兪晩柱의 海州 -『欽英』에 나타난 18세기 해주의 역사지리학-

Abstract

This article attempts to approach the historical geography of Haeju of North Korea based on the records of the Sino-Chinese diary of the late 18th century, Heumyeong. The goal of this article is to expand the imagination of this space, which was considered an important city on the Korean peninsula until the beginning of the 20th century, but it has been difficult for South Koreans to approach it since the division. Yu Manju, the author of Heumyeong, departed from Seoul on September 11, 1782 and arrived in Haeju on September 15, to visit his father who had served as the provincial governor of Haeju. He stayed in Haeju for a month and conducted a historical and geographical research for this place. His focus was on gathering material report of the area. He called this activity ‘采訪’. This activity of exploring places and meeting with locals was the best way to identify a space. After exploring the attractions of Haeju directly, Yu Manju wrote down the landscape and what he heard in his journal. The record, more detailed than the present geography of Haeju, is a good reference for recreating the past. It is noted that, in relation to his academic attitude, a literature search is conducted in parallel with the exploration. He studied the history, natural and human geography of the region through the geography of Haeju and used it as background for field trips. He also used information based on family registers and land survey registers to understand the population and agricultural administration of the district. He also gathered information about the specialties of Haeju, propensity and evil practices of the petty officials, women's dresses and its ornaments, and popular songs. Through this, the customs of Haeju are revealed in detail. Such a systematic effort makes his diary the primary resource for exploring the historic geography of Haeju. It is also the basis for giving meaning to his work as a study of historical geography.