A Study on the Forest Land System in the YI Dynasty

이조시대(李朝時代)의 임지제도(林地制度)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究)

Land was originally communized by a community in the primitive society of Korea, and in the age of the ancient society SAM KUK-SILLA, KOKURYOE and PAEK JE-it was distributed under the principle of land-nationalization. But by the occupation of the lands which were permitted to transmit from generation to generation as Royal Grant Lands and newly cleared lands, the private occupation had already begun to be formed. Thus the private ownership of land originated by chiefs of the tribes had a trend to be gradually pervaded to the communal members. After the, SILLA Kingdom unified SAM KUK in 668 A.D., JEONG JEON System and KWAN RYO JEON System, which were the distribution systems of farmlands originated from the TANG Dynasty in China, were enforced to established the basis of an absolute monarchy. Even in this age the forest area was jointly controlled and commonly used by village communities because of the abundance of area and stocked volume, and the private ownership of the forest land was prohibited by law under the influence of the TANG Dynasty system. Toward the end of the SILLA Dynasty, however, as its centralism become weak, the tendency of the private occupancy of farmland by influential persons was expanded, and at the same time the occupancy of the forest land by the aristocrats and Buddhist temples began to come out. In the ensuing KORYO Dynasty (519 to 1391 A.D.) JEON SI KWA System under the principle of land-nationalization was strengthened and the privilege of tax collection was transferred to the bureaucrats and the aristocrats as a means of material compensation for them. Taking this opportunity the influential persons began to expand their lands for the tax collection on a large scale. Therefore, about in the middle of 11th century the farmlands and the forest lands were annexed not only around the vicinity of the capital but also in the border area by influential persons. Toward the end of the KORYO Dynasty the royal families, the bureaucrats and the local lords all possessed manors and occupied the forest lands on a large scale as a part of their farmlands. In the KORYO Dynasty, where national economic foundation was based upon the lands, the disorder of the land system threatened the fall of the Dynasty and so the land reform carried out by General YI SEONG-GYE had led to the creation of ensuing YI Dynasty. All systems of the YI Dynasty were substantially adopted from those of the KORYO Dynasty and thereby KWA JEON System was enforced under the principle of land-nationalization, while the occupancy or the forest land was strictly prohibited, except the national or royal uses, by the forbidden item in KYEONG JE YUK JEON SOK JEON, one of codes provided by the successive kings in the YI Dynasty. Thus the basis of the forest land system through the YI Dynasty had been established, while the private forest area possessed by influential persons since the previous KORYO Dynasty was preserved continuously under the influence of their authorities. Therefore, this principle of the prohibition was nothing but a legal fiction for the security of sovereign powers. Consequently the private occupancy of the forest area was gradually enlarged and finally toward the end of YI Dynasty the privately possessed forest lands were to be officially authorized. The forest administration systems in the YI Dynasty are summarized as follows: a) KEUM SAN and BONG SAN. Under the principle of land-nationalization by a powerful centralism KWA JEON System was established at the beginning of the YI Dynasty and its government expropriated all the forests and prohibited strictly the private occupation. In order to maintain the dignity of the royal capital, the forests surounding capital areas were instituted as KEUM SAN (the reserved forests) and the well-stocked natural forest lands were chosen throughout the nation by the government as BONG SAN(national forests for timber production), where the government nominated SAN JIK(forest rangers) and gave them duties to protect and afforest the forests. This forest reservation system exacted statute labors from the people of mountainious districts and yet their commons of the forest were restricted rigidly. This consequently aroused their strong aversion against such forest reservation, therefore those forest lands were radically spoiled by them. To settle this difficult problem successive kings emphasized the preservation of the forests repeatedly, and in KYEONG KUK DAI JOEN, the written constitution of the YI Dynasty, a regulation for the forest preservation was provided but the desired results could not be obtained. Subsequently the split of bureaucrats with incessant feuds among