1．Classical Japanese (Foreign Language) Learning

        In classical East Asia Chinese was used as the lingua franca; Chinese knowledge was necessary in various fields, such as diplomacy and trade, and in academic exchange. The names of interpreters Kuratsukuri no Fukuri, who accompanied Ono Imoko, Japan's envoy to Sui Dynasty China and Tarumi no Hirondo, who accompanied the envoy to Tang China can be found in Japan's records, in the year 607. I wonder how interpreter training was carried out in the Japan of that time.

        On one hand, following the Battle of Baekgang (663), torajin (people from overseas, especially from China and Korea) began to move to Japan from Kudara (Paekche). Entering the 8th century, there were also naturalised people from Tang Dynasty China, who were granted Japanese names and court ranks, and actively participated in various fields. Moreover, there were people within Japan who came from various contiental Asian regions and spoke different languages, such as the envoys from Bohai (a country that existed from 698–926 covering an area from Manchuria to costal Russia) that frequently visited. I wonder how they learnt Japanese at that time. Let's sum up how Japanese language learning and interpreter training are recorded.

2. Joseon Dynasty Era Japanese Language Study Books

        In the Joseon Dynasty Era (1392–1910), a Joseon government interpreter school was established for the official interpreter training institutions necessary in diplomatic work, where Chinese and Manchurian was taught as well as Japanese. Works like "Ijimi" (1492), "Shokai Shingo" (1676) by Kang Woosung, and "Ringo Taiho" (completion year unknown) were created as Japanese study books. In particular, "Shokai Shingo" is said to have been the study book of the official interpreter who accompanied the Joseon misson when they travelled in the Edo period. Let's summarise the features of the completion process of the study books created in the Joseon.

3. Tang Interpretation

        The interpreters who had the heavy responsibility of foreign trade negotiations were called yakkan (official interpreters), yakushi or tsuji (通詞  or 通事) (all three words translating as interpreters). In the Edo era, the interpreters responsible for Korean, the Dutch interpreters responsible for Chinese and Dutch, were based in the so–called To Tsuji (Tang interpreter) as their headquarters in Nagasaki. Let's summarise what the difference between tsuji (通詞) and tsuji (通事) is, and the organisation and acitivities of the To Tsuji.

4. Korean Interpreter Amenomori Hoshu

        Amenomori Hoshu (1668–1755) learned Korean going across to the Busan Yamatokan. He cooperated in the compilation of the "Wagoruikai" Japanese dictionary and created Korean language primer "Korin Suchi." Comprised of conversational sentences, this book was used as a study book for a long time, until the Meiji period. In the mordern day there are those who highly value his thoughts and actions as a guide in an internationalised era. Let us summarise Amenomori Hoshu's ideal in regards to language learning and interpreter training and Hoshu's achievements.

5. Japanese Language Study in the Ming Dynasty Era

        In China, Japanese studies and Japanese language research flourished in the Ming era. At that time, works such as "Nihon Ikkan," "Nihon Yakugo," and "Nihonfu Doki" were known as compiled books. Let's summarise the features of the description related to the Japanese language, against the backdrop of a series of books relating to Japan being produced in the Ming era. 

©2014 Yoshimi OGAWA