has been participating in the project along with other seventeen research members. In May 2003, the research team reported they found some literary works including Chinese modern novels depicting Korea, modern plays, a Chinese poem collection
Manseoneumcho
written in the 1930
s, and a literary work in Japanese written by a Korean writer, etc. Along with the achievement, the team successfully explored two hundred pieces of literary works additionally while visiting China for the investigation. The newly discovered works include
Jahitaehu Yomsayoni (a romance novel)
and
Chosun Akbu.
In August 2002, Korea Research Foundation selected Prof. Song
s team as a grant awardee of the Korean Classical Literature Studies. The team
s research project, entitled \"An Exploration and Research of Korean Materials-based Literary Works by Korean & Chinese in Modern Era,\" focuses on exploring Chinese literary works made in modern transitional period. The research team examined a great number of inbound transferred literary works, which have not been investigated, and discovered unveiled materials found in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Taiwan, and Manchuria while they traveled the areas. Based on the materials they researched, they built an archival database and entered the investigated data for a project of translation into Korean. After completing the translation project, the team will hold a workshop for interim reporting. At the beginning of the next year, a collection of data, containing 2 million-word materials, will be published. A member of the research team said, \"There were some Chinese literary works depicting Korea, written from 1919 through 1935. However, in the period between 1840 and 1919, no studies on the literary works about Korea have been performed.\" Due to the language barriers and the lack of data and materials relating to Chinese literary works, Korean scholars did not dare to start the investigation. In this respect, Prof. Song
s study has more significance to give primary data for studying the images of Korea described within the works. A collection of explored works and materials will be republished as the research team completes the project. Prof. Song
s research project is expected to bring more successful results with the researchers
efforts.