일상 식재료이자 음식인 평범한 ‘미나리[芹]’는 많은 사회문화적 배경으로 인하여, 兼濟天下의 마음을 가진 士大夫 지식인의 다짐이고 忠情이었으며, 완전한 자기완성 을 위한 비움의 실현, 즉 ‘淸貧’의 상징으로 여겨졌다. 본 논문은 중국문헌과 詩詞 속에 그려지고 있는 미나리의 상징성을 탐구해보고, 그를 통해 단순한 음식으로서의 미나리와 문화표징으로서의 미나리가 가지는 문화적 함의를 고찰하였다.
The purpose of this paper is to explore the symbolism of Water cellery, which is depicted in ancient Chinese literature and poetry, and to consider the cultural implications of Watercellery as food and Watercellery as a cultural symbol. Food is both a thing for satisfying the tongue and a thing for satisfying the instinct that makes you feel full, but also a social thing. Humans meet nature in food on the table at the earliest. Eating the food is not just about eating nature's products, but about feeling and accepting nature's character and uniting us and nature into one. However, Food is not an independent thing separated from society, but an essential requirement in everyday life, and food is not an intermission, but an important purpose and a social process, which must incorporate social and historical elements. Water cellery is an everyday object with many people who have lived simple lives since ancient times, but the culture chest that was worn on them is very meaningful. Ordinary Water cellery, a daily food and food item, was a pledge of Scholar-bureaucrats to fulfill their duties with the mind of Help the world at the same time due to the many sociocultural backgrounds condensed in it, and was considered a symbol of emptiness for complete self-completeness.