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[MIS24-06] The origin of the word "fuseki"
Keywords:fuseki, pumice, Koshu-ki, Gotofu
In this presentation, we will organize the fragmentary information on the origin and source of the word "fuseki" by referring to the Chinese classics and their references. The word "fuseki (floating stones, in Japanese pronunciation)" had been once widely used as a technical term for pumice crust.
In most cases, various dictionaries and encyclopedias called "ruisho" in the Chinese character culture sphere, including the herbal books, contain books that are based on the original text or Chinese classical literature (Wu, 2023). Furthermore, even if it is found that an old description is incorrect, it is not deleted but left as it is, and a description is added based on a new reference. In other words, it is possible to trace the history of the word under investigation by using the references as a clue. Therefore, to investigate the history of the Chinese word "fuseki", I confirmed with following three points using their references: ① the description of "fuseki" in the herbal books, ② the description of "fuseki" in the "Wamyo-rui-ju-sho", and ③ the description of the character "fu (floating)" in the Chinese character Dictionary.
① Descriptions of "fuseki" in the herbal books
The descriptions of " fuseki " in herbal books written by Japanese people during the Edo period basically quote Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu)" published in AD1596. On the description of "fuseki", Li Shizhen referred to "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo (in Japanese pronunciation)", which was compiled around the 10th century. The original of "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo" has been lost, but "Compendium of Materia Medica" states that the source of "fuseki" in "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo" was a book called "Koshu-ki (in Japanese pronunciation. Jiaozhou ji in Chinese)". The item "fuseki" cannot be found in herbal books prior to "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo". "Koshu-ki" is said to have been written by Liu Xinji during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD), but it no longer exists. It is quoted in the encyclopedia of the Song Dynasty, Taiping Yulan (977-983 AD) and there are restored books called "Koshu-ki" based on the quoted text. We can read the social and political conditions at that time from the sentences in the "Koshu-ki". Specifically, it means that, from the Chinese perspective, the rule of Koshu (northern Vietnam) by the Wu Dynasty (222-280 AD) and the rebels against it, and while from the Vietnamese perspective, such as the resistance and independence movement by the people.
② Description of "fuseki" in "Wamyo-rui-ju-sho"
"Wamyo-Rui-ju-sho" is said to have been established during 931-938 AD and is a representative Chinese Japanese character dictionary of the mid-Heian period compiled by Minamoto Shitagou. In this book, it is written in Man'yōgana (old style Japanese characters) that the Japanese name of "fuseki" (Chinese) is "Karuishi” which means pumice in Japanese. According to the revised edition of "Wamyo-Rui-ju-sho" that has been handed down, the Chinese book in which "fuseki" appears is written as "Bunshu-ki (in Japanese pronunciation)", but in 1883, Kariya Ekisai who was the specialist of evidential textual research corrected it to "Koshu-ki" in his book "Sen-chū Wamyo-rui-ju-sho".
③ Descriptions in the Chinese characters dictionary
Regarding the history of the Chinese character “fu (floating)”, the Kangxi Dictionary, a Chinese character dictionary established in 1716 AD, states that the word “fuseki (floating stones)” appears in the “Gotofu (in Japanese pronunciation. Wu Du Fu in Chinese)” written by Zuo Si (AD252-AD307?) in the Western Jin Dynasty. “Gotofu” is included in the collection of writings entitled “Wen Xuan” (established around the 6th century). “Wen Xuan” have been introduced to Japan as known as Monzen (in Japanese pronunciation) during the Nara period at the latest.
From the above survey for classic texts, it was found that the word “fuseki” appears in the document “Koshu-ki"” in ① and ②, and in the document “Gotofu” in ③. In “Gotofu”, there is a passage that says “floating stones are like a raft”, which is written in modern Japanese as “Karushi wa ikada no gotoshi”. Furthermore, in “Koshu-ki", it is written that “fuseki” were floating in the sea. If these descriptions of "fuseki" at that time are based on observations of natural phenomena, it might suggest that a large-scale event of drift pumice occurred around the 3rd century when the Wu Dynasty had existed in this area.
