Sangoku Tsūran Zusetsu
Sangoku Tsūran Zusetsu by Hayashi Shihei was published in Japan in 1785. This book represents one of the earliest attempts to define Japan in terms of its outer boundaries. It represented a modern effort to distinguish Japan from the neighboring nations.
The book describes the Joseon Dynasty, the Ryukyu Kingdom, Ezo and the Ogasawara Islands.
A copy of Sangoku Tsūran Zusetsu was brought to Europe by Isaac Titsingh. In Paris, the text represented the first appearance of Korean han'gŭl in Europe. After Titsingh's death, the printed original and Titsingh's translation were purchased by Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat at the Collège de France. After Rémusat's death, Julius Klaproth at the Institut Royal in Paris published his version of Titsingh's work. In 1832, the Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland supported the posthumous abridged publication of Titsingh's French translation.
