야은 길재에 대한 추숭과 비판에 대한 연구

Research on Criticism and Posthumous Praise on Ya-eun Kil-Jae

유교국가인 조선시대 역사기록은 왕조중심으로 씌어졌고 자신이 속한 왕조의 입장에서 씌어질 수밖에 없었다. 길재는 왕조초기의 추숭, 사림시대도통의 제2인자로의 옹립과 추숭, 그리고 18세기 왕들과 서민교화의 전범으로서의 추숭 등 조선 전시대에 걸쳐 절대적인 추숭을 받았다. 남효온, 박세채 등에 의해 은연 중에 신씨를 섬긴 인물, 삼년상을 치를 필요 없는 스승에 대해 삼년상을 행한 인물 등으로 평가받기도 했으나 이런 논란에 대해서도 이황, 정경세, 안정복 등 당대 인사들로부터 옹호를 받았다. 이황은 공민왕이 우왕을 후계로 인정하였으므로 신씨여부는 중요하지 않다고 하였고, 정 경세는 신씨설에 대해 의심하는 사람이 많다고 하였으며, 안정복은 신씨라는 설에 대해 논평하지 않을 수 없다고 하여 신씨설에 대한 비판의 강도를 높였다. 나아가 길재와 정몽주와 같은 위인이 섬겼다면 신씨일리 없다는 입장을 표명함으로써 신씨 조작설에 힘을 실어주었다. 본고에서는 길재 절의 추숭에 대한 시대적 변모를 정리했을 뿐 아니라 길재의 절의에 대한 논란을 통해 단편적으로 남아있는 역사기록의 한계, 세태에 따라 달라질 수 있는 역사기록의 맹점 등을 극복하는 과정도 확인할수 있었다.

Built on the ideas of Confucianism, Chosun and it’s historical records were written around the kings. The historical records were only possible to be written in the perspective of the king during the time of documentation. It would not be considered overly exaggerated to state that Gil-Jae was praised after his death without further questioning during the entire Chosun Dynasty. Gil-Jae has been posthumously praised and enthroned as second-in-command of the Do-tong during the era of the Confucian scholars. He was also recognized after his death during the early years of Chosun, and recalled by his reformation act of the people and the kings during the 18th century. On the contrary, Kil-Jae was also denounced by critiques. He was well-known for serving Shin through Nam Hyo-on, Park sae-chae, etc and mourning a teacher, who did not need to be recognized as a person of a third year memorial service, for three years. However, even after the negative judgements, the most recognized and eminent persons during the times of Chosun such as Lee Hwang, Ahn Jung-Bok, Jung Gyung-se, etc appraised that Kil-Jae should be highly respected by his fidelity to principle, integrity and honor. Lee Hwang stated that King Gong-min has accepted King Woo as his successor and Jung Kyung-se announced that there are many who are doubtful towards the rumors of Shin. Ahn Jung-bok wanted more comments and further discussions regarding the rumors of Shin and heavily criticized such rumors. Ahn Jung-bok added his indication that if great men like Kil-Jae and Jung Mong-Joo served as followers, it would not have been Shin; Ahn empowered Shin’s fabricated story. This research will discuss the Kil-Jae’s posthumous praises about his fidelity to principle, integrity and honor have changed through time and the process of overcoming the limitations, the affect of loopholes through different social conditions, etc of historical documents by looking into the arguments and controversies of Kil-Jae’s fidelity.