An Exploration of Chinese Novel Art in the Prefaces and Postscripts of Ancient Korean Novels - Focusing on Commentaries, Chapter-novel form, and Annotations

The prefaces and postscripts of ancient Korean novels are not only a manifestation of literary form but also a testament to the cultural exchange and interaction between Korea and China. This article explores the cultural and literary value of the prefaces and postscripts of ancient Korean novels, as well as their exchange with the art of Chinese novels. In the introduction, the concepts of “preface,” “postscript,” and “prefaces and postscripts” are defined to clarify their basic meanings and functions, laying a theoretical foundation. Subsequently, the article provides an overview of the general situation of the prefaces and postscripts of ancient Korean novels, revealing their significant position in the history of Korean literature and demonstrating their role in literary criticism. In the second part, the article explores the interaction and exchange between the prefaces and postscripts of ancient Korean novels and the art of Chinese novels, particularly in the aspects of commentary, chapter structure, and criticism. Korean literati's comments on Chinese novels show their deep understanding and research of Chinese literature, including both high praise and critical opinions. Their understanding of the “chapter structure” reveals their in-depth study of the form of Chinese novels, reflecting attention to and imitation of this unique structure. The focus on “novel criticism” further highlights Korean literati's learning and borrowing of Chinese literary criticism methods, which enhanced their own literary criticism levels. In conclusion, Through the exploration of Chinese novelistic art in the prefaces and postscripts of ancient Korean novels, this article reveals the profound origins and the importance of cross-cultural exchange between the literatures of Korea and China. It provides new perspectives and methods for the study of East Asian literature.