본 연구의 목표는 유교문자도(儒敎文字圖)의 사상체계와 변천과정에 대한 재검토이다. 우리의 민화 가운데 유학적인 사회질서 유지를 표방하는 분야의 예로는 문자도, 책가도, 감모여재도 등이 있다. 이 중 문자도는 그림과 글자가 결합된 민화의 한 부분으로 문자를 회화적인 이미지로 나타낸 것이다. 문자도가 발생된 초기에는 수(壽)와 복(福)과 같은 길상적(吉祥的)인 문자가 유행했으나 점차 유교의 덕목이 표현되는 문자도가 유행했다. 본 연구자는 문자도가 삶의 염원과 유학적인 이상의 염원을 담고 있다는 점에서 ‘유교문자도’라는 용어를 사용하고자 한다. 유교문자도(Confucian Ideographs)는 유교적 윤리관과 삼강오륜의 사상이 반영된 효(孝)·제(悌)·충(忠)·신(信)·예(禮)·의(義)·염(廉)·치(恥)의 윤리덕목을 희화(戱畵)하여 그린 그림이라고 정의할 수 있다. 일반적으로 8폭 병풍으로 만들어져서, 집안을 장식하거나 그 덕목을 되새기는 용도로 사용됐다. 그림의 소재는 각 글자의 의미와 관련된 일화나 고사, 혹은 일화와 관련된 상징물이 주를 이룬다. 조선 초기에 발간된 『삼강행실도』나 『오륜행실도』에서 인용하거나, 조선후기의 고전 언해 사업의 영향으로 인하여 『시경』의 내용을 그대로 인용했다. 이런 소재들은 종종 글자 획(劃)의 일부를 구성하거나 여백에 곁들여졌다. 유교문자도는 18세기부터 일반 민중에 유통됐고, 19세기 후반에는 글자의 의미보다 장식성을 중시하여, 문자의 형태가 아주 단순화되고 회화성이 부각됐다. 문자도가 성행한 시기는 공교롭게도 주자학 일변도의 학풍에서 벗어나고자 하는 학문적인 반성이 풍미했던 때로 이런 현상에 대한 사회문화적인 배경을 고찰하고자 한다. 또한 문자도의 변천과정은 처음에는 글자 안에 그와 관련된 인물화를 취했다가 점차 글자 안의 그림이 그와 관련된 상징물로 단순화되고, 그 상징이 글자의 획을 대신하는 변화를 겪게 된 다음에는 일정한 양식이나 규칙이 깨져 희화된다는 점과 깊은 관련이 있을 것이다. 또 문자도의 변천과정을 이해하기 위해서는 유교문자도에 담긴 유교의 덕목이 어떻게 발생되고 이해되어 발전되었는가에 대한 사상체계에 대한 접근이 우선시 된다. 다음으로 유교문자도의 원형과 고유성에 대한 체계적인 검토가 연구의 목표이다. 따라서 유교문자도 인접 학문과의 종합적 분석이라는 점에서 의의가 있다.

Chosun dynasty in the 18 century was full of freedom and openness according to the influence of social change. This factor of freedom and openness urged to come out some popular atmosphere in the art; people’s preference for folk painting rather than classical pictures. At those ages, folk painting was very important methods to express people’s wishes and emotions energetically because folk painting was closely connected to the ordinary life of people. For examples, people pursued earthly happiness, achievement of their desires, blocking misfortunes and wishing longevity. Folk painting was the very passage of those pursuit. In particular, the Confucian Ideographs were a sort of representative to show us the trends of folk painting at that time. In fact, people could not imagine that the holy chinese character be used as materials for decoration and pictures. This paper aims at investigating the historical framework of thoughts appeared on the Confucian Ideographs containing the 8 foundational characters of Confucianism: filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, trust, propriety, righteousness, integrity and sensibility. These characters encourage service to one’s parents, friendship for brothers and neighborhood, contribution to nations and country, trust and faith to others, regulations and disciplines for public order, sacrifice for others, clean and frugal life, and sense of honor in our life. First time, the Confucian Ideographs started to educate people the value of Confucianism. At least, the goal of eight-fold panel was to disseminate the philosophy of Confucian values rather than to enjoy the pictures or wishing one’s happiness. However, in the 18 century, the trends were changed severely. Under the impact of folk painting from China, the Confucian Ideographs started to express their artistic features rather than the meaning of characters. Particularly, in the early 19 century, the Confucian Ideographs showed various models of each province. An interesting case was that the Confucian Ideographs consisted of 2 characters like filial piety and brotherly love were disseminated by governors and aristocratic class who were afraid of devaluation of traditional Confucianism.

Chosun dynasty in the 18 century was full of freedom and openness according to the influence of social change. This factor of freedom and openness urged to come out some popular atmosphere in the art; people’s preference for folk painting rather than classical pictures. At those ages, folk painting was very important methods to express people’s wishes and emotions energetically because folk painting was closely connected to the ordinary life of people. For examples, people pursued earthly happiness, achievement of their desires, blocking misfortunes and wishing longevity. Folk painting was the very passage of those pursuit. In particular, the Confucian Ideographs were a sort of representative to show us the trends of folk painting at that time. In fact, people could not imagine that the holy chinese character be used as materials for decoration and pictures. This paper aims at investigating the historical framework of thoughts appeared on the Confucian Ideographs containing the 8 foundational characters of Confucianism: filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, trust, propriety, righteousness, integrity and sensibility. These characters encourage service to one’s parents, friendship for brothers and neighborhood, contribution to nations and country, trust and faith to others, regulations and disciplines for public order, sacrifice for others, clean and frugal life, and sense of honor in our life. First time, the Confucian Ideographs started to educate people the value of Confucianism. At least, the goal of eight-fold panel was to disseminate the philosophy of Confucian values rather than to enjoy the pictures or wishing one’s happiness. However, in the 18 century, the trends were changed severely. Under the impact of folk painting from China, the Confucian Ideographs started to express their artistic features rather than the meaning of characters. Particularly, in the early 19 century, the Confucian Ideographs showed various models of each province. An interesting case was that the Confucian Ideographs consisted of 2 characters like filial piety and brotherly love were disseminated by governors and aristocratic class who were afraid of devaluation of traditional Confucianism.

Confucian Ideographs, Confucian virtues, filial piety‧brotherly love‧loyalty‧trust‧propriety‧righteousness‧integrity‧sensibility, Eight Confucian virtues Ideographs, folk art(naive paintings, anonymous paintings, peasant paintings)