조선시대 선비들의 탁주(濁酒) 이해와 음주문화

Abstract

Drinking alcohol our people imbibe is largely classified into Cheongju (refined rice wine) and Takju (aka, Makgeolli; rice-based sweet wine) depending upon the filtering method, which defines them as premium or general public liquor. By ancient people, Cheongju was otherwise called as saint, and Takju sage. But until the first of Lee Dyansty, Cheongju, aka soju, was affordable by nobilities of certain class that was considered as high-class liquor. The reason was that it consumed lots of grains to distill from fermentation. Since the Soju(Cheongju) was brewed and loved by the high officials, rank and file loved the Takju that need not distill or filter, which naturally led to the popular wine for the general people. Hence, Takju was loved not only by the rank and file, but most of the classical scholars who left lots of writings on it. In reality, most people could not write well about thoughts to Takju so it is very significant of the scholars to leave few meaningful writings on it. The scholars of Lee Dynasty gave Takju several meanings. Like most liquors, they sublimed their internal aspect through drinking it and used to have such gatherings with their close companions and heavy drinkers. Even they flew away their anger and fury through that wine. In addition, this gathering was not simply for formal party to enjoy food and wine but place for social drinking by large-hearted scholars. Not surprisingly, we could find out that this Takju was not included in the list of liquors during prohibition period. The prohibited liquor was Cheongju but not Takju made for the people who farmed the land so King Yeongjo did not include it for prohibition list. Through his alcohol policy, we could weigh his concern about his subjects. Accordingly, Takju is our important folk study as well as legacy and at the same time its brewery is one of the outstanding intangible heritages and cultural contents. Notwithstanding, there aren’t many thesis on the liquor history or folklore except a few on Liquor Prohibition and Drinking culture of the high officials of the early Lee Dynasty. In the domain of the historial folklore, the studies on drinking culture, especially our traditional Takju, had not been properly investigated. Thus, this study is the beginning of the various investigations on the liquor of Takju, which we expect will trigger the various fields of studies for it and the liquor’s folk characteristics and cultural contents shall be evolved based on the Takju study.