조선 고종대 경복궁 중건의 풍경과 일상

Abstract

In this study, based on the content of Gyeongbokgungyeonggeonilgi, colorful scenes from inside and outside of the palace and the daily lives of craftsmen and burden carriers during reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung are reviewed. In the initial stage of reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung, active and dynamic scenes had been frequently seen. Large-scale palace construction itself affected people's curiosity and there had been spectators around the palace. There had been full of 'yeong-cha' sounds for matching tempo to move and lead various materials and gong and drum sounds in Gyeongbokgung, continuing to be noisy. In the streets, whenever Yeonhwadae, Seonnyeomu, and Sahogi, light comedies, with boy dancers as main casts, were performed, more and more crowd fill in the places. As women were seen in the surging crowd, it seems that people from very diverse backgrounds were interested in the construction of Gyeongbokgung. Though crowded scenes were objected by some people, the government who had to complete the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung, did hardly punish them. As mentioned in Gyeongbokgungyeonggeonilgi, written by Won, Se-cheol, light comedies played a role to relieve workers' pains and to make them accept the construction happily. The lyrics of songs sun by people at that time were full of insisting the justification of the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung. Without people's labors, the construction was impossible and the government did not have a reason to prevent the songs spread. On the contrary, they needed a device to promote more people's will for work and burden. On Gwanghwamun, the lyrics singing about people would have the peaceful reign because of the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung, and the site of Gyotaejeon, Baekjahui was performed, promising that a lot of people came to work for the construction and then the nation would flourish. Light comedies talked about hope for future. In order to watch the performance, which was similar to the synthesized performance arts, people filled in the streets and the narratives in Yeonhwadae, Seonnyeomu, Sahogi, and Baekjahui influenced the people, who were also their audiences. The labor conditions for craftsmen, burden carriers and workers during reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung were reviewed, too. For assuming their attending and leaving the site time and mealtimes, the work started from dawn to evening. For their meals, they ate breakfast and supper, twice a day, and yet, as daytime was longer, they used to eat lunch. On New Year's Day, they were granted for day-off, once a year. The reason that they tolerated the state administrative system, they could make a living from the wages and yet, their daily income was just for their meals on day. In March 1866, the wage was a little bit raised but the increasing factor was from increase of meal cost to be solved individually. In addition to wages, monthly special meal payment and rewards were offered but it was not economically helpful to craftsmen and burden carriers. Since July 1865, monthly special meal payment was given with amount to solve one meal a month. During the later part of the construction, more craftsmen and buren carriers escaped the site. The payment was not sufficient, and newly issued Tangbaekjeon was circulated, causing to fear against reducing the currency value. There had been several cases of fire, destructing various materials and increasing burdens. In particular, craftsmen from rural areas left the site with a plea of illness, or ran away. Dogam insisted to catch and return the craftsmen to the site, sending the official documents to gamyeong, it was not effective. Craftsmen turned to their interests to individual clients who could afford more payment. Then, even though dogam introduced subcontracting to reduce their burden, craftsmen still left the construction site. However, as the construction was about to end, the process was accelerating. Dogam, proceeded the construction, enhancing to investigate number of workers, and as a result, sweats and efforts of lots of craftsmen, workers, and burden carriers for more than 1,200 days could complete Gyeongbokgung, at last.