politicians and scholars weakened the centralism and moreover, the foreign invasions since 1592 made the national land devasted and the rural communities impoverished. It happned that many wandering peasants from rural areas moved into the deep forest lands, where they cultivated burnt fields recklessly in the reserved forest resulting in the severe damage of the national forests. And it was inevitable for the government to increase the number of BONG SAN in order to solve the problem of the timber shortage. The increase of its number accelerated illegal and reckless cutting inevitably by the people living mountainuos districts and so the government issued excessive laws and ordinances to reserve the forests. In the middle of the 18th century the severe feuds among the politicians being brought under control, the excessive laws and ordinances were put in good order and the political situation became temporarily stabilized. But in spite of those endeavors evil habitudes of forest devastation, which had been inveterate since the KORYO Dynasty, continued to become greater in degree. After the conclusion of "the Treaty of KANG WHA with Japan" in 1876 western administration system began to be adopted, and thereafter through the promulgation of the Forest Law in 1908 the Imperial Forests were separated from the National Forests and the modern forest ownership system was fixed. b) KANG MU JANG. After the reorganization of the military system, attaching importance to the Royal Guard Corps, the founder of the YI Dynasty, TAI JO (1392 to 1398 A.D.) instituted the royal preserves-KANG MU JANG-to attain the purposes for military training and royal hunting, prohibiting strictly private hunting, felling and clearing by the rural inhabitants. Moreover, the tyrant, YEON SAN (1495 to 1506 A.D.), expanded widely the preserves at random and strengthened its prohibition, so KANG MU JANG had become the focus of the public antipathy. Since the invasion of Japanese in 1592, however, the innovation of military training methods had to be made because of the changes of arms and tactics, and the royal preserves were laid aside consequently and finally they had become the private forests of influential persons since 17th century. c) Forests for official use. All the forests for official use occupied by government officies since the KORYO Dynasty were expropriated by the YI Dynasty in 1392, and afterwards the forests were allotted on a fixed standard area to the government officies in need of firewoods, and as the forest resources became exhausted due to the depredated forest yield, each office gradually enlarged the allotted area. In the 17th century the national land had been almost devastated by the Japanese invasion and therefore each office was in the difficulty with severe deficit in revenue, thereafter waste lands and forest lands were allotted to government offices inorder to promote the land clearing and the increase in the collections of taxes. And an abuse of wide occupation of the forests by them was derived and there appeared a cause of disorder in the forest land system. So a provision prohibiting to allot the forests newly official use was enacted in 1672, nevertheless the government offices were trying to enlarge their occupied area by encroaching the boundary and this abuse continued up to the end of the YI Dynasty. d) Private forests. The government, at the bigninning of the YI Dynasty, expropriated the forests all over the country under the principle of prohibition of private occupancy of forest lands except for the national uses, while it could not expropriate completely all of the forest lands privately occupied and inherited successively by bureaucrats, and even local governors could not control them because of their strong influences. Accordingly the King, TAI JONG (1401 to 1418 A.D.), legislated the prohibition of private forest occupancy in his code, KYEONG JE YUK JEON (1413), and furthermore he repeatedly emphasized to observe the law. But The private occupancy of forest lands was not yet ceased up at the age of the King, SE JO (1455 to 1468 A.D.), so he prescribed the provision in KYEONG KUK DAI JEON (1474), an immutable law as a written constitution in the YI Dynasty: "Anyone who privately occupy the forest land shall be inflicted 80 floggings" and he prohibited the private possession of forest area even by princes and princesses. But, it seemed to be almost impossible for only one provsion in a code to obstruct the historical growing tendecy of private forest occupancy, for example, the King, SEONG JONG (1470 to 1494 A.D.), himself granted the forests to his royal families in defiance of the prohibition and thereafter such precedents were successively expanded, and besides, taking advantage of these facts, the influential persons openly acquired