『集玉齋書目』 분석을 통해 본 고종의 개화서적 수집 실상과 활용

Fact and Use of Enlightenment Books Collected by Gojong through the Analysis of Jibokjae Seomok(Catalogue of Books in Jibokjae, 集玉齋書目)

This article analyzed 『Jibokjae Seomok』 a library catalog for Gojong’s personal study, Jibokjae which owns a considerable amount of Chinese books and enlightenment books imported from Japan and the West collected, arranged and prepared by Gojong. 『Jibokjae Seomok』 reports a catalog of books more than 40 thousands books; among them, the enlightenment books are more than 260 kinds and about 1,450books. This corresponds to 3.6% of entire list. The enlightenment books are of various academic categories collected from educational books of humanities which inform international trend and world history and geography to the books of natural science. Especially, books of natural science, electricity, telegraphy, military and weapon were collected and owned in huge quantity. It signifies that Gojong and other classes with power were interested in the fields of natural science as a basic study necessary for producing new weapons to realize national prosperity and military power and in the fields of telegraphy and equipment in relation with building diplomacy and communication channels. The collection and distribution channel of enlightenment books were envoys to China called Yeongseonsa, the investigation and inspection group who went to Japan, and the West contacted through Bakmunguk, a publication agency at the end of the Joseon Dynasty. In addition, Joseon Dynasty published actual material of trade relations as necessary, or they sometimes translated and published modern study and up-to-date knowledge of the West to circulate them. As for the application of enlightenment books, the science technology-related modern study learned by the Yeongseonsa group became operational foundation for the operation of Gigichang, an arsenal. The articles of ≪Hanseongsunbo≫ and ≪Hanseongjubo≫ which took advantage of the knowledge of science books are the cases of social application as they brought about social curiosity and interest in the science. Besides, the enlightenment books were used as language, geography, history, math, medicine and science materials at the schools such as Dongmunhak, Wonsanhaksa and Yukyeonggongwon where can be said to be the starting point of modern education. The enlightenment books collected by Gojong took the important role in expanding the modern knowledge for members by being utilized in social and educational perspectives in Daehan imperial era as well as in actual promoting the enlightenment policy as the fundamental data in 1880. Consequently, it could be a reason for evaluating Gojong as an enlightened monarch as it could be done by his passion and activeness for the enlightenment.