조선후기 제주지역의 진휼비(賑恤碑)와 진휼실상

Abstract

This research is to figure out the character of almsgiving performed in late Joseon dynasty by analyzing cases based on a memorial stone of almsgiving currently remained in Jeju area. First of all, background how almsgiving could be started and the national policy on almsgiving are figured out, and then also I research the overall characteristic in Jeju area in late Joseon dynasty. Second, I understand the actual condition of the memorial stones of almsgiving remained in Jeju so that examine the main agent of building the memorial stone of almsgiving. By comparative analysis on historical materials and inscription of memorials, the cases of almsgiving executed in Jeju are analyzed in this paper. Jeju used to get damaged from storm and flood every year, and these serious damages could threaten Jeju inhabitants' the necessities of life. In addition Jeju had insufficient farmland and barren soil of the land. In these conditions, Jeju used to have persistent social problems, famine, to Jeju inhabitants, so they used to have to suffer from the hardship of life. Because of the social aspect, Jeju must have been in concern of Joseon court that put to protect people's well being before other things. Thus Joseon dynasty had continually supported Jeju inhabitants, and the inhabitants also had no choice but to depend on central government's support. Support for jeju community by Joseon court was made in the name of almsgiving, and the types of almsgiving were also various. There are many cases like Lijeongok, which means grains came from elsewhere, the most typical form in Joseon, Hwangoktanggam which writes off a debt, and Gongmultanggam, shortening the amount of goods that is supposed to devote to king, only performed in Jeju area in the type of almsgiving. Besides the cases of almsgiving of Joseon court, Moksa, Pangwan, or Manho who were a kind of officials worked for Jeju region had donated their private property for people. Officials tried to autonomously solve famine in Jeju by using cumulated grain for almsgiving or to perform indirect almsgiving by system improvement including the abolition of tax or tax relief. There was another case that individuals relieved people by preparing food by themselves as well as the cases of Joseon court and officials. These various types of almsgiving have carried down to the current time by the memorial stones of almsgiving all around Jeju area. Now the 76 memorial stones carved the detailed statement about almsgiving are distributed over whole Jeju area. Most memorial stones of almsgiving were built since the period of King Sunjo due to the situation at the time. Also Jejumok which was one of three towns in Jeju is the place where the memorial stones are intensively distributed on account of several environmental and administrative factors. Besides Jeju has very geographically poor conditions and Jeju community couldn't autonomously solve their famine, Jeju must have had a high level of dependence on support of the central government. These conditions seem to be the reason why most of the remained memorial stones are for celebration in honor of Moksa and Usa. However there were also negative effects by building of the memorial stone of almsgiving. One of the typical cases of these negative effects in late Joseon dynasty is building the fake memorial stones for their own political fame. There are also several fake memorial stones for almsgiving in Jeju, even though the amount of almsgiving was insignificant. In contrast, there are also memorial stones built by one whole village with their village name carved, or the memorial stones built by one clan. Looking specifically at the substance of almsgiving memorial, the largest numbers of the memorial stones for almsgiving are for celebrating for almsgiving by Hwangoktanggam. There were also the memorial stones for tax relief and the abolition of tax. In addition the cases of Hwangok, the policy that lends some grains to people at the time of famine, and personal donation could be identified by inscription of the memorial stones of almsgiving. Almost memorial stones of almsgiving are intensively built in the period of King Sunjo, so the features shown in the memorial stones can't embrace all the cases of almsgiving in late Joseon dynasty. However, by comparative analysis on inscriptions and historical materials, facts and accuracy of almsgiving performed in Jeju region in late Joseon dynasty could be analyzed.