In most cases, various dictionaries and encyclopedias called "ruisho" in the Chinese character culture sphere, including the herbal books, contain books that are based on the original text or Chinese classical literature (Wu, 2023). Furthermore, even if it is found that an old description is incorrect, it is not deleted but left as it is, and a description is added based on a new reference. In other words, it is possible to trace the history of the word under investigation by using the references as a clue. Therefore, to investigate the history of the Chinese word "fuseki", I confirmed with following three points using their references: ① the description of "fuseki" in the herbal books, ② the description of "fuseki" in the "Wamyo-rui-ju-sho", and ③ the description of the character "fu (floating)" in the Chinese character Dictionary.
① Descriptions of "fuseki" in the herbal books
The descriptions of " fuseki " in herbal books written by Japanese people during the Edo period basically quote Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu)" published in AD1596. On the description of "fuseki", Li Shizhen referred to "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo (in Japanese pronunciation)", which was compiled around the 10th century. The original of "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo" has been lost, but "Compendium of Materia Medica" states that the source of "fuseki" in "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo" was a book called "Koshu-ki (in Japanese pronunciation. Jiaozhou ji in Chinese)". The item "fuseki" cannot be found in herbal books prior to "Nikkashi-Shoka-Honzo". "Koshu-ki" is said to have been written by Liu Xinji during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD), but it no longer exists. It is quoted in the encyclopedia of the Song Dynasty, Taiping Yulan (977-983 AD) and there are restored books called "Koshu-ki" based on the quoted text. We can read the social and political conditions at that time from the sentences in the "Koshu-ki". Specifically, it means that, from the Chinese perspective, the rule of Koshu (northern Vietnam) by the Wu Dynasty (222-280 AD) and the rebels against it, and while from the Vietnamese perspective, such as the resistance and independence movement by the people.
② Description of "fuseki" in "Wamyo-rui-ju-sho"
"Wamyo-Rui-ju-sho" is said to have been established during 931-938 AD and is a representative Chinese Japanese character dictionary of the mid-Heian period compiled by Minamoto Shitagou. In this book, it is written in Man'yōgana (old style Japanese characters) that the Japanese name of "fuseki" (Chinese) is "Karuishi” which means pumice in Japanese. According to the revised edition of "Wamyo-Rui-ju-sho" that has been handed down, the Chinese book in which "fuseki" appears is written as "Bunshu-ki (in Japanese pronunciation)", but in 1883, Kariya Ekisai who was the specialist of evidential textual research corrected it to "Koshu-ki" in his book "Sen-chū Wamyo-rui-ju-sho".
③ Descriptions in the Chinese characters dictionary
Regarding the history of the Chinese character “fu (floating)”, the Kangxi Dictionary, a Chinese character dictionary established in 1716 AD, states that the word “fuseki (floating stones)” appears in the “Gotofu (in Japanese pronunciation. Wu Du Fu in Chinese)” written by Zuo Si (AD252-AD307?) in the Western Jin Dynasty. “Gotofu” is included in the collection of writings entitled “Wen Xuan” (established around the 6th century). “Wen Xuan” have been introduced to Japan as known as Monzen (in Japanese pronunciation) during the Nara period at the latest.
From the above survey for classic texts, it was found that the word “fuseki” appears in the document “Koshu-ki"” in ① and ②, and in the document “Gotofu” in ③. In “Gotofu”, there is a passage that says “floating stones are like a raft”, which is written in modern Japanese as “Karushi wa ikada no gotoshi”. Furthermore, in “Koshu-ki", it is written that “fuseki” were floating in the sea. If these descriptions of "fuseki" at that time are based on observations of natural phenomena, it might suggest that a large-scale event of drift pumice occurred around the 3rd century when the Wu Dynasty had existed in this area.