A Study on the Sources of Lyrics in Botong gyoyuk changgajip (1910), Korea's First Modern Music Textbook: Based on the Characteristics and Significance of the New Lyrics

The purpose of this study is to report on the newly discovered Korean lyrics of Botong gyoyuk changgajip(1910) the first modern music textbook in Korea, and to shed light on textbook’s historical value by re-examining the characteristics of these lyrics. Both previously known and newly discovered sources for the 27 songs included in Botong gyoyuk changgajip were summarized and analyzed closely. Previously, only one traditional Korean song was identified; this study, however, found one more song, indicating that there were a total of two songs. The sources for three out of 13 songs of unknown origin were also newly identified. First, with its variety of rhymes and styles, changga lyrics were characterized as forming part of transitional songs from pre-modern to modern times. Second, when translating Japanese changa, lyrics with strong Japanese characteristics (e.g., Japanese history, geography, and military songs) were excluded. Third, the newly discovered lyrics were extracted from Joseon’s Sijo and Myeongsimbogam and reflected Joseon’s educational views and poetry. It was confirmed that Botong gyoyuk changgajip is not just another version of Japanese changa, but a textbook that attempted to contain Joseon’s cultural identity, even in limited political situations.