조선시대 국가 제사에 사용된 희생으로는 소, 양, 돼지가 있으며 이 중에서 종묘(宗廟)와 사직(社稷)에 사용되었던 흑우(黑牛)가 가장 중요시되었다. 본 연구는 조선시대 제주도에서 중앙 정부에 진상하였던 흑우(黑牛)의 현황과 관리, 그리고 제향 중 진설(陳設) 등을 고찰하였다. 먼저 조선후기로 갈수록 줄어들거나 폐지되는 다른 진상품과 달리 흑우의 진상은 그 수효가 늘었는데 그 원인을 두 가지에서 찾을 수 있었다. 5대의 선왕을 모신 오묘제(五廟制)로 시작한 종묘는 후대로 갈수록 제사 대상이 증가함에 따라 더 많은 흑우가 필요하였다. 이는 세대(世代)의 자연적인 증가만이 아니라 불천지위(不遷之位)가 늘어난 결과였다. 제주에 부가된 흑우의 수가 늘어난 또 다른 요인은 국왕의 친행(親行) 기우제 때문이었다. 한편, 조선후기 우역(牛疫)의 발생은 흑우의 사육(飼育)과 운송(運送)을 어렵게 하였다. 이에 정부에서는 서울 인근 지역에서 흑우를 키우려고 하였다. 그 대표적인 시도가 안면도(安眠島)에 흑우 목장을 만드는 것이었다. 그러나 삼림의 훼손으로 이 사업은 지속되지 못하였다. 이런 가운데 제향에 소용되는 흑우의 생산은 제주도와 거제도에 한정되었다. 거제도에는 5마리로 고정되었지만 제주도에서는 20마리에서 계속 증가하여 1년에 진상하는 흑우의 수가 대한제국기에는 49마리까지 이르렀다.
제주도 흑우는 두 배로 나뉘어 육지로 운송되었다. 생후 3년이 지난 소들이 주로 진상되었다. 출송되는 시기는 상황에 따라 달랐지만 4월이 가장 많이 나타났다. 육지로 옮겨진 흑우들은 충청도와 전라도에 나누어 일정 기간 사육되었다가 한양의 전생서(典牲署)로 옮겨졌다. 그리고 전생서에서 대략 3개월 정도 머문 후 제향에 바쳐졌다. 제향 하루 전날 종묘로 옮겨진 흑우는 상태를 점검받은 후 도살처로 옮겨졌다. 1745년(영조 21)에 영조는 국왕이 제향 전에 직접 희생의 상태를 살피는 의식을 제정하여 흑우의 사육에 큰 영향을 미쳤다. 도살된 흑우는 모혈(毛血)과 간료(肝膋), 머리와 네 다리의 생고기, 숙육(熟肉)으로 구분되어 제상(祭床)에 올려졌다. 이렇게 조선시대 흑우는 제주도에서부터 종묘까지 긴 여정을 거쳐 제상에 올랐으며, 거리와 재난, 제향의 횟수, 국왕의 개입 등에 의해 그 공급의 양상이 변하였다.
