<삼국유사>의 當代 인식과 상고사 찬술 배경: 원 간섭기 역사편찬 동향과 관련하여

Abstract

This essay has used a contemporary historical perspective to examine the background of the composition of Samguk-yusa as it relates to the trends found in compilation of histories during the period of Yuan interference. Unable to ignore a request for a historical compilation of the Yuan dynasty that sought to confirm Goryeo’s location in the territory of the empire, the Goryeo nation, in presenting the resulting compilation to the Yuan leaders, was at the same time working to imbue the writing with a sense of Goryeo’s own historical identity. Although this work did not differ from what was requested directly from the Yuan dynasty, one must bear in mind the fact that the backdrop of its compilation closely followed that of Samguk-yusa, as did the compilation of Jewang-ungi(帝王韻紀) during the same period. In the Mongol court of 1269 (King Wonjong 10th), especially, discussions of the conquest of Goryeo and discussions of Goryeo history itself have been seen as occurring concurrently. In Samguk-yusa the actions of the capital security forces (Sambyeolcho) challenging the return of the capital to Gaegyeong are regarded as mutiny. The Mongols, having completely destroyed the Hwangryong-sa temple, described as Western mountain(西山). The Yuan was recognized as the Great Dynasty(大朝), and the era of Kublai Zhiyuan(至元) was used as the basis of the calculation of calendar dates. Samguk-yusa itself has a connection with this period of compilation, the latter half of 1280, a time of relative stability between Goryeo and the Yuan dynasty. Even as Goryeo responded to the Yuan dynasty’s request for a publication covering contemporary history, a growing movement was seeking to arrange its own history with its beginning in ancient times before the creation of Goryeo, Samguk-yusa being one of the results. Using ancient history as a starting point, it examines history from Ancient Joseon through Han County, Samhan, and Three Kingdom and, ending with their unification(統三) by Goryeo and using the mystery events, it separates these histories into their individual components while suggesting that they be reassembled around the concept of Goryeo. Samguk-yusa revealed Tangun’s construction of Ancient Joseon to be concurrent with the reign of the Chinese Emperor Yao, but even as it used the fact of this close relationship between ancient history and China as a jumping-off point, it was seeking at the same time to reveal Goryeo’s own historical identity. The length of time between Tangun’s founding of Ancient Joseon and the formation of Goryeo was calculated at 3,408 years, and this later became a basis to confirm Goryeo’s identity in regard to its relationship to the Yuan by computing the number of years between its foundation and that of the Tang dynasty. Moreover, using Jizi to symbolize the existence of the nation’s relationship with Chinese civilization, it depicted the recognition of the progression of Ancient Joseon (from the reign of Tangun) to Buyeo and then Goguryeo in combination with the progression of Ancient Joseon (dealing with Jizi’s reign subsequent to that of Tangun) to Mahan, and then to Goguryeo.