「河渠書」를 통해 본 司馬遷의 水利思想 ―帝國의 維持와 統合 機制로써―

Abstract

This research investigates the irrigation theory of Simaqian(司馬遷) in Hequshu(「河渠書」). Simaqian regarded rivers being threatening and the cause of flood. Therefore, he considered them as objects to be controlled by people, since they became causes of human and social disasters if they were remained intact. He considered that flood disasters had to be changed to water utilization by irrigation projects. The main goals of Simaqian's irrigation were: ① the irrigation for increase in agricultural production, ② prevention of flood, and ③ shipping products to the central government. The reason for the goals was that the ultimate purpose of the irrigation was to obtain revenue for maintenance and integration of an empire. Therefore, it can be considered that the emphasis of the irrigation of the time was to guarantee smooth shipping of products and taxes and to increase agricultural production for more taxes. In other words, Simaqian completed a theory of irrigation by utilizing rivers in the perspective of accomplishing and maintaining a unified centralized empire more concretely, oriented to an emperor. In this perspective, it can be known that Simaqian's irrigation theory reflected the political circumstance of the centralized empire of the time. In addition, it can be considered that the theory not only played a consistent role of maintaining the imperial order of the time, but also represented the viewpoint of an emperor to rule the empire of the time.