[KS] Map of Seoul; 경조오부도(京兆五部圖) in Hangul at AGS Library, Milwaukee, WI

[Frank Hoffmann]

Very sorry -- two correction, otherwise this is misleading:

(1) "these are maps from 1945 and after"
    --> 1845 (of course)

(2) "1. Is the map an original from the 18th century, or is it a late 
19th century copy where Hanja has been substituted by Han'gŭl, or is it 
even a forgery?"
    --> Got myself confused: it cannot be a "late 19th century copy," 
exactly because of what Professor Ledyard found about place name and 
orthographic changes. So, the issue is reduced to original or forgery 
then.

Best,
Frank


On Thu, 4 Jul 2013 06:25:03 -0700, Frank Hoffmann wrote:
> Yoo Kwang-On wrote:
>> 
>> Can you kindly post a couple of images of the maps you are talking about?
> 
> 
> I am lost here, with this request. … The maps I am talking about??? 
> 
> To summarize:
> 
> 06/30: Gari Ledyard shares his wonderful article with us, entitled "A 
> Unique 18th-Century Korean Map," about a map with placenames given in 
> Han'gŭl, a map he names "Gabor map" after is present owner. Professor 
> Ledyard does a very interesting analysis of the place names in that 
> map, looking at name changes in the later Chosŏn period and also at 
> orthographic changes; and he also makes notes on stylistic issues 
> (crude way of writing Han'gŭl) and the physical state of the map. From 
> his solid analysis of the place name changes and the orthographic 
> changes, he comes to the clear conclusion that this is a 18th century 
> product--and the physical condition does not indicate any objections to 
> that either. That makes it the first all-Han'gŭl map in Korea! It is 
> therefore a very essential piece of historical evidence.
> 
> Now, because of this, we have to tread this as a "collector's item" 
> with cultural-historical and historical importance, just like an 
> important work of "art"--not just as a map like a geographer would look 
> at a map. From that point of view, what Professor Ledyard "left out" in 
> his analysis, and I think that was smart and makes sense from his 
> expertise in history and linguistics, that is: (a) ownership history 
> (who owned the map since it was produced, how did it end up at an 
> auction in Europe, and which auction?) And (b) a physical and chemical 
> examination of the map … for paper and ink, though, are almost 
> impossible to date if they are older than the 1910s. And the "age of 
> its paper, based on its coloration" (footnote 10) is really not at all 
> acceptable, and I am not sure why the consulted expert,  Prof. Lee 
> Seung-chul, would have said so. The coloration of any paper, both 
> Western papers and hanji, varies *widely* depending on the archival 
> conditions over the centuries. The same is true for ink. In addition to 
> the superb analysis given by Professor Ledyard these would be essential 
> pieces of evidence when trying look into the issue if such a map is 
> original or a forgery. (This should please not be misconstrued as 
> criticism. I am just pointing to the second part of an analysis 
> necessary to evaluate what we have there, an analysis that should be 
> done.)
> 
> 06/30: I pointed out that the OTHER map Professor Ledyard referred to, 
> a later map that he said seems to have been known as the first one with 
> place names in Han'gŭl, actually had no Han'gŭl names but rendered the 
> Korean prounciation of place names in Roman letters. 
> 
> 07/02: Henny Savenije also pointed to two images of that and a related 
> map on his website.
>        I noted the book publication and an article by Professor 
> Jin-Mieung Li from France, who had discussed at the mentioned 
> Roman-letter map by Kim Tae-gŏn and then other early Han'gŭl-only maps, 
> all at the Département des Cartes et Plans, Bibliothè que Nationale 
> de France. Again, these are maps from 1945 and after -- NOT from the 
> 18th century like the Gabor map. And I tried to make clear in this 
> posting already that there there are various other such maps in Hang'ŭl 
> from that mid- and later 19th century.
> 07/02: Now Yoo Kwang-On says "here is another one" and points to a map 
> from 1883-1887, from time of the "opening" of Korea, where the U.S., 
> Germany, France, Russia, etc. do establish embassies in Korea, etc.  
> Yes sure, that is no surprise, and naturallt there are quite a number 
> of these from the late 19th century--but *not* from the 18th century.
> 
> 
> What I think are the most essential questions:
> 
> 1. Is the map an original from the 18th century, or is it a late 19th 
> century copy where Hanja has been substituted by Han'gŭl, or is it even 
> a forgery? I am not suggesting either one here; these are just the 
> usual questions and issues that have to be resolved when buying a used 
> car: one needs to check under the hood. Above mentioned ownership 
> history and physical examination and possibly chemical analysis would 
> be needed. 
> 
> 2. Given the Gabor map is original, then how does that change our 
> knowledge and perception of the use of Han'gŭl in the 18th century? 
> Does it mean that commoners were using maps to travel. (I can hardly 
> imagine that!) 
> 
> 
> Best,
> Frank Hoffmann 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------
> Frank Hoffmann
> http://koreanstudies.com

--------------------------------------
Frank Hoffmann
http://koreanstudies.com