서양인의 견문기를 통해 본 명성황후의 정치적 위상과 역할

The Political Status and the Role of Empress Myeongseong Hwanghu(明成皇后) : As examined from the Travel records of the Westerners

The Westerners who had the opportunity to meet her in person left records of their perception and interpretation of the Empress’ personal aspects and also her relationship with Emperor Gojong. According to records, they perceived the Empress as a noble person, and wise individual who wished to learn the culture of many countries. Yet they were also fairly critical of the Empress’ indulgence in Shaman practices, which was her own way of caring for her weak and ill son. Considering that the soul of the Joseon population had been based upon the Shaman beliefs that had existed since the very early ages of the Dangun Kingdom, her practicing Shaman rituals was only a legitimate action which could be seen as inheriting the religious characteristics of the Korean tradition. In the Westerners’ eyes, it was the Empress and not Emperor Gojong who had the final voice in deciding national matters. They also believed that she was leading the entire government. They also perceived her as a relatively pro-active person who was very much open to the idea of opening the country to the outer world, because in their eyes she was very positive of and also passionate about the ongoing talks and negotiations to establish diplomatic relationships with the Western world. Apparently it seems that, her political awareness and active expression of opinions, and also the activeness of her own character combined with her own personal traits, were what made the Westerners believe that she was in actual control of the entire government. But her power was merely effective and could have been implemented only when Emperor Gojong decided to authorize or support it, so we can say that was the limit of her power. And considering the Emperor’s determination to rule the dynasty himself and to make sure the country absorb foreign properties and ultimately achieve the state of enlightenment, it is hard to imagine him as a weak lord whose wife was in charge of his kingdom instead of him. So, we can settle that the Empress was the major supporter of the Gojong regime’s diplomatic policies. The Westerners who met the Empress only in a secondhand manner created records containing their understanding of the Empress’ relationship with the Emperor’s father Daeweon-gun, or the rumors which described how she died at the hand of the Japanese assassins. They believed that the Empress and the father of the King were fighting and conflicting with each other. They also believed that the Japanese managed to take advantage of the situation and finally assassinated the Empress because the Japanese perceived her as a direct threat and obstacle to their plans. But in the end, it was the ulterior motive and strategies of the Japanese which engineered all these perceptions and interpretations. The Westerners only wrote down what they saw and heard, without verifying or confirming them.