their private forest lands. After tyrannical rule of the King, YEON SAN (1945 to 1506 A.D.), the political disorder due to the splits to bureaucrats with successional feuds and the usurpations of thrones accelerated the private forest occupancy in all parts of the country, thus the forbidden clause on the private forest occupancy in the law had become merely a legal fiction since the establishment of the Dynasty. As above mentioned, after the invasion of Japanese in 1592, the courts of princes (KUNG BANGG) fell into the financial difficulties, and successive kings transferred the right of tax collection from fisherys and saltfarms to each KUNG BANG and at the same time they allotted the forest areas in attempt to promote the clearing. Availing themselves of this opportunity, royal families and bureaucrats intended to occupy the forests on large scale. Besides a privilege of free selection of grave yard, which had been conventionalized from the era of the KORYO Dynasty, created an abuse of occuping too wide area for grave yards in any forest at their random, so the King, TAI JONG, restricted the area of grave yard and homestead of each family. Under the policy of suppresion of Buddhism in the YI Dynasty a privilege of taxexemption for Buddhist temples was deprived and temple forests had to follow the same course as private forests did. In the middle of 18th century the King, YEONG JO (1725 to 1776 A.D.), took an impartial policy for political parties and promoted the spirit of observing laws by putting royal orders and regulations in good order excessively issued before, thus the confused political situation was saved, meanwhile the government officially permittd the private forest ownership which substantially had already been permitted tacitly and at the same time the private afforestation areas around the grave yards was authorized as private forests at least within YONG HO (a boundary of grave yard). Consequently by the enforcement of above mentioned policies the forbidden clause of private forest ownership which had been a basic principle of forest system in the YI Dynasty entireely remained as only a historical document. Under the rule of the King, SUN JO (1801 to 1834 A.D.), the political situation again got into confusion and as the result of the exploitation from farmers by bureaucrats, the extremely impoverished rural communities created successively wandering peasants who cleared burnt fields and deforested recklessly. In this way the devastation of forests come to the peak regardless of being private forests or national forests, moreover, the influential persons extorted private forests or reserved forests and their expansion of grave yards became also excessive. In 1894 a regulation was issued that the extorted private forests shall be returned to the initial propriators and besides taking wide area of the grave yards was prohibited. And after a reform of the administrative structure following western style, a modern forest possession system was prepared in 1908 by the forest law including a regulation of the return system of forest land ownership. At this point a forbidden clause of private occupancy of forest land got abolished which had been kept even in fictitious state since the foundation of the YI Dynasty. e) Common forests. As above mentioned, the forest system in the YI Dynasty was on the ground of public ownership principle but there was a high restriction to the forest profits of farmers according to the progressive private possession of forest area. And the farmers realized the necessity of possessing common forest. They organized village associations, SONGE or KEUM SONGE, to take the ownerless forests remained around the village as the common forest in opposition to influential persons and on the other hand, they prepared the self-punishment system for the common management of their forests. They made a contribution to the forest protection by preserving the common forests in the late YI Dynasty. It is generally known that the absolute monarchy expr opriates the widespread common forests all over the country in the process of chainging from thefeudal society to the capitalistic one. At this turning point in Korea, Japanese colonialists made public that the ratio of national and private forest lands was 8 to 2 in the late YI Dynasty, but this was merely a distorted statistics with the intention of rationalizing of their dispossession of forests from Korean owners, and they took advantage of dead forbidden clause on the private occupancy of forests for their colonization. They were pretending as if all forests had been in ownerless state, but, in truth, almost all the forest lands in the late YI Dynasty except national forests were in the state of private ownership or private occupancy regardless of their lawfulness.

