This article aims to examine the trend in researches regarding the wooden tablet “Jwa"gwan Dae"shik-gi(佐官貸食記)”, and the Dae"shik(貸食: grain loaning) system of Baekje(百?) in general. Also attempted in this article is to compare that Baekje institution with the relief policies and grain loaning systems of Goguryeo(高句麗), Shilla(新羅), ancient Chinese dynasties and Japan.
Contents of “Jwa"gwan Dae"shik-gi” is currently considerably deciphered, and many studies emerged accordingly. Previous studies concentrated in examining the nature of the Jwa"gwan(佐官, senior subalterns) figure, characteristics (including the interest rate) of the Dae"shik system, and the social status of the loanees. But the ancient East Asian Dae"shik system in general, which could be compared with the Baekje case, shows aspects that are yet to be examined.
Other systems that could be compared with Dae"shik include the Jin"geup(賑給, free supply) and Jindae-beop(賑貸法, interest-free grain loaning system) institutions, which appeared in historical texts concerning Goguryeo and Shilla. The total sum of materials deployed as countermeasures to disasters was significant in Goguryeo and Shilla. It means that both countries responded positively to save the people in distress. Meanwhile, Baekje"s response to disasters was rather passive. Generally its response was more passive during the Ungjin(熊津)-Sabi(泗?) period(475∼660) than the Hanseong(漢城) period(B.C.18∼475). Jindae-beop, Eui"chang(義倉: granary for relief purposes), and Hwan"gok(還穀: grain for relief) systems were all managed with free interests or with a low interest rate, and were inherently different from the Dae"shik system, which had rather high interest rates.
Institutions similar to the Dae"shik system appeared in the Han(漢, B.C.206∼A.D.220) dynasty and the Sun"wu(孫吳: 222∼280) dynasty, but we do not know the interest rates. Although Zhengi(賑給) and Zhendai(賑貸) had been shown in the Han dynasty, they served only as temporary measures for disaster relief efforts. Yichang(義倉), which could be seen in the Sui(隋: 581∼618) dynasty, was institutionalized successfully, however the resources were easily diverted to replenish financial losses of the government or to satiate the local governors" greed. Zhengi and Yichang in ancient Japan were managed without interests, just like those of the ancient Chinese dynasties. Dae"shik system was more similar to the Suiko( : loan) system, than 出擧Zhengi and Yichang, in ancient Japan, but it is hard to emphasize the similarities as there are differences as well.
The Jwa"gwan figure described in the wooden tablet "Jwa"gwan dae"shik-gi" was not the loaner but the loanee and also a low-ranking official. We can assume that the loaning practice existed during the three kingdoms` period, through the cases of Goguryeo and Shilla. But it is hard to connect Dae"shik system with Jindae-beop, Euichang and Hwan-gok. Assuming Baekje might have responded more passively to disasters than Goguryeo and Shilla did, Dae"shik system may have not been used as the main measure for disaster reliefs.