샤를르 달레의 『한국천주교회사』에 비친 조선 후기 불교 (The Buddhism of Late Joseon as Depicted in Charles Dallet’s Histoire de l’Eglise de Coreé)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 동방문화대학원대학교 불교문예연구소
· 수록지 정보 : 불교문예연구 / 24권 / 37 ~ 71페이지
· 저자명 : 김성연

초록

이 글은 1874년 프랑스에서 간행된 샤를르 달레의 한국천주교회사 에서 조선의 불교가 어떤 모습으로 비춰졌는지 살펴본 연구이다. 달레는조선을 한 번도 방문한 적이 없기 때문에 조선에서 직접 선교활동을 한선교사들의 서한과 기록들에 의지하여 책을 집필했다. 따라서 이 책에 비친 조선의 불교는 달레 한 사람만의 인식이 아니라, 19세기 조선을 경험한 서양 선교사들의 전반적인 인식이라고 볼 수 있다.
이 책에서 불교는 ‘예전 종교’로 서술되었다. 즉 현재의 불교는 국가와사회로부터 존경을 잃고 쇠퇴한 모습일 뿐이며, 불교가 종교로서 누렸던위상은 이미 과거의 일이라는 인식이다. 선교사들이 본 사찰은 대부분 폐허로 변했고, 승려는 부패했다. 종교인이었지만 오리엔탈리즘적 사고를지녔던 서양 선교사들은 조선의 모든 상황을 부정적으로 바라보았고, 불교도 예외가 아니었다. 흥미로운 것은 오늘날 한국의 천주교인들이 이 책에 이름조차 등장하지 않는 천진암과 주어사라는 사찰을 한국 천주교의발상지로서 성지화하고 있다는 점이다. 한국 천주교에서 추앙하는 성인중에 이벽과 권철신 등이 이 두 사찰에서 처음으로 서학 연구를 했다고보기 때문이다. 그에 따라 오늘날 천주교와 불교계는 갈등을 빚고 있다.
한국천주교회사에 담긴 불교에 대한 내용은 선교사들의 부정적 인식을 다룬 부분과 천진암・주어사와 관련한 논쟁 정도가 전부로서 분량이매우 적다. 하지만 그 속에서도 조선 후기 불교의 모습을 유추해낼 수있다. 선교사들이 본 부정적인 모습에는 당시 승려들이 국가의 잡역에 시달렸던 현실이 고스란히 드러난다. 또 그런 현실에서도 왕실에서 불사를지원했던 사실을 살펴볼 수 있다. 사찰을 활용해 서학을 연구하는 모임을가졌던 점도 조선 후기 사찰의 역할을 여실히 보여주는 사례이다. 조선후기 사찰은 민간신앙을 포섭하면서 지역민에게 친근하고 익숙한 공간으로 자리매김하였고, 유학자뿐만 아니라 천주교인도 거부감 없이 이용할수 있었던 지역 사회 종교 문화의 거점이었다.

영어초록

This article examines how Buddhism in Joseon was depicted in Charles Dallet’s Histoire de l'Eglise de Coreé, published in France in 1874. Since Dallet never visited Joseon, he relied on letters and various records from missionaries who conducted their work di rectly in Joseon to write this book. Therefore, the Buddhism de scribed in this book reflects the general perception of Western mis sionaries who experienced Joseon society in the 19th century.
In this book, Buddhism is portrayed as the “religion of the past.” That is, the Buddhism of the present had lost its respect from the state and society, appearing only as a declining force, with its religious status reduced to a relic of the past. The temples observed by the missionaries were mostly in ruins, and the monks were described as corrupt. Although they were clergy, these Westerners, influenced by Orientalist thinking, viewed all aspects of Joseon society negatively, which also shaped their perspective on Buddhism. Interestingly, today's Korean Catholics believe that Catholicism in Korea began in two Buddhist temples, Cheonjinam (天眞庵) and Jueosa (走魚寺), whose names don’t even appear in this book. This belief stems from the notion that Yi Byeok (李檗) and Gwon Cheolsin (權哲身), revered saints in Korean Catholicism, are thought to have first studied Catholicism at these two temples.
As a result, conflicts exist today between Catholicism and Buddhism in Korea.
The content on Buddhism in Histoire de l’Eglise de Coreé is very limited. Nevertheless, this book contains clues that allow us to infer the state of Buddhism in late Joseon. From the missionaries’This article examines how Buddhism in Joseon was depicted in Charles Dallet’s Histoire de l'Eglise de Coreé, published in France in 1874. Since Dallet never visited Joseon, he relied on letters and various records from missionaries who conducted their work di rectly in Joseon to write this book. Therefore, the Buddhism de scribed in this book reflects the general perception of Western mis sionaries who experienced Joseon society in the 19th century.
In this book, Buddhism is portrayed as the “religion of the past.” That is, the Buddhism of the present had lost its respect from the state and society, appearing only as a declining force, with its religious status reduced to a relic of the past. The temples observed by the missionaries were mostly in ruins, and the monks were described as corrupt. Although they were clergy, these Westerners, influenced by Orientalist thinking, viewed all aspects of Joseon society negatively, which also shaped their perspective on Buddhism. Interestingly, today's Korean Catholics believe that Catholicism in Korea began in two Buddhist temples, Cheonjinam (天眞庵) and Jueosa (走魚寺), whose names don’t even appear in this book. This belief stems from the notion that Yi Byeok (李檗) and Gwon Cheolsin (權哲身), revered saints in Korean Catholicism, are thought to have first studied Catholicism at these two temples.
As a result, conflicts exist today between Catholicism and Buddhism in Korea.
The content on Buddhism in Histoire de l’Eglise de Coreé is very limited. Nevertheless, this book contains clues that allow us to infer the state of Buddhism in late Joseon. From the missionaries’ negative views of Buddhism, it can be inferred that monks were subjected to forced labor imposed by the state. Additionally, despite such circumstances, the royal court supported the reconstruction of temples. The fact that Catholic study meetings were held in tem ples suggests the role temples played in late Joseon. In late Joseon, temples were familiar and accessible spaces for local people and served as centers of religious culture in local communities, which Confucian scholars and Catholics could use without resistance.

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