토지국유원칙(土地國有原則)을 표방(標榜)하고 "공사(公私) 공리(共利)"를 기본원칙(基本原則)으로 하고 있었던 고려조(高麗朝)의 시전과제도(柴田科制度)도 집권력(執權力)의 약화(弱化)로 인(因)하여 조만간(早晩間), 붕괴(崩壞)되고 말았던 것이나 임지제도(林地制度)에 있어서는 분묘설정(墳墓設定)의 자유(自由)와 개간장려(開墾奬勵)를 이용(利用)한 삼림(森林)의 광점(廣占) 및 전시과제도(田柴科制度)로 인(因)한 시지(柴地)의 수조권위양(收租權委讓)으로 유래(由來)된 사적수조권(私的洙組權)이 결부(結付)된 삼림(森林)의 사점현상등(私占現象等)이 점차(漸次) 발전(發展)하여 고려중기(高麗中期)의 국정해지기이후(國政解地期以後)에는 대부분(大部分)의 삼림(森林)이 권력층(權力層)의 사점지(私占地)로 화(化)하여 왔었다. 고려조(高麗朝)의 모든 제도(制度)를 그대로 계승(繼承)한 이조(李朝)는 건국후(建國後) 국가소용(國家所用)의 삼림확보(森林確保)를 위(爲)한 삼림수용(森林收用)의 제도확립(制度確立)이 긴요(緊要)하였음으로 전국(全國)의 삼림(森林)을 국가권력(國家權力)에 의(依)하여 공수(公收)하고 국가(國家)와 궁실소용이외(宮室所用以外)의 모든 삼림(森林)은 사점(私占)을 금(禁)한다는 "시장사점금지(柴場私占禁止)"의 제도(制度)를 법제화(法制化)하였고 도성주변(都城周邊)의 사산(四山)을 금산(禁山)으로 함과 아울러 우량(優良)한 임상(林相)의 천연림(天然林)을 택(擇)하여 전조선용재(戰漕船用材)와 궁실용재(宮室用材)의 확보(確保)를 위(爲)한 외방금산(外方禁山)으로 정(定)하고 그 금양(禁養)을 위(爲)하여 산직(山直)을 배치(配置)하였다. 그리고 연병(練兵)과 국왕(國王)의 수렵(狩獵)을 위(爲)한 강무장(講武場)과 관용시장(官用柴場), 능원부속림(陵園附屬林)의 금벌(禁伐), 금화(禁火)를 제정(制定) 등(等) 필요(必要)에 따라 수시(隨時)로 삼림(森林)을 수용(收用)하였으나 고려조이래(高麗朝以來)로 권력층(權力層)에 의(依)하여 사점(私占)되어온 삼림(森林)을 왕권(王權)으로 모두 공수(公收)하지는 못하였던 것이다. 이조초기(李朝初期)에 있어서의 집권층(執權層)은 그 대부분(大部分)이 고려조(高麗朝)에서의 권력층(權力層)이었던것 임으로 그들은 이미 전조시대(前朝時代)로부터 많은 사점림(私占林)을 보유(保有)하고 있었던 것이고 따라서 그들이 권력(權力)을 장악(掌握)하고 있는 한(限) 사점림(私占林)을 공수(公收)한다는 것은 어려운 일이었으며 그들은 오히려 권력(權力)을 이용(利用)하여 사점림(私占林)을 확대(擴大)하고 있었던 것이다. 또 왕자(王子)들도 묘지(墓地)를 빙자(憑藉)하여 주(主)로 도성주변(都城周邊)의 삼림(森林)을 광점(廣占)하고 있던 터에 성종(成宗)의 대(代) 이후(以後)로는 왕자신(王自身)이 금령(禁令)을 어기면서 왕자(王子)에게 삼림(森林)을 사급(賜給)하였음으로 16세기말(世紀末)에는 원도지방(遠道地方)에 까지 왕자(王子)들의 삼림사점(森林私占)이 확대(擴大)되었고 이에 편승(便乘)한 권신(權臣)들의 삼림사점(森林私占)도 전국(全國)으로 파급(波及)하였다. 임진왜란후(壬辰倭亂後)에 시작(始作)된 왕자(王子)에 대(對)한 시장절급(柴場折給)은 삼림(森林)의 상속(相續)과 매매(賣買)를 합법화(合法化)시켰고 이로 인(因)하여 봉건제하(封建制下)에서의 사유림(私有林)을 발생(發生)시키게 된 것이다. 