Han-Han Dae Sajeon

Han-Han Dae Sajeon is the generic term for Korean hanja-to-hangul dictionaries. There are several such dictionaries from different publishers. The most comprehensive one, published by Dankook University Publishing, contains 53,667 Chinese characters and 420,269 compound words. This dictionary was a project of the Dankook University Institute of Oriental Studies, which started in June 1977 and was completed 28 October 2008, and cost 31 billion KRW, or US$25 million.^[1][2] The dictionary comprises 16 volumes (including an index volume) totalling over 20,000 pages.

In addition to the Han-Han Daesajeon, in 1966, Dankook University completed the “Dictionary of Korean Chinese Characters.” Composed of 4 volumes with more than 4,410 pages, this dictionary “catalogs Chinese characters made and used only by our Korean ancestors (182 characters) as well as examples of Chinese words with Korean usages (84,000 words). We are proud and hopeful that these two dictionaries will shine on for posterity as an invaluable contribution to our national culture.”^[2]

History

With no Chinese dictionaries with Korean translations, most Korean scholars were resigned to relying on Chinese dictionaries in foreign languages to interpret original Chinese texts. Dr. Choong-sik Chang, however, a dynamic young scholar and our university president at the time, saw a challenge. Dr. Chang soon brought Lee Hee-seung, the leading authority on Korean literature, to head the Institute of Oriental Studies at Dankook University. After much arduous preparations, scholars were invited as advisers in 1977 and as editors to start compilation in 1978. Even when the university foundation turned down the colossal project, financial difficulties beset the university and concerned senior scholars tried to dissuade him, Dr. Chang pushed even harder and convinced everyone that compiling a classical Chinese–Korean dictionary was a worthwhile project that would enrich our national culture. Dr. Choong-sik Chang, a 45 year-old university president when the project began, is now a 77 year-old scholar. Lee Hee-seung, Lee Ga-won, Kim Dong-wuk and other contributing scholars have now died. The once young editors have retired and editors the age of their grandchildren are picking up where they left off, dedicating their own youth to adding footnotes and making revisions to the dictionary. 200,000 people, 2.12 million pages of manuscript and 132,800 days later in 2009, Dankook University presented the Han-Han Daesajeon, the “Great Chinese–Korean Dictionary.” The completion of Dankook University’s Han-Han Daesajeon secures an essential tool needed for the studies of Korean literature. The scale of the existing large Chinese character dictionaries of other countries is as follows:(Dankook University News cross reference)

• – China’s Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Words: 23,000 characters, 380,000 words
• – Japan’s Great Chinese–Japanese Dictionary: 49,000 characters, 390,000 words
• – Taiwan’s Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Chinese Language: 50,000 characters, 400,000 words ^[2]

Others

Classical Chinese character dictionaries are an essential tool for accessing and understanding traditional humanities with a foundation in Chinese literature, not only in China but also in Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan. The first notable effort to compile a comprehensive classical Chinese character dictionary was made by Morohashi Tetsuji (1883–1982), a Japanese scholar. Tetsuji recognized the need and grew determined to compile a Chinese–Japanese Dictionary while studying abroad in China. Despite his manuscripts being burned in a fire during World War II, his publisher going bankrupt, and numerous other setbacks, after 32 years of collaborative work, the Dai Kan-Wa Jiten or “Great Chinese–Japanese Dictionary” was finally completed. Taiwan’s Defense Committee followed suit with a 10-year effort, along with the Academia Sinica, to complete the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Chinese Language.” In 1975, China also made the compilation of a Chinese character dictionary a national project. Collaboration attracted the participation of 43 universities, as well as numerous research centers and scholars nationwide, yielding the 12 volume Hanyu Da Cidian or “Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Words” in 1993 ^[2]

See also

• Dai Kan-Wa jiten
• Hanyu Da Cidian
• Hanyu Da Zidian
• Zhonghua Da Zidian
• Zhongwen Da Cidian

References

External links

• Dankook University Institute of Oriental Studies
• Han-Han Dae Sajeon
• Dankook University