姜希孟의 『 衿陽雜錄』 저술 의도와 ‘士’로서의 정체성

Abstract

This paper takes an intellectual historical perspective to reinterpret Kŭmyangjamnok (The Miscellaneous Records of Kŭmyang), a book on agriculture written by Kang Hŭimaeng, a high-ranking official in the fifteenth-century Chosŏn dynasty. The research questions are as follows: Why was the book titled “jamnok” (miscellaneous records)? Why was Kang Hŭimaeng’s focus limited to the “Kŭmyang” region? Why does an agricultural book include knowledge unrelated to farming? This article argues that Kŭmyangjamnok is a text written entirely on the premise of the Kŭmyang Pyŏrŏp (special activities villa). Kŭmyang Pyŏrŏp was an important basis for Kang Hŭimaeng as it was his place of residence and an ancestral site he inherited from his wife’s family. As a person who valued his lineage, managing Kŭmyang Pyŏrŏp was naturally a priority for Kang Hŭimaeng. His perception of his lineage was not limited to the paternal lines of his clan, which differentiates him from the understanding of clans prevalent in the late Chosŏn dynasty. It was, therefore, inevitable for Kang Hŭimaeng to collect the necessary knowledge and information to manage Kŭmyang Pyŏrŏp. Despite his emphasis on farming for the management of Kŭmyang Pyŏrŏp, Kang Hŭimaeng did not extend his knowledge to contribute to improving agricultural policies. He did not believe that farming was his calling. Rather, he considered farming based on his firmly rooted identity as a “sa” (literati). For Kang Hŭimaeng, agricultural knowledge could only have significance under the premise of his identity as literati.