＜留鞋記＞ 속 和尙의 정체에 대한 추론 — 티베트 불교 승려로서의 가능성과 그 原型에 대하여

초록

Liixie Ji留鞋記 was created during the period when Tibetan Buddhism held the status of a state religion under Mongol rule. Within this context, Tibetan Buddhist monks not only held significant privileges but were frequently perceived as embodiments of corruption and moral decay. Considering this reality, the figure of the monk in the play is unlikely to be a mere fictional invention; rather, it is highly probable that his image was modeled on the existing stereotype of the corrupt Tibetan Buddhist monk. In other words, the monk of Xiangguo Monastery is portrayed as a satirical caricature of the degenerate monk, thereby serving to expose the moral decay of Buddhist authority in Yuan society. This suggests that Liuxieji should not be regarded merely as a romance or a legal drama, but also as a historical drama imbued with critical reflections on contemporary society and religious power. In this sense, the work may be understood both as a social drama satirizing its age and as a historical drama reflecting the realities of the Yuan dynasty. Nevertheless, a survey of previous scholarship reveals that most studies have focused on narrative origins and transformations. Yet, research that highlights the social critique embedded in the play is scarce, and no study has addressed the characterization of the monk. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the figure of the monk and uncovering the author’s underlying critical intentions conveyed through his portrayal.

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