조선후기 제왕학의 발달과 정조의 황극론

Abstract

This study examines the significance of Jeongjo's theory on Hwangguk in the development of kingly-study in the late Joseon dynasty. After the Middle Joseon period, as the factional politics was realized, kingly-study developed in the direction of requiring the king to study for sainthood at the initiative of his retainers, and the ideology of co-governance by king and retainer(君臣共治) was emphasized. During the factional politics, the existence of Sallin(山林) that could counter the political authority of the king based on their academic authority was emphasized, based on the theological theory of Dotong(道統), which states that Dotong belongs to scholars. Based on the fact that they were located outside the political system represented by the king, they acted as representatives of public opinion through their academic authority. As the conflict between the factions reached a crescendo, the king was seen as the one who could end it and bring about the idealized politics of Tangpyong(蕩平). King Jeongjo followed in the footsteps of Yeongjo, but his thoughts on the role of the king was different from that of Yeongjo. From the beginning of his reign, Jeongjo expected all his retainers to play an active role in the affairs of state, regardless of factions’ legitimacy. Jeongjo positively evaluated Yeongjo's Gungeuk(建極) for ending the blood feuds between the factions, and demanded that his retainers respond in kind to establish the true way of the Hwanggeuk. The king's act of establishing the Hwanggeuk served to ensure that his retainers could participate equally in the affairs of state. In his later years, Jeongjo described his ideal form of government. “The writing of the Master of Ten Thousand Rivers and the Moon” outlines a new ideology of co-governance by king and retainer in which the conflicts between the factions were put to rest under a king-led order, and various talents were brought to the table to contribute to the state by using their talents appropriately. Through this, it can be said that Jeongjo did not completely change the nature and structure of existing kingly-study through the concept of the Hwangguk, but rather actively established the existence of the king through the concept of the Hwangguk while maintaining the framework of co-governance by king and retainer emphasized through kingly-study.