지리산 덕산동의 文化元型과 名所의 의미

Abstract

This study set out to identify and establish the cultural archetypes of Deoksandong of Mt. Jiri and figure out the meanings of its major attractions clearly based on poetry and prose works left by many different scholars after a trip to it in Joseon. The discussions about them led to the following conclusions: The status of Mt. Jiri was further enhanced among Confucian scholars in Joseon as they perceived the mountain as the center of the nation and the major fundamental presence of its southern regions beyond its image as a guardian mountain to hold and defend the nation's territory in a huge and vast manner at the southern tip of the land, stretching down from Mt. Baekdu. Moreover, Nammyung Jo Shik, a moralist in middle Joseon, chose to retire to hermitage in Deoksandong of Mt. Jiri and made it the gathering place for moralists. After his death, it was regarded as a sacred place where the origin of moral philosophy began and received the ongoing inflow of pilgrims. There are three types of cultural archetypes in Deoksandong of Mt. Jiri: first, Deoksandong was Nammyung's place of retirement around Sancheonjae and his Daechukji as a seeker of truth that wished to cultivate the way of man and combine it with the way of Heaven; secondly, Deoksandong was established as a sacred place of moral philosophy in Joseon after the Deokcheon Seowon was built to praise and emulate his learning and virtue; and finally, Deoksandong was considered as the origin of moral philosophy by Neo-Confucian scholars in the climbing course to Cheonwang Peak via the Daewon Buddhist Temple and Jogaegok. This course became a popular course among those who hit the road to find human nature and seek the truth. These three cultural archetypes of Deoksandong hold huge significance in the history of culture. There are several major attractions in Deoksandong: Ipdeokmun was named by Nammyung to signify an entry into the world of moral philosophy; Takyeongdae was a place where scholars were able to wash their hat strings in the clean and clear water flowing down from the upstream; Gomajeong and Mt. Suyang would transmit the old stories of hermits; Sancheonjae was the place where Nammyung completed his moral philosophy in his latter years; Deokcheon Seowon and Sesimjeong were built to commemorate the learning and virtue of Nammyung after his death; Songgaekjeong would pass down the stories of Nammyung holding a banquet to see off Oh Geon; Myeonsangchon was the place where Oh Geon had an injury in the forehead, being drunk; and the valley of the Daewon Buddhist Temple and Jogaegok were the places where the big origin of truth would begin to flow. All of these attractions have profound connections to Nammyung's moral philosophy, enriching the meanings of Deoksandong in culture and history. These relics show the spiritual orientation of his moral philosophy and Joseon's moral philosophy directly, thus providing good content for experience and field study. It is thus needed to continue the work of understanding their meanings right and promoting them broadly so that they will not be forgotten.