최치원 말년의 역사적 발자취 -가야산 은둔 이후를 중심으로-

Abstract

Traces of Goun Choi Chiwon’s latter years have not been thoroughly examined due to lack of research materials. Choi Chiwon’s biography on Samguk Sagi is widely known. Cho Chiwon’s latter years have been recognized different from the truth so far, which is ‘he left the mundane world and became a hermit.’ However, it is only a legend. This research examines Choi Chiwon’s life and traces left after he retired from politics and went into Gayasan Haeinsa. Main research data referenced are biographies of great monks in Huayan School written at Haeinsa, particularly Beopjanghwasangjeon (法藏和尙傳). According to these data, Choi Chiwon was somewhat open to communication with the mundane world after his going into Gayasan and pursued writings on Buddhism. He actively interacted with great monks such as Hyeonjun (賢俊) and Huirang (希朗). While he was at Haeinsa, he was absorbed in Huayan thoughts but he also kept his worries about the world. He was a Confucian scholar outwardly but internally immersed in Buddhism, especially the world of Huayan. Judging that he could restore Silla where Buddhist Huayan thoughts and Confucian idea of loyalty and patriotism collapsed, he strived for writings. His most laborious writings were Buseokjonjajeon (浮石尊者傳), the biography of Uisang (義湘) and Beopjanghwasangjeon, that of Hyeonsu (賢首). Choi Chiwon spent his latter years entirely with scholarly and religious activities. Though he suffered from sickness for years, he did not give up on his life as a scholar. Images of his latter years wrongly symbolized with ‘weak intellect’ and ‘Gayasan hermit’ should be corrected.