신라 중대 만월태후의 자기인식과 ‘성덕대왕신종(聖德大王神鍾)’

Abstract

This study considers formation of self-awareness of royal women in the middle Shilla dynasty and the resulting political position and role focusing on the Manwall. The Manwall is the Queen Dowage. The Manwall is the mother of the King Hyegong(惠恭王) of last king in the middle Shilla Dynasty. The Royal women’s affiliation and role change after marriage, and their base of affiliation changes from True-bone status to royal family. For them, royal marriage is a mechanism for formation of self-awareness. Self-awareness leads to establishment of political position and then it is expressed as a political role. The change of status according to affiliation leads to the movement of psychological base, which is expressed as a political role. Especially royal women in the middle Shilla dynasty are placed at the contact point of True-bone status and royal family through marriage. True-bone status women become a member of royal family. The Manwall is the representative example of formation of self-awareness and political role of middle Shilla dynasty royal women. The Manwall was the queen of King Kyungduk and the queen mother of King Hyegong. She, who once was True-bone status woman, became queen after marriage and then became queen dowager because her son became king. She also acted as a regent on behalf of her young son. In this study, formation of her self-awareness and resulting formation of political base and role were examined. The Manwall acted as a regent in place of her young son. The legitimacy of King Hyegong was an essential element which gave justification for her role as a regent. The completion of ‘Sacred Bell of King Sungduk the Great(聖德大王神鐘)’ and an active interchange with Tang dynasty of China are the remarkable points during her regency. First of all, the completion of ‘Sacred Bell of King Sungduk the Great(聖德大王神鐘)’ was the result of her enthusiastic will. According to the bell’s inscription, she encouraged the filial piety(孝) of King Kyungduk and Hyegong, and made the bell by King Kyungduk’s will. The bell was the symbol of the great achievements of King Sungduk and filial love of King Kyungduk and King Hyegong who was the son of King Kyungduk. It was intended to claim legitimacy of King Sungduk - Kyungduk - Hyegong through their filial piety. In summary, the bell was the mechanism for advocating the justice of the Manwall’s regency and legitimacy of royal authority. The Manwall promoted solidarity with political power holder through the political symbol of the ‘Sacred Bell of King Sungduk the Great(聖德大王神鐘)’. KIM Ong and KIM Yang-sang were on the list of people who directed the cast of the bell. They were referred to as Wongu(元舅) and a faithful retainer(忠臣). Especially Kim Ong was referred to as King’s Wongu, which means uncle. It was the Manwall’s intend to emphasize the affinity with him considering his political position. In short, the Manwall’s rule as a regent was an effort to preserve the royal authority from King Sungduk to Kyungduk and Hyegong in the middle Shilla dynasty. To achieve this, she promoted solidarity with political power holder internally and domestic stability through diplomacy with Tang dynasty externally. As mentioned above, the bell was the mechanism for supporting the justice of her regency and legitimacy of royal authority. This shows one aspect of her self-awareness as the queen and the queen dowager of the middle Shilla dynasty. She defines herself as a queen dowager and plays a political role to protect and preserve the throne of her young son and the legitimacy of the royal family.