金朝의 元日·聖節 의례와 外國使

Abstract

The most prominent ritual of Jin Dynasty with foreign delegations present was “The Ritual of Foreign Envoy’s First Audience with the Emperor(外國使入見儀)”. The joint ritual attended by the envoys of Song(宋), Goryeo(高麗), and Xixia(西夏) was perceived as a device showcasing Jin’s supremacy. For the envoys of all three kingdoms pay their respects to the Jin emperor, however, they were required to visit Jin simultaneously. Typically, such occasions coincided with New Year’s Day or the celebration of the emperor’s birthday. The study was prompted by the question of the actual procedures of these celebratory affairs which were the common purpose of the visit shared by the envoys from the three kingdoms. Firstly, this study examined the efficient management of visits from the three envoys and the associated celebratory rites during both events. Secondly, the research aimed to ascertain that the presence of the foreign delegations was essential to a grandeur of both events. Thirdly, records from the Song delegation revealed that celebratory atmosphere was experienced by the populace both before and after the actual ceremonies. Notably, while the present of foreign delegations was vital for the rituals of both the New Year’s Day and the birthday of the emperor, neither rituals included mechanisms to explicitly exhibit Jin’s supremacy unlike “The Ritual of Foreign Envoy’s First Audience with the Emperor”. Jin, while showcasing its dominance in the aforementioned ritual, might have employed other rituals to promote a sense of harmony, demonstrating the generosity of the Empire.