조선 후기 忠勳府의 功臣子孫 파악과 收單 - 『忠勳府謄錄』과 功臣子孫世系單子를 중심으로 -

Abstract

The Chunghunbu, a high-ranking public office, was the official department of those who were awarded the title of “meritorious subjects.” Its members were composed of meritorious subjects and their descendants. The department identified descendants of meritorious subjects (Gongshinjason, 功臣子孫), based on meritorious subject royal edicts (Gyoseo, 敎書) and certificates of meritorious subjects (Nokgwon, 錄券). The event where they first begin their activities was the meritorious subject covenant (Gongshin Hwaemaengjae, 功臣會盟祭). The Chunghunbu identified the Gongshinjasons as new meritorious subjects (Shingongshin, 新功臣), and the eldest male line of meritorious subjects (Gongshinjeokjang, 功臣嫡長) of old meritorious subjects (Gugongshin, 舊功臣) were made to participate in the covenant through the collection of ancestry lists. In order to regularly identify and manage the Gonshinjason, the collection of ancestry lists of descendants of meritorious subjects (Gonshinjason Saegaedanja Sudan) occurred every three years. The department distributed the Shiknyeon Gaehasamok (式年啓下事目), which had been approved by the king, outside of the capital. Ancestry lists were collected every three years, and through these, basic information required to manage and grant privileges to these people were identified. The list of names (Dodanja, 都單子) of the eldest male allowed not only the Gongshinjeokjangs but also all Gongshinjasons to be identified. A separate list (Yeopdanja, 葉單子) of descendants of family branches (Jison, 支孫) were used as documents of proof to allow them to be appointed to the meritorious subject army (Chungeuiwi, 忠義衛), which granted privileges to Gongshinjasons and also allowed them to be exempted from lowly tasks. In addition, to prevent incorrect recording (Morok, 冒錄) for the Chungeuiwi, the Chunghunbu collected ancestry lists from both the eldest male line (Jeokjang, 嫡長) and from the Jison. Ancestry lines recorded in both lists were compared and contrasted. Moreover, even if a Gongshinjason had been appointed, they were made to continue to submit their ancestry lists in order to clearly identify the ancestry of that Gongshinjason. Even after the number of generations for appointment to the Chungeuiwi for Gongshinjason was limited to nine generations during the period of King Yeongjo, the Chungshinjason who had passed that number of generations were made to continue to submit their ancestry list to the Chunghunbu to provide them with the privilege of exemption from lowly tasks. Therefore, it was mandatory for all Gongshinjasons to continue to submit their ancestry lists to the department. The Chunghunbu continued to collect ancestry lists of Gongshinjason in order to grant privileges to Gongshinjasons, and their descendants submitted lists to the department in order to receive privileges as descendants of meritorious subjects. However, the real motivation for the department to continue to collect lists was to clearly identify the ancestry of descendants of meritorious subjects so that only real descendants would be granted privileges, which would prevent any negative incidents that may occur.