나무는 중국과 한국의 중요한 문화콘텐츠이다. 그러나 지금까지 인문학에서 나무는 연구의 대상도 아니었을 뿐 아니라 중요한 문화의 대상도 아니었다. 나무 중에서도 회화나무와 느티나무는 살구나무와 은행나무처럼 중국과 한국의 유교 혹은 성리학을 이해하는데 매우 중요한 나무이다. 회화나무가 유교를 이해하는 중요한 나무로 등장한 것은 중국 주나라의 제도 때문이었다. 주나라에서 삼공(三公)의 자리와 사(士)의 무덤에 회화나무를 심어 신분을 구분했다. 회화나무는 유학을 유교로 삼은 한나라를 거치면서 한층 중요한 나무로 인식되기 시작했다. 회화나무는 성리학을 지배이념으로 삼은 송대에도 상징수(象徵樹)였다. 현재 허난성[河南省]의 숭양서원과 후난성[湖南省]의 악록서원을 비롯한 중요 서원에서 회화나무를 만날 수 있다. 성리학을 지배이념으로 삼은 조선왕조도 은행나무와 함께 본격적으로 조정과 관청, 그리고 향교와 서원을 중심으로 회화나무를 상징수로 보급하기 시작했다. 우리나라에서도 창덕궁과 성균관, 성주향교와 영천향교, 도산서원, 묵계서원, 녹우당, 삼수정 등 성리학 공간에 회화나무가 상징수로 남아 있다.
성리학의 상징수였던 회화나무는 우리나라에 들어오면서 한편으로 회화나무로, 다른 한편으로 느티나무로 인식되었다. 회화나무를 느티나무로 인식한 것은 문화변용이다. 지금까지 우리나라에서 회화나무를 느티나무로 수용한 이유를 알려주는 자료는 없다, 다만 나무 구입의 어려움과 생명력이 원인이었을지도 모른다. 회화나무는 우리나라에 자생하지 않았기 때문에 쉽게 구할 수 없었을 것이며, 게다가 오래 살지도 않았다. 반면 느티나무는 자생하면서도 빨리 자랄 뿐 아니라 회화나무에 비해 오래 살았다. 현재 우리나라에서 회화나무 천연기념물은 인천 신현동 회화나무(제315호)를 비롯해 5그루인 반면, 느티나무 천연기념물은 삼척 도계리 긴잎느티나무(천연기념물 제95호)를 비롯하여 18그루이다.
성리학 공간의 느티나무 문화변용 사례는 경상북도 성주군의 회연서원, 경기도 파주시의 자운서원에서 확인할 수 있다. 두 서원의 상징수는 회화나무가 아니라 느티나무이다. 또 다른 회화나무의 문화변용 사례는 충청남도 아산시의 구괴정(九槐亭)이다. 이곳은 조선시대 맹사성을 비롯한 세 사람의 정승이 각각 세 그루의 느티나무를 심어서 생긴 이름이다. 다만 지금은 한 그루만 남아 있다. 충청북도 괴산군은 회화나무의 또 다른 문화변용 사례이고, 전국에서 느티나무 노거수(老巨樹)가 가장 많은 곳이기도 하다.
The Recognition on Trees and Culture Transformation in China and Korea-Focusing on Sophora and Zelkova Tree
Kang Pan-kwon
[Abstract]
Trees are important cultural contents in Chain and Korea. However, in humanics field trees are not the subject of study as well as not the subject of cultural research. Sophora and zelkova trees like prunus armeniaca and ginkgo biloba are important trees in understanding Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism of China and Korea. Sophora was recognized as an important tree in understanding Confucianism because of the ruling system of Zhou Dynasty. The status system of Zhou Dynasty was established on trees. After sophora trees had got planted near the graves of high government officials and classical scholars in Zhou Dynasty, sophora trees also got planted near the royal court and government offices. Sophora trees were recognized as more important trees in Chinese Han which had adopted Confucianism as a state religion.
Although sophora trees were not recognized as important trees from the period of the China three kingdoms to Tang Dynasty, sophora trees were selected again as the symbol tree of Song Dynasty which had adopted Neo-Confucianism as ruling ideology. Lots of Confucian academies such as Sungyang Academy in Henan and Acrok Academy in Hunan selected sophora trees as the symbol tree and now we easily see the trees in those places. The Joseon Dynasty which adopted Neo-Confucianism as ruling ideology selected ginkgo and sophora trees as the symbol tree and planted those trees near the royal court, government offices, Confucian temples, and Confucian schools. Sophora trees were planted as the symbol tree in important and symbolic sites of Neo-Confucianism such as Changdeokgung Palace, Seonggyungwan, Sung-Ju Hyanggyo, Yeongcheon Hyanggyo, Dosanseowon Confucian Academy, and Nogudang. Those Sophora trees are important in understanding Neo-Confucianism. As researchers could discover the fact through literature historical materials that sophora trees had been selected as the symbol trees of Zhou Dynasty and Chinese Han, literature historical materials about sophora trees which had been planted in the places related to Neo-Confucianism also are important historical sources of Korea.
Sophora trees, the symbol tree of Neo-Confucianism, were regarded as sophora or zelkova trees in the process of being introduced in Korea. The fact that sophora was regarded as zelkova is a kind of culture transformation. There is no historical source to reveal the reason why sophora was regarded as zelkova in Korea. The chances are the difficulty of purchasing sophora trees at that time and the short life expectancy. It might be difficult to purchase sophora trees in Korea because sophora trees was not native species as well as sophora trees had short life expectancy. But zelkova trees were native and quick-growing species and also had long life expectancy beside sophora. While there are 5 sophora trees designated as the natural monument including the natural monument number 315 located in Sinhyeon-dong, Seo-gu in Incheon, there are 19 zelkova trees designated as the natural monument including the natural monument number 95 located in Dogye-ri, Samcheok-si in Gangwon-do.
Sophora trees were widely loved by people of royal court in Zhou Dynasty and were continuous with culture of Neo-Confucianism such as Goejeong which meant royal court. Many Neo-Confucian scholars planted sophora trees as the symbol tree of Yangmingism inside and outside of their houses. For example, there are sophora trees in Nogudang located in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do which Yun Seon-do had stayed in the Joseon Dynasty period, and in Baekssegak and Hanju Old Houses located in Seongju-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and so on. Lots of Neo-Confucian scholars expressed their emotions using metaphors related to sophora trees such as Goeanguk and Goeanmong. The examples of culture transformation are Hoeyeon Confucian Academy in Seongju-gun and Jaunseowon Confucian Academy in Paju, Gyunggi-do. The symbol trees of both confucian academies are zelkova not sophora. Another example of culture transformation of sophora trees is Gugoejeong in Asan, Chungcheongnamdo. The name, Gugoejeong, stems from three zelkova trees which three prime ministers including Maeng Saseung had planted and now only a zelkova tree is alive. Goesan-gun in Chungcheongnamdo where old big zelkova trees are in the whole country is another example of culture transformation. The example of culture transformation that sophora trees of China is replaced with zelkova trees in Korea is not just a change of sorts of trees but an important factor in understanding culture of China and Korea. However in literature historical materials including Annals of the Joseon Dynasty there are many translation errors that sophora trees are mistranslated into zelkova trees. The translation errors in literature historical materials are caused by the lack in understanding trees and tree culture of China and Korea, and the translation errors must not be tolerated. Because the translation errors are also found in cases of thuja orientalis, nut pine, juniper, and fir trees, it needs to be considered more significantly.
(Professor, Keimyung University/k6356@kmu.ac.kr)