Cows, lambs, and pigs were used as offerings in state rituals during the Joseon dynasty. Black cows used at the Jongmyo (royal shrine) and Sajik (alter of land and grain) were considered to have the highest value among the offered animals. This study examined the state and management of the black cows, which were acquired from Jeju Island as tributes for the central government during the Joseon dynasty. This study further analyzed how the black cows were placed at the tables during the rituals. Unlike other tributes, which were reduced in quantity or discontinued in the late Joseon dynasty, the number of black cow tributes increased by time for two reasons. First, Jongmyo, which initially commemorated five former kings, needed more black cows as the number of former kings increased. The rise in the demand was not only caused by the added number of generations but was also because of the rise in the number of permanent ancestral tablets that were not allowed to be moved. Second, the demand for the black cow from Jeju rose due to the king’s rain rituals. The outbreak of cattle plague in the late Joseon dynasty made it difficult to raise and move the black cows. The government thus attempted to grow black cows in the regions closer to Seoul. The black cow farm in Anmyeondo Island was one of the government’s most representative projects. The farm, however, did not last due to deforestation. The black cow used for ancestral rituals could thus only be produced in Jeju and Geoje Island. The number of cows raised in Geoje Island was fixed to five a year. However, in Jeju Island, the initial count of 20 continued to rise so that during the period of the Korean Empire, as many as 49 black cows were presented to the government as royal tributes every year. The Jeju black cows were divided into two separate ships for delivery. Most cows were three‒years‒old or older. The time of shipment differed by circumstances, but the cows were most frequently shipped in April. The black cows shipped to the mainland were raised either in Chungcheong‒do or Jeolla‒do for a limited time and were then moved to the Jeonsaengseo in Seoul. The cows spent approximately three months in Seoul before being used as sacrifices in rituals. The cows were moved to the Jongmyo the day before the ritual and were examined and moved to the slaughterhouse. In 1745 (Year 21 of King Yeongjo’s reign), King Yeongjo established a new ceremony where the king examined the offerings before the ritual, which dramatically changed the rearing methods of the black cows. Once butchered, the black cow was disassembled into skin and blood, intestines, head, fresh leg meat, and boiled beef before being placed at the ritual table. The black cows went through a long journey from Jeju Island to the ritual table at Jongmyo during the Joseon dynasty. The supply of the black cow fluctuated depending on the distance of the journey, disasters, the number of rituals, and interventions from the king.
Cows, lambs, and pigs were used as offerings in state rituals during the Joseon dynasty. Black cows used at the Jongmyo (royal shrine) and Sajik (alter of land and grain) were considered to have the highest value among the offered animals. This study examined the state and management of the black cows, which were acquired from Jeju Island as tributes for the central government during the Joseon dynasty. This study further analyzed how the black cows were placed at the tables during the rituals. Unlike other tributes, which were reduced in quantity or discontinued in the late Joseon dynasty, the number of black cow tributes increased by time for two reasons. First, Jongmyo, which initially commemorated five former kings, needed more black cows as the number of former kings increased. The rise in the demand was not only caused by the added number of generations but was also because of the rise in the number of permanent ancestral tablets that were not allowed to be moved. Second, the demand for the black cow from Jeju rose due to the king’s rain rituals. The outbreak of cattle plague in the late Joseon dynasty made it difficult to raise and move the black cows. The government thus attempted to grow black cows in the regions closer to Seoul. The black cow farm in Anmyeondo Island was one of the government’s most representative projects. The farm, however, did not last due to deforestation. The black cow used for ancestral rituals could thus only be produced in Jeju and Geoje Island. The number of cows raised in Geoje Island was fixed to five a year. However, in Jeju Island, the initial count of 20 continued to rise so that during the period of the Korean Empire, as many as 49 black cows were presented to the government as royal tributes every year. The Jeju black cows were divided into two separate ships for delivery. Most cows were three‒years‒old or older. The time of shipment differed by circumstances, but the cows were most frequently shipped in April. The black cows shipped to the mainland were raised either in Chungcheong‒do or Jeolla‒do for a limited time and were then moved to the Jeonsaengseo in Seoul. The cows spent approximately three months in Seoul before being used as sacrifices in rituals. The cows were moved to the Jongmyo the day before the ritual and were examined and moved to the slaughterhouse. In 1745 (Year 21 of King Yeongjo’s reign), King Yeongjo established a new ceremony where the king examined the offerings before the ritual, which dramatically changed the rearing methods of the black cows. Once butchered, the black cow was disassembled into skin and blood, intestines, head, fresh leg meat, and boiled beef before being placed at the ritual table. The black cows went through a long journey from Jeju Island to the ritual table at Jongmyo during the Joseon dynasty. The supply of the black cow fluctuated depending on the distance of the journey, disasters, the number of rituals, and interventions from the king.
