조선전기 능침사의 설치와 변화 - 서울 지역 능침사를 중심으로 -

Abstract

This paper is a study analyzing the current status, characteristics, and changes of the Neungchim Temples (the temples belonging to royal tombs) located in Seoul among the Neungchim Temples installed in the early Joseon Dynasty. The Neungchim Temples of the early Joseon Dynasty are all located in Seoul; the three are: the Heungcheonsa Temple in Jeongneung, the Jeonginsa (Suguksa) Temple in Gyeongneung and Changneung, and the Bongeunsa Temple in Seonjeongneung. The characteristics of the Neungchim Temples in Seoul of the early Joseon Dynasty are summarized into three categories. First, the three temples were not only representative of the royal family, but also were built for the political purpose of the royal family. Because the Neungchim temples of the Seoul area were located adjacent to the capital city, it was easy to set up royal Buddhist events. Also, it was effective in mobilizing the public mind through Buddhist events, so it could be used as a political institution of the royal family. Second, the people who led the construction of the Neungchim Temples in the Seoul area were the most powerful at the time. The installation of large-scale Buddhist temples near the capital city required considerable funds and strong political power. These temples were built with the full financial support of the royal family, and by receiving the king's private money, they established themselves as royal temples in name and reality. Third, the Neungchim Temples in the Seoul area became a target for Confucian scholars due to their peculiarity as a stronghold of royal Buddhism. The Heungcheonsa Temple in Jeongdong was eventually destroyed by two arsons by Confucian students, and the Jeonginsa Temple was criticized for being a place of immorality for women. The Bongeunsa Temple was relocated by the King Yeonsan because it was too close to the royal tombs. During the King Myeongjong era, it received various criticisms, such as scattering national discipline and disturbing the public mind. The Neungchim Temples in the Seoul area continued to be leading Buddhist temples in Seoul until the end of the Joseon Dynasty despite criticism and persecution from Confucian scholars. In addition to the political and economic support of the royal family, there was a solid religious foundation built from the early Joseon Dynasty. Also, even in the late Joseon Dynasty, when the ritual function of the Neungchim Temples was lost, the monks of the three temples actively cooperated in the management of the tombs and preparations for the ancestral rites of the mountain tombs, thereby expanding the foundation for the existence of Buddhism. The Buddhist ritual of rebirth and belief in the afterlife that the Neungchim Temples performed had a great influence on the Buddhist culture of Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty.