조선시대 시무소(時務疏)의 서술방식 연구 -16-17세기 소차류(疏箚類)의시무론(時務論) 전개양상을 중심으로-

Abstract

The term shimu (時務, current affairs) is a representative subject in political discourse written in classical Chinese prose, with many of these discussions presented through socha-ryu (疏箚類) prose. Socha (a memorial to the throne) is a political form of writing addressed to the king describing current issues with persuasive rhetoric and logical development. Within this standardized writing style, the author’s social status, the historical context, and their awareness of urgent state matters and intent to offer advice to the king shape the nature of the text, making it a distinctive genre. This paper aims to reconstruct the landscape of memorial prose in the Joseon Dynasty by examining the descriptive characteristics of discussions on current affairs found in collections of literary works from the 16th and 17th centuries. These centuries were marked by intense debates on state matters, driven by the urgent political climate shaped by multiple wars and significant events such as the Injo Restoration. Consequently, many writings in literary collections from this period discuss policies to address the aftermath of wars or debate political positions. In this study, I examined memorials from this period that focus on current affairs, analyzing their thematic characteristics, rhetorical strategies, and structural composition. The analysis revealed that, rather than focusing on the ruler’s moral cultivation or Confucian statecraft, these writings increasingly engaged in discussions of military governance and practical solutions, such as post-war reconstruction and measures to stabilize public sentiment. The primary focus was on addressing urgent issues and offering practical solutions to systemic problems. Furthermore, it was noted that during times of war or regime change, when urgent matters concerning the survival of the state came to the forefront, these writings prominently employed historical precedents as a basis for criticizing the current situation and proposing alternative solutions, often utilizing metaphorical and allegorical arguments as part of their rhetorical strategies.