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영어

In the 20th century, the Chinese Literature Community in South Korea studied Chinese classical literature as a requirement and trained many researchers, but it did not question the reasons for studying it. The purpose of this essay is to examine the context in which we have studied this field, to understand the essence of Chinese classical literature studies, and to reflect on its implications for current scholarship, society, and human life. To this end, we first reviewed the definitions and categories of Chinese classical studies, outlined the nature and development of the field, and summarized some of the key aspects of classical studies. Secondly, to gain an overview of what has been studied and researched about Chinese literature in Korea over the past two decades, we analyzed the current status of two journals published in Korea and examined domestic master/doctoral's theses and monographs, discussing their characteristics and areas for improvement. Third, to discuss the changes and innovations that Chinese classical studies should pursue in the future, we examined several perspectives, including Chinese classics as a driving force for literary development, the two-way exploration of Chinese classics as both Korean and foreign literature, interdisciplinary research with other fields, and the study of classical literature in universities. Chinese classical literature is the most familiar foreign literature in Korea, and it is clear that this long-admired tradition has been integrated into Korean society’s culture, contributing in various ways to the creation of a new cultural identity. These are the conditions that enable us to approach Chinese literature positively as we study and research classical Chinese literature. By approaching the nature and characteristics of Chinese literature from an objective and scientific perspective, we can expand into new areas and foster convergence and cross-fertilization in the study of classical literature in the future.