신라 諡號制의 기원과 中古期 王名 이해

Abstract

Shihō, or posthumous titles, are names granted based on a person’s deeds after death and are considered symbols of Confucian values. Despite their symbolic and political importance, little research has been conducted on the shihō system in Korea’s ancient Three Kingdoms. This article focuses on exploring the origins and significance of the shihō system in the Silla Kingdom. In the first chapter, the article reviews the development of the shihō system in China, where it originated, from early dynasties up to the Tang Dynasty. The study emphasizes that the system was significantly revised and its political importance increased during the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties periods. In the second chapter, the article explores how the shihō system was introduced to Korea during the fifth and sixth centuries. In Goguryeo, the system was likely adopted through internal practices and influence from Northern Wei, while Baekje incorporated it through exchanges with the Southern Dynasties. Silla also began to use posthumous titles around this time. According to historical texts such as Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa, King Jijeung or King Beopheung was the first Silla king to receive a posthumous title. The records indicate that starting with King Beopheung, posthumous titles became an official part of the royal naming system in Silla, signifying the formal establishment of the shihō system during his reign. In the third chapter, the author re-examines the royal names of the medieval period, showing that Silla kings sought to combine Confucian and Buddhist values in their rule. Previous studies divided the period into a “Buddhist Name Period” and a “Confucian Posthumous Title Period” following King Muyeol. This article challenges the notion of the “Buddhist Name Period” and introduces the concept of "living posthumous titles" to reinterpret the royal naming conventions of this era. It argues that Silla kings, particularly in the medieval period, aimed to express both Confucian and Buddhist principles through their posthumous titles. This research sheds light on the underexplored history of the shihō system in Korea, particularly its adoption and evolution in the Silla Kingdom.