중국의 전통문화 재해석과 현대적 활용 - 閩南의 관우 문화를 중심으로

A Study on the Reinterpretation and Use of Traditional Culture in China - Focusing on the Culture of Worship of Guan Yu in the Minnan Region

고대 민남은 관우 신앙을 통하여, 정신적 위안을 얻었고 구성원의 단결과 공동체의 결속을 유지하고자 하였다. 수백 년을 훨씬 상회하는 오랜 세월 동안 면면히 이어져 온 관우 숭배 문화는 현재까지도 민남에서 유효하다. 그런데 개혁개방 이후 관우 신앙은 단순한 민간신앙이나 종교로 그치는 것이 아니라, 선양하고 보전해야 할 전통문화의 범주로 포함되었다. 이는 관우 숭배 문화가 정치, 경제등 다양한 방면에서 당면한 문제를 해결하는 데 있어서 유용한 측면이 있기 때문이다. 민남은 대만인을 비롯하여 화교·화인의 원적지여서, 그들과 문화적 동질성이 크다. 그리고 관우는 일평생 漢室復興 혹은 유비의 천하통일을 위해 분투하였다. 또 민남의 상당수 관제묘는 바다 건너에 자리하고 있는 수많은 관제묘의 祖廟이다. 이러한 요소로 보건대 민남 관우 숭배 문화는 경제·정치 외교적 측면에서 활용도가 상당하다. 이를 포착한 중국 정부는 개혁개방 이후 과거와 다른 인식으로 민남 관우 숭배를 바라보게 되었다. 전통문화로 범주화하여 종교·신앙적 색채를 약화한 뒤, 경제와 정치에 유익한 수단으로 재해석하였다. 정치·경제·문화·사회적 환경의 변화에 따라, 중국 사회에서 민남의 관우 문화는 이전과 달리 인식되었고 또 과거와 구분되는 함의를 가지게 되었다. 민남 관우 문화를 현대적으로 활용한 실례인 海峽兩岸(福建東山)關帝文化旅遊節은 개혁개방 이후 관우 문화에 대한 재해석에 기반하여 진행되고 있다. 문화제는 종교 행사 외에도 음악과 미술 분야의 문화 행사, 무역 박람회나 투자설명회와 같은 경제 활동, 양안 단체의 교류 활동 등의 프로그램으로 구성된다. 근래에 와서는 문화제의 주제를 통하여 양안 통일을 노골적으로 강조하는 추세를 보인다.

The worship of Guan Yu originally originated from the Central Plains region, but it spread to the Minnan regions through immigrants from Central Plains region. Initially, Guan Yu was revered in a similar manner to Central Plains region, being regarded as a god of war, wealth, and protection against evil spirits. However, over time, distinct characteristics emerged that differentiated it from other regions. Influenced by the local context of the Minnan region, the worship of Guan Yu developed its own unique features. Due to the significant reliance on the sea for livelihoods and the large population of overseas migrants, the worship of the sea god was added, and due to historical events involving migration, Guan Yu became a ancestral god in this place. Additionally, due to the high proportion of the population engaged in maritime trade, the divine protection of merchants and wealth took on particular importance here. In ancient times, the people of the Minnan region found spiritual solace and sought to maintain unity and cohesion within their communities through the worship of Guan Yu. The culture of worshiping Guan Yu, which has been sustained for centuries, remains prevalent in the Minnan region to this day. However, since the era of reform and opening up, the worship of Guan Yu has not merely remained a folk belief or religion but has been encompassed within the category of traditional culture to be promoted and preserved. This is because the culture of Guan Yu worship proves useful for addressing various issues faced by government authorities, including politics and the economy. The Minnan region, including Taiwan, has a high degree of cultural similarity with the Han Chinese and overseas Chinese. Moreover, Guan Yu devoted his life to the restoration of the Han dynasty or the unification of the empire under Yu Bei. Additionally, many ancestral shrines in the Minnan region are the ancestral temples of numerous shrines located across the sea. With these elements, the Guan Yu worship culture in the Minnan region proves to be significant in economic, political, and diplomatic aspects. Recognizing this, the Chinese government has adopted a different perspective on the worship of Guan Yu in the Minnan region since the era of reform and opening up. It has categorized it as traditional culture, attenuating its religious connotations, and reinterpreting it as a beneficial means for economic and political ends. As China undergoes changes in its political, economic, cultural, and social environments, the Guan Yu culture in the Minnan region is perceived differently and holds implications that distinguish it from the past. An example of modern utilization of Minnan Guan Yu culture is the Cross-Strait (Fujian Dongshan) Guan Di Cultural Tourism Festival, which has been conducted based on a reinterpretation of Guan Yu culture since the era of reform and opening up. The cultural festival is composed of programs ranging from religious ceremonies to cultural events in music and art, economic activities such as trade fairs and investment forums, and exchange activities between organizations from both sides. In recent years, there has been a trend towards overtly emphasizing cross-strait unification through the themes of the cultural festival.