고려시기 벽란도의 ‘해양도시’적 성격

Abstract

The Marine Silk Road started to boom in late Tang Dynasty and peaked in Song and Yuan Dynasty. During Goryeo, Byeokrando[碧瀾渡] of Yeseong River[禮成江] was the final destination of the Marine Silk Road and could easily provide ships with access to it by utilizing the tides. Emerging as one of the nation's major harbors in early Goryeo, Byeokrando saw many foreign envoys and merchants arrive and leave. The Goryeo people too used the harbor to sail overseas. The national taxes and the land rents paid to the landowners living in the capital were all transported through Byeokrando. Since there was very active traffic of foreign envoys and merchants at Byeokrando, it functioned as a window of foreign civilization into Goryeo. It was the place where people could obtain high-grade outside information and engage in active exchanges of goods. Some would even advance into government positions based on the wealth they accumulated through those commercial activities at Byeokrando. There were bars, pawn shops and accommodations around Byeokrando and salt fields near it. The boatmen and fishermen of Yeseong River had the talent to put on a Suhi[水戱] show thanks to the abundant opportunities to perform in front of foreign customers. Byeokrando was also significant as a place to stimulate literary imagination, and there were many literary figures who created poems about it. In addition, Byeokrando was also a military city with many defense ships stationed around it and many ships in charge of marine transportation sailing in and out of it. As Byeokrando prospered as an international port, government officials were deployed to it for management. During the reign of King Uijong,residents of Yeseong attempted to upgrade Byeokrando to the status of Hyeon[縣],which indicates that there were many residents in the area. The international port Byeokrando made huge contributions to the openness and global character of Goryeo culture.