6th International Symposium Oriental Studies

The 6 th International Symposium on Oriental Ancient Documents Studies 24 diction, as well as content of the copies of the glossaries in the collection of the Palace Museum Library are more or less the same. Among the glossaries only Indian Sutra of Reciting the True Names , Chinese-Boyi Language Glossary , and Vernacular of Ryukyu ( Liuqiu tuyu ) differ in style. In 1925, when the Palace Museum was established, these books were discovered in the Office of Military Strategy ( Fanglue guan ) affiliated to the Grand Council of State ( Junji chu ). These are precious materials for the studies of ethnic linguistics as well as history of translation of languages used in the 18 th c. Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and Southwestern China. At present, various versions of these glossaries have not yet been properly sorted out. Nevertheless, judging from paper, cover and form of binding, the copies in the collection of the Palace Museum Library should be those originally belonging to the Grand Council of State. Based on historical literature including Veritable Records of the Qing-dynasty Emperor Gaozong ( Qing Gaozong chun huangdi shilu ), Imperially Approved Collected Precedents of the Great Qing ( Qingding da Qing huidian shili ), and contemporary studies such as The Chinese-Foreign Language Glossaries (one version of Chinese- Xifan Language Glossary , and four versions of Chinese-Guoluo Language Glossary ) by Matsukawa Takashi and Sun Bojun, Research on Chinese- Foreign Language Glossaries by Mr. Sun Hongkai, and The Compilation of Chinese-English Glossary and Questions Concerning Chinese-Western Language s Glossaries by Huang Xingtao, the author looks into the institutions in charge of compiling these glossaries, combs through the course of their compilation, and in the meantime discusses the types, styles, and content of the glossaries in the Palace Museum collection. These are rare resources for the public. Key words: Chinese-Foreign language glossary, ancient China, ethnic groups, Palace Museum Library.