상주 서보(西洑)의 역사와 향리(鄕吏)

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between the management of local irrigation facilities and Hyangri(鄕吏) through the case of Seobo(西洑) in Sangju(尙州). Irrigation facilities are an important agricultural infrastructure necessary for rice cultivation, and in the late Joseon Dynasty when rice transplantation became common in the southern part of Korea, the construction and management of irrigation facilities was an important concern for the entire society, from rulers to local low-level officials as well as farmers. However, studies on irrigation facilities have tended to be largely about the national institutional level and the farmer-centered field. Therefore, it seems that research on the role of local government offices and Hyangri has been neglected. The Nakyang Water Gate Monument at Nakyang-dong in Sangju City is a monument built in 1928 for the construction of irrigation facilities. Although this monument has not received much social attention, it is a very valuable material in terms of the irrigation history. The inscription on the monument contains information on the construction, management, and change process of the Seobo. Seobo was a weir that irrigated the fields around Sangju-eupseong(尙州邑城). During the Japanese colonial period, it had irrigated ​​5,000 durak(斗落), and had about 300 landlords and 1,000 tenants. According to the inscription on the monument, Seobo was first built by Lee Sipil in 1703 and reconstructed by Seo Pilsu in 1783. Since then, Kim Seok, Park Rae-yeol, Lee Ki-woon, Son Taek-in, etc. have been repairing, and there was a major repair when Park Jeong-joon managed it. It was the reconstruction of the water gate and the culvert construction of some irrigation ditch. In 1927, a major construction work was carried out to replace the existing stone sluice gate with a limestone pipe. The Nakyang Water Gate Monument was erected to commemorate it. The 7 main names engraved in the inscription on the monument were Suri(首吏) who served as the Hojang(戶長) or Ibang(吏房) of the Sangju local government office in the late Joseon Dynasty. Through this, it can be assumed that the local government office managed the irrigation facilities at the official level. The management of local farming and irrigation facilities was one of the important tasks of the government office, and the department in charge of that task was Hobang(戶房). Compiled in 1794, 『Sangsan-euprye(商山邑例)』 presents the duties of the Hobang in relation to this, and contains information on the types of irrigation facilities to be managed, the scale of irrigated area, and the method of selecting managers for each irrigation facility. In the case of Seobo, it is specifically stated that the Hyangri is appointed as a Gamgwan(監官) after receiving a recommendation from the Hyangcheong(鄕廳). The irrigated area of Seobo was mostly state-owned land such as Yeokto(驛土), Pojindunto(砲鎭屯土), and Gungjangto(宮莊土). And it is confirmed that the first construction method of the Seobo was a culvert type. This was a method devised to secure a scarce water source. Sangju Hyangris in the late Joseon Dynasty were from 8-9 clans, including the Sangsan Park clan and the Wolseong Lee clan. The fact that many of the names of advisors and representatives of the irrigation union were included in the Nakyang Water Gate Monument means that the Seobo was mainly managed by the Sangsan Park clan. Even after the collapse of the caste system, they seem to have maintained their influence in the region by being reborn as large landowners, financiers, and politicians.