新羅의 宦官 官府에 대한 試論 -洗宅(중사성)의 성격에 대한 재검토-

초록

The Samguksagi(三國史記) informs us that there were eunuchs in Silla dynasty, but little has been known about where they belonged to and what they did. I think it’s worth noting 中使 who sent messages between the king and the buddhist monks, which is recorded in the inscription of the Buddhist monks at the late period of Silla. Their office was named 洗宅 or 中事省(中使省), and the persons who were called ‘內養’ also belonged to it. Both 中使 and 內養 have been widely used to refer to eunuch in the Tang(唐) dynasty. It is clear that the Silla people knew the meanings well, for the eunuchs with those titles often visited Silla as diplomats. So far, it was generally accepted that 中事省 was a secretary and literary bureau for the king which became important replacing the former secretarial bureau 執事省 at the late period of Silla, and that 中書省 of the Goryeo dynasty originated from it. However, wooden records excavated from Wolji Pond show that 洗宅(中事省) actually was in charge of chores for the palace such as preparation of cleaning supplies and food management. Those are correspond to the duties of the king’s servants(內侍), who were eunuchs in the Tang dynasty. Thus it seems most likely that Silla’s eunuchs belonged to 洗宅(中事省) and took charge of the chores for the palace. However, there are cases that non-eunuchs such as a close relative of the king and literary officer, administrator held of an additional post at 洗宅(中事省) since mid 9th century. 洗宅(中事省) has divided into eunuchs who did the chores and non-eunuchs who were appointed private secretaries for the king as additional jobs. It is similar to the king’s servants of Goryeo dynasty, who were not eunuchs but young aristocrats or scholars just passed the imperial exam.

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