서적 보급의 관점에서 본 규장각한국학연구원 소장 목판(木板): 지식 확산을 위한 물적 기반 또는 국왕의 기념물

초록

This study examines 104 titles comprising over 17,800 printing woodblocks housed at the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies (奎章閣韓國學硏究院) at Seoul National University, focusing on state-led printing culture and book distribution policies. The Kyujanggak collection includes woodblocks produced and preserved through diverse channels, encompassing not only central offices such as the Kyujanggak (奎章閣), Gyoseogwan (校書館, publishing office), and Sigangwon (侍講院, Office for Crown Prince Education), but also regional administrative institutions such as the Gyeongsang Provincial Office (慶尙監營) and Yeongbyeon Prefecture (寧邊府). These woodblocks are analyzed as a foundation for knowledge dissemination and cultural heritage preservation, rather than as mere printing tools. The analysis identifies two representative groups: the Saseo Samgyeong (四書三經, Four Books and Three Classics) set and King Yeongjo’s eoje-seo (御製書, books written by the king). The Saseo Samgyeong woodblocks, produced simultaneously at central and regional levels, served as key tools for the wide distribution of Confucian texts. By contrast, eoje-seo was stored in designated repositories such as the state archives (史庫) and Bongmodang (奉謨堂, Hall of Reverence for Royal Instructions), emphasizing their symbolic and political importance. The study also examines how these woodblocks were relocated and integrated during the Japanese colonial period, revealing that their present composition reflects both premodern block storage policies and colonial archival practices. It highlights the absence of many once-utilized but now-lost works, such as King Jeongjo’s eojeong and myeongchan-seo (御定·命撰書, royally commissioned works), yuneum (綸音, royal proclamations), and regional beongakbon (飜刻本, reprinted editions). This analysis shows that preservation was determined by political hierarchy, distribution strategies, and administrative systems. The findings reframe the Kyujanggak woodblock collection as a comprehensive legacy of Joseon’s state-driven publishing culture and provide essential primary sources for research on premodern Korean knowledge networks and print culture.

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