위기 극복을 위한 패러다임의 전환 — 劉向 『說苑』에 나타난 군신 관계 리더십 고찰

Abstract

Shuoyuan, authored by Liu Xiang, was crafted to advise Emperor Chengdi of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Chengdi was engrossed in hedonism and neglected his political duties, allowing his maternal relatives and eunuchs to seize and misuse power. This period marked a chaotic decline of the central government’s authority, culminating in Wang Mang’s establishment of the Xin Dynasty and the imminent fall of the Western Han Dynasty. As a close relative of the imperial family and the Guanglu Dafu(光祿大夫), an official who advised the emperor on political matters, Liu Xiang felt a profound responsibility to address the political and social issues of the time. He continuously submitted petitions to correct these problems, but Emperor Chengdi often ignored them. Faced with significant challenges, Liu Xiang sought subtle yet persuasive means to address them, culminating in the creation of Shuoyuan. He integrated his Confucian-based political philosophy into stories of exemplary historical figures, particularly advancing Confucius’s concept of ‘Wu-wei (無爲)’ to suit the circumstances of his time. Liu Xiang envisioned an ideal monarch who, akin to rulers from the Yao and Shun eras, minimized direct political intervention and delegated responsibilities to capable individuals, thereby achieving social equilibrium. He believed that harmony between monarch and subject could be achieved through elements such as authority, mutual trust, active compensation, communication, and listening, all derived from effective governance. His perspective is compellingly illustrated through the narratives in Shuoyuan. This analysis aims to deepen our understanding of Liu Xiang’s thoughts, which sought to overcome the difficulties of his time, and to offer insights into contemporary theories of monarchy and ruler-subject relations.