그리하여 권신(權臣)들도 합법적(合法的)으로 삼림(森林)을 사점(私占)하게 되었고 따라서 이조시대(李朝時代) 임지제도(林地制度)의 기본(基本)이었던 시장사점금지(柴場私占禁止)의 제도(制度)는 건국초(建國初)로부터 실행(實行)된 일이 없었으며 오로지 국가(國家)의 삼림수용(森林收用)을 합법화(合法化)시키는 의제(擬制)에 불과(不過)하였던 것이다. 금산(禁山)은 그 이용(利用)과 관리제도(管理制度)의 불비(不備)로 인(因)하여 산하주민(山下住民)들의 염오(厭惡)의 대상(對象)이 되었음으로 주민(住民)들의 고의적(故意的)인 금산(禁山)의 파괴(破壞)는 처음부터 심(甚)하였고 이로 인(因)하여 국가(國家)에서는 용재림확보(用材林確保)를 위(爲)한 금산(禁山)의 증설(增設)을 거듭하였으나 관리제도(管理制度)의 개선(改善)이 수반(隨伴)되지 않았음으로 금산(禁山)의 황폐(荒廢)는 더욱 증대(增大)되었다. 영조(英祖)는 정국(政局)을 안정(安定)시키기 위(爲)하여 경국대전이후(經國大典以後) 남발(濫發)된 교령(敎令)과 법령(法令)을 정비(整備)하여 속대전(續大典)을 편찬(編纂)하고 삼림법령(森林法令)을 정비(整備)하여 도성주변(都城周邊)의 금산(禁山)과 각도(各道) 금산(禁山)의 명칭대신(名稱代身) 서기(西紀) 1699년(年) 이후(以後) 개칭(改稱)하여온 봉산(封山)의 금양(禁養)을 강화(强化)시키는 한편 사양산(私養山)의 권한(權限)을 인정(認定)하는 등(等) 적극적(積極的)인 육림정책(育林政策)을 퍼려하였으나 계속적(繼續的)인 권력층(權力層)의 삼림사점광대(森林私占廣大)는 농민(農民)들로부터 삼림(森林)을 탈취(奪取)하였고 농민(農民)들 이 삼림(森林)을 상실(喪失)함으로써 국가(國家)의 육림장려등(育林奬勵策)은 효과(効果)를 나타내지 못하였던 것이다. 임진왜란후(壬辰倭亂後)의 국정해이(國定解弛)로 인(因)한 묘지광점(墓地廣占), 왕자(王子)에 대(對)한 삼림(森林)의 절급(折給) 권세층(權勢層)에 대(對)한 산림사점(森林私占)은 인허(認許)하는 입안문서(立案文書)의 발행등(發行等)으로 법전상(法典上)의 삼임사점금지조항(森林私占禁止條項)은 사문화(死文化)되었고 이조말기(李朝末期)에 있어서는 사양산(私養山)의 강탈(强奪)도 빈발(頻發)하고 있음을 볼수 있다. 이와 같이 이조시대(李朝時代)의 시장사점금지조항(柴場私占禁止條項)은 오로지 농민(農民)에게만 적용(適用)되는 규정(規定)에 불과(不過)하였고 이로 인(因)하여 농민(農民)들의 육림의욕(育林意慾)은 상실(喪失)되었으며 약탈적(掠奪的)인 삼림(森林)의 채취이용(採取利用)은은 금산(禁山), 봉산(封山) 및 사양산(私養山)을 막론(莫論)하고 황폐(荒廢)시키는 결과(結果)를 자아냈으며 권력층(權力層)의 삼림점탈(森林占奪)에 대항(對抗)한 송계(松契)의 활동(活動)으로 일부(一部) 공산(公山)이 농민(農民)의 입회지(入會地)로서 보존(保存)되어왔다. 그럼에도 불구(不拘)하고 일제(日帝)는 이조말기(李朝末期)의 삼림(森林) 거의 무주공산(無主公山)이 었던것처럼, 이미 사문화(死文化)된 삼림사점금지조항(森林私占禁止條項)을 활용(活用)함으로써, 국가림(國有林)으로 수탈(收奪)한후(後) 식민정책(植民政策)에 이용(利用)하였던 것이나, 실제(實際)에 있어서 이조시대(李朝時代)의 삼림(森林)은 금산(禁山), 봉산(封山), 능원부속림등(陸園附屬林等)의 관금지(官禁地)와 오지름(奧地林)을 제외(除外)하고는 대부분(大部分)의 임지(林地)가 권세층(權勢層)의 사유(私有) 내지(乃至)는 사점하(私占下)에 있었던 것이다.