Typical characteristics and background of King Yejong's reign in the Goryo Dynasty

본 논문에서는 고려 예종의 통치행위에 나타난 유형적 특징과 그 정치적 배경에 대해서 살펴보았다. 예종 재위 17년 동안의 통치양상은 대략 여섯 가지 형태로 구분되는데, 집권 초부터 말기까지 다양한 층위를 형성하면서도 일관되게 지속되는 모습을 보여주었다. 이와 같은 통치양상은 예종의 왕권강화책에 활용되었는데, 특히 자신의 부왕인 숙종의 개혁정치를 계승하는 데에 집중되었다. 이와 함께 예종은 對宋 관계를 긴밀히 유지하면서 송나라 귀화인들을 등용하고 대성악을 수입하였는데, 이는 송나라 황제의 권위를 이용하여 고려 왕실의 위상을 높이려는 의도 때문이었다. 결론적으로 예종은 몇 가지 정형화된 통치행위를 반복하면서 왕권강화와 개혁정치를 추구하였으며, 필요한 경우 시와 잔치, 눈물과 추념, 음악과 춤을 비롯한 다양한 ‘감성’ 요소를 동원하였다는 것이다.

This study examined typical characteristics and political background shown in King Yejong's reign in the Goryo Dyansty. During the reign of King Yejong for seventeen years, his acts of government are classified into six types showing consistency from the beginning to the end of his reign by forming various layers. Based on the characteristics, first, King Yejong made the best use of them in strengthening Kingship and used various "emotional" factors positively. Second, he tried to succeed to his father, King Sukjong's political reform, and solved conflict with his subjects who objected to the reform by building Temple Chunsusa. Third, he kept a close relationship with the Song Dynasty by taking naturalized citizens from Song into the government service, which is to raise the political standing of the Goryo Dynasty by taking advantage of the emperor's authority of the Song Dynasty. In conclusion, King Yejong's reign was developed based on consistent context of strengthening Kingship and reform politics. In the process, he utilized various "emotional" factors, if necessary, such as poetry, festivals, tears, the memory for the deceased, music, and dancing.