안정복의 民願政策과 官民疏通

Abstract

Examined in this article are the ideas of An Joeng-bok on the issue of local officials' governance in local areas(鄕政), as well as how such ideas were actually applied to real life issues. He argued that the primary mission of the Mokmin-gwan(牧民官) officials(officials whose duties are to serve and look after the people) was 'being there for the people(爲民)' as well as 'loving the people(愛民). He also argued that they should begin their mission by 'communicating' with the public. When he was sent to the Mokcheon-hyeon area as a prefect, he brought his own Governance manual named Imgwan Jeong’yo(臨官政要) there, and applied the ideas inside it to real life situations. In Imgwan Jeong’yo, we can take notice of the so-called 'Hangtong-beob' institution, and the proposed manner of processing civil appeals filed by the people. An Jeong-bok believed that the local clerk's intervention was essentially hindering the communication between the local authorities and the residences in the area, so he devised these ideas and manners so that the local authorities could communicate with the people directly. The Institution of “Anonymous Notification(Hangtong-beob, 缿筒法)” refers to a rule concerning a notice box meant for anonymous communication. This particular box hailed from ancient China, but in Joseon it was an ostracized practice as people believed that such practice would only lead to social distrust and false accusations(誣告). But An Jeong-bok believed that such practice was necessary notwithstanding the alleged side effects, and implemented the practice in Mokcheon-hyeon. This shows us that eliminating the intervention of the local clerks and establishing sound communication between the people and the authorities was one of An Jeong-bok's highest priorities in his plan for governance. The civil appeals(Minjang, 民狀) were usually processed by the local clerks as well, and allowed them to interfere in the natural flow of communication between the prefect and the people. In order to remedy the situation, he argued that the prefect should receive the civil appeals from the people directly, in an open place, and process them as fast as they could. One example of this effort was the proposal of commendation of a person named Yi In-gab for filial piety, which An reported as the Mokcheon-hyeon prefect to the magistrate. All these practices were part of his efforts to communicate with the people directly. The fact that the residents of Mokcheon-hyeon praised his governance, erected a wooden tablet (木碑), and even established another tablet upon his departure(去思碑), shows us that his efforts did achieve some goals he strived for.