본 논문은 조선 중기 의병장 諸沫(1552-1593)에 관한 이야기가 記事로부터 筆記와 野談, 傳 등의 산문 작품으로 전승되는 과정을 살펴보고, 그 특징과 의미를 탐색한 것이다. 제말은 固城 출신의 常民이었다. 임진왜란이 발발하자 의병을 일으켜 熊川·鼎巖 등지의 전투에서 대승을 거두니 戰功이 조정에 알려져 성주목사를 제수받았다. 그러나 얼마 되지 않아 전사하고 남겨진 기록도 없어서 그의 공업은 그렇게 묻히는 듯하였다. 그러다가 남구만의 기록에 의해 그의 사적이 처음 세상에 알려지게 되었고, 정석유가 제말 혼령과 遭遇한 이야기가 생산되면서 그의 이야기는 널리 퍼지게 되었다. 이후로 제말 사적과 혼령의 출몰에 대한 기록은 빠르게 확산되어 筆記와 野談, 傳 등으로 재생산되었다. 정조는 제말에게 병조판서를 추증하고 시호를 하사하였으며, 사적비를 세우고 치제문을 내렸다. 후손인 諸安國은 전하는 기록들을 바탕으로 家狀을 지어 신도비명을 받고, 제말 관련기록을 모아 『삼충록으로 편찬하였다. 이렇듯 의병장 제말은 임진왜란의 戰功에도 불구하고 남겨진 기록이 없어 잊힐 뻔하다가 남구만의 우연한 기록과 정석유의 기이한 이야기 전승에 힘입어 국왕의 褒彰을 받고 신도비명까지 작성되는 주인공이 되었다. 제말 기록 전승의 특징과 의미를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 제말 기록은 그의 사후 70년까지 전하는 기록이 없다가 우연히 전해지는 이야기와 혼령 출몰담이 기록되면서 필기와 야담, 傳 등의 작품으로 전승되고, 이를 바탕으로 碑誌文까지 작성되는 다소 독특한 과정을 보여준다. 둘째, 정석유의 기록은 기이성을 바탕으로 빠른 파급력을 낳아 여러 유형의 산문 작품을 산생시키는 계기가 되었다. 셋째, 제말 이야기는 신돈복의 奇異 인식 및 창작 능력과 결합하여 서사가 확대되고 편폭이 길어지는 등 서사성이 강화되면서 야담 양식으로 전승되었다. 넷째, 제말 이야기의 기록과 전승에는 기본적으로 ‘忠烈’의 유교적 가치관을 선양하고 묵수하려는 사대부 의식이 내포되어 있다. 또 제말 혼령 이야기의 빠른 확산과 재생산은 후세에 길이 이름을 전하고자 하는 인간의 근원적 열망을 바탕으로, 업적이 있는 데도 그것이 실현되지 못했을 경우의 억울함이 귀신과 같은 비현실적 현상을 낳을 수 있다는 기록자들의 공통된 인식을 보여준다.

This paper reviews the process and aspects of the record on Jemal, which was passed down from Gi-sa to the prose works such as biography, handwriting, and Yadam, and aims to examine its features and meanings. Jemal, a common people, was born in Goseong. After the outbreak of the Imjin-year war, he raised righteous armies and won a battle in the battles of Ungcheon and Jeongam. His distinguished military service was known to Royal court and he was ordained a Seongjoo ministry. But he was shortly killed in the war and his achievements seemed to be so buried because there were no records left. For the first time, Jemal’s achievements became known to the world by the record of Nam Gu-Man. Later, when Gi-sa that Jeong Seok-Yu met Jemal’s spirit was written, his story became widespread. Then records for his achievements and appearance of spirit was rapidly spread. It was reproduced with handwriting, Yadam, and biography. King, Jeongjo, who was impressed by the transmitted story, granted him the posthumous conferment of honors, the Minister of War, and the posthumous epithet, and set up his memorial stone, and issued a praising funeral oration. Hence, his descendant, Je An-guk wrote record of conduct based on the inherited stories. After that, he obtained Shindobimyung from Byun Jong-Un and collected the related records and compiled it as 『Samchungrok』. Like this, Jemal, General of the righteous armies, was almost forgotten in spite of distinguished military service because there were no records left, but thanks to the accidental record of Nam Gu-Man and Jeong Seok-Yu’s bizarre story, Shindobimyung was written after receiving the king’s help. The following is a summary of the features and meanings of the story transmission about Jemal. First, there were no records left about his life until 70 years after his death. As an inherited story and the story of the spirit appearing by chance were recorded, works such as writtings, Yadam, and biography were transmitted and then Bijimoon based on these was written. Second, Jemal’s spirit appeared to Jeong Seok-Yu. He appealed his resentment and requested Chimyo, Combined with it, ancient event about Jemal spread quickly. This means that Jeong Seok-Yu’s record produced a rapid ripple effect based on mystery and produced several styles of prose works. Third, the story about Jemal was transmitted in the form of a Yadam as narrativity was strengthened, such as the expansion of narrative and lengthening of the content of the work, combined with the awareness and creative ability of Shin Don-bok. Fourth, at the bottom of which the story about Jemal was first recorded and spread, there was basically a consciousness of the gentry trying to admit and embrace the Confucian values of unswerving loyalty. In addition, the rapid ripple effect of the story about Jemal’s spirit was formed on the basis of the common understanding of the authors about the fundamental desires of humans to convey their names to future generations and unfortunate unfulfilment of them.

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Jemal, Jemal’s spirit, Gi-sa, Yadam, biography, Nam Gu-Man, Jeong Seok-Yu