임진왜란 직전 동아시아 정세 (The East Asian World Situation just before the Imjin War)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한일관계사학회
· 수록지 정보 : 한일관계사연구 / 43호 / 175 ~ 214페이지
· 저자명 : 한명기

초록

16세기 조선 지식인들의 대외인식을 형성하는데 주도적인 역할을 했던 것은 士林이었다. 이들은 세조대의 覇政과 연산군대의 亂政을 겪으며 修己治人의 가르침을 현실에서 실현해야 한다는 것, 임금․신하․백성을 堯舜 시대의 君臣民으로 변화시켜야 한다는 신념을 갖게 되었다. 趙光祖 등의 道學政治는 이러한 배경에서 주창되었다. 그들은 세조대 이래 왕권의 자의성, 훈신들의 비리에 대한 비판의식을 바탕으로 善과 惡, 君子와 小人, 王道와 覇道, 倫理와 悖倫, 士林과 勳戚, 中華와 夷狄을 峻別하고자 했고 그 지향은 16세기 중반 이후의 사림들에게 이어졌다. 중종대 이후 극단적인 尊明意識을 갖고 明에 공순히 事大하면서 여타 국가를 ‘오랑캐’로 하시하는 夷狄觀이 굳어졌던 것도 이 같은 배경과 맞물려 있었다.
16세기 중반은 銀을 둘러싼 상업적 경쟁과 갈등이 심화되었던 시대였다. 貢市를 요구하는 몽골의 침략과 海禁을 넘어 무역을 갈망했던 倭寇의 발호 속에서 중국 해역의 남과 북은 ‘펄펄 끓고’ 있었다. 조선도 그 같은 상황에서 시종 일관 ‘事大’와 ‘尊明’이라는 시각으로 외부 세계의 변화에 대응했다. 조선은 ‘유일한 예의의 나라’라고 자부하면서 명을 ‘一家’이자 ‘부모국’으로 존숭했다. ‘명이 특별하게 대우하는 藩國이 조선’이라는 것이야말로 조선이 다른 국가들을 얕보는 자존심의 기반이 되었다. 조선은 명의 눈을 통해 세계를 바라보려 했다.
16세기 중반은 또한 조선과 일본의 내부 정세가 크게 변했던 시기였다. 일본에 조총이 전래되었던 1543년 무렵 조선에서는 書院이 창립되었다. 조선은 철저한 文治의 길로, 일본은 철저한 武士의 길로 양국의 행로가 극적으로 갈라졌다.
‘명의 嫡子’라는 자부심 속에 尊明意識이 높아가고 있던 조선은 ‘오랑캐 국가’ 일본의 동향에 주목하지 않았다. ‘覇權國’ 명이 있는 한, 조선이 명과 ‘특별한 관계’를 유지하는 한 일본의 변화는 별로 문제될 것이 없었다. 그것은 당시 대다수 조선 지식인들의 생각이었다. 이 같은 배경을 고려하면, 일본에 사신으로 가서 일본의 침략 가능성을 인지했는지의 여부는 별로 중요한 것이 아니었다. 또 논란의 중심에 있던 김성일에 대한 평가를 쉽게 내릴 수 있는 것도 아니었다. 왜냐하면 임진왜란이 일어나는 것을 개인적 차원에서 막을 수 있는 것이 아니었기 때문이다.

영어초록

In 16th century, Literati was the leading group that formed the domestic awareness towards foreign countries which connected with political condition of Chosun Dynasty. They had to sacrifice in the course of going through misrules done by king Sejo and the dethroned king Yonsan. Suffering from these tyrannies, they built the faith in them, that is, fixating the attitude of mind known by disciplining oneself(修己) and governing people(治人), which is emphasized in neo-Confucianism, in reality. For that, they thought they had to enlighten the king, retainers and the subjects to become that of YaoShun(堯舜) period. Surrounded by these conditions, Cho Kwang Jo made an attempt to pursue the ideal politics. Although they could not reach their goals, their aim which was created by a harsh resistance to dictatorship of king Sejo and corruption of the meritorious subjects, tried to distinguish virtue from vice, and a man of virtue from a man of vice. And their will was succeeded by the Literati who appeared after mid 16th century. Their aim was linked with differentiating ‘the right’ from ‘the wrong’, ‘Literati’ from meritorious subjects’, and ‘China’ from ‘Babarian’. After king Joong-Jong, extreme subservience and worship towards Ming dynasty and the tendency to put black marks against other countries as not civilized, which came out of tryto look down on them, had been reinforced. They excluded all the utilitarian view from foreign policy or mercenary thoroughly in attempt to make their renovation grounded by pure neo-Confucianism.
In mid 16th century, the competition between surrounding countries of China towards silver had been heightened. In the situation of threat of Mongol which demanded to open the market and to permit of paying tribute, and the provocation of Japan which tried to exchange Japan’ssilver for merchandise of China in attempt to overcome the geographical remoteness, shook the overall atmosphere of Sea of China. Chosun also had to do with commercial trend, but they dealt with the change of outside world from the point of view of worshipping Ming dynasty from start to finish. Chosun dynasty named themselves as ‘the country of civility’ which is radically different from other countries. And they worshipped Ming dynasty as their mother country.The fact that the Chosun dynasty was the only kingdom that Ming dynasty acknowledged as their successor made Chosun feel superior to other kingdoms. In other words, Chosun dynasty tried to observe the world in the same manner that Ming dynasty did.
In mid 16th century, ‘the ideological order’dominated by Ming dynasty started to undergo destabilization, and the national standpoint of Chosun and Japan began to change. Around 1543, when Japan adoptedthe western rifle, ‘Deppo’, in Chosun dynasty, building a Seowon(a memorial hall for the great scholars and loyal subjects of the past) was the main trend. These two different tendencies decided their fate. Chosun dynasty took their way to become a kingdom, ‘ruled by a pen’, and Japan transformed into a kingdom, ‘ruled by a sword.’Chosun dynasty did not give attention to the change of Japan, because they thought they were the only heir who can succeed the Ming dynasty. As long as Ming dynasty, the hegemonic country exists, and as long as Ming dynasty and Chosun- dynasty maintain their special relationship, the change of Japan didn’t matter to Chosun. That was the idea that almost every elite of Chosun Dynasty had. Chosun Dynasty was responsible for the edifying ‘Babarian’. as a Civilized-country. Considering these conditions, it is not important whether Kim Sung-il who was an envoy to Japan, knew the probability of Japan’s invasion of Chosun after his return. It is hard to make an assessment about Kim-Sung-il who was in the middle of controversial issue.
In sum, the Imjin-war was not preventable on a personal level. We have to admit that fact.

참고자료

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