조선전기 왕실녀의 가계와 비구니 출가－왕자군의 부인과 공주를 중심으로 한 제기록의 검토－

Abstract

This paper aims to explore Buddhist belief in the early Joseon Dynasty by examining the document that describes the women of a royal family, especially a princess and a wife of prince born of king’s concubine, who became Buddhist nuns. During the Joseon Dynasty, there was only one case in which a queen became a Buddhist nun, and that was Queen Jeongsun whose family name was Song, the queen of King Danjong. However, she became a Buddhist nun after she was deposed, so we can consider that this was not a case in which a queen of Joseon became a Buddhist nun. Princess Gyeongsun, daughter of King Taejo and Princess Gyeonghye, daughter of King Munjong became Buddhist nuns after they lost their husbands to political upheaval. Among wives of princes born of concubines, the following ladies became Buddhist nuns: Lady Shim, the wife of Grand Prince Uian Bangseok who was a son of King Taejo; Lady Shin, the wife of Grand Prince Gwangpyeong who was a fifth son of King Sejong, and; Prince Youngsun’s Wife Lady Choi, Lady Jeong, the wife of Prince Suchun. Among these, Lady Shim, Grand Prince Uian Bangseok’s wife and Lady Jeong, Prince Suchun’s wife became chief nuns of the Jeongeobwon. Other women in the royal family who became Buddhist nuns seemed to stay at the palace for royal concubines. In general, princesses and the wives of princes do not seem to attain high ranks in Buddhist circles. These nuns stayed at the palace for royal concubines while receiving honorable treatment as women in the royal family and they were buried at a royal tomb or tomb. Those who entered the Buddhist priesthood to the Jeongeobwon, as a member of the Buddhist circle, stayed at the Jeongeobwon that was authorized by a royal family as a place for practice. Moreover, it is thought that they became chief nuns there to lead the Buddhism of the royal family. The royal nuns seemed to devote themselves to the Buddhism and to become spiritual leaders like king’s advisers or national monks to other Buddhist nuns and bodhisattva. The Jeongeobwon and the palace for royal concubines were a center for the Buddhism of the royal family and the last resort of Buddhism in the Joseon Dynasty. This was the biggest obstacle to establish Neo-Confucianism.