집현전(集賢殿)의 조직과 운영 체계

Abstract

King Sejong regarded the reorganization of Confucian rites, music, and the managerial system as a task of upmost importance. To achieve this, experts who studied the theoretical basis of the related fields and acquired practical abilities to carry out governmental projects were required. To nurture the foundation of academic research and educate intellectuals, King Sejong utilized two institutions: Gyeongyeon (royal lecture) and Jiphyeonjeon (Hall of Worthies). These two, maintaining close relations with one another, played a crucial role in the study of Confucian rituals and systems during the Sejong era. Sejong added a new function to Jiphyeonjeon, which was the upbringing of pupils. Jiphyeonjeon selected young and capable civil officials and had them advise the King by discussing classics and histories. The King founded salary posts in Jiphyeonjeon in 1420 and had those in the posts hold the positions of Gyeongyeongwan (royal lecturer) as well. The total number of Jiphyeonjeon officials differed, from 10, 32, or 20 at times, but the responsibility of being responsible for Gyeongyeon and Seoyeon (lecture for the Crown Prince) and for authoring major state documents were maintained as their own by tradition. Personnel management in Jiphyeonjeon was characterized by the systems of long-term service and promotion by seniority. The officials of Jiphyeonjeon kept the same position for many years to focus on studying their specialties. Sejong stressed that the sole purpose of Jiphyeonjeon was to author major state documents. and therefore required the scholars to concentrate on life-long study. The officials were promoted according to the order of hire, and this system was considered to be the custom of Jiphyeonjeon. They followed the rule of seniority of official employment and age, so they could respect superior Confucian scholars. Through these processes, Jiphyeonjeon and Gyeongyeon became the preeminent scholarly research institutions. In Gyeongyeon, Sejong and the officials recited Confucius texts of Four Books and Five Classics, as well as history books such as Zizhitongjian and Xinglidaquan. They did not stop at mere reading, but reached a level of scholarly studying by adding annotations. Intellectual achievements in Gyeongyeon served as the foundations for the rearrangement of rituals and music, and the reorganization of various institutions. Conclusively, Jiphyeonjeon can be understood as the royal institution where selected officials from the highest civil service examination, nurtured by long-term engagements in Gyeongyeon, were raised as competent intellectuals, and provided administrative counsel for state management upon the requests of the royal court.