본 논문은 밀양백중놀이의 병신춤에 담긴 민중의 미의식과 노자의 도덕경에서 공통적으로 나타나는 미의식에 대해 고찰하였다. 따라서 문화(文化)개념과 한국 민속춤 예술의 특성을 결부하여 한국춤이 가진 문화적 특성을 논의하고, 『노자』의 「도덕경」과 한국춤 문화를 연계하여 인문과학적인 문헌연구로써 기술하였다. 병신춤은 육체적, 정신적 불구로서 정상적인 춤보다는 일상생활을 떠난 이탈을 춤추므로써 삶의 비극이 희극으로 해체되는 삶의 초월과 함께, 보는 이로 하여금 민중적 생활사고가 스며들도록 하여 일상적인 삶의 힘을 갖게 하는데서 그 의미를 찾을 수 있다. 도덕경에서 언급되는 8장에서는 ``추미``의 엉클어지고, 어그러진 몸의 형상들은 자유를 향한 몸짓으로서 억지의 춤이 아니고, 물처럼 자연스런 몸 형태를 표현한다. 『노자』의 맥락에서 보면, "땅처럼 낮은 곳에 거하고, 마음은 연못처럼 고요하며, 같이 어울릴 때에는 아주 자연히 편안한 친근감으로 물처럼 자연스런 춤동작으로써 교화할 수 있는 덕을 갖추어야 한다는 의미와 같다. 9장에서는 공(公)을 이루면 자신은 물러나는 것이 하늘의 도(道)인만큼 ``우리``의 개념을 일깨워주고 한과 신명의 춤판이 최고조를 이루어 장악하는 것이 아니고 미덕을 갖추는 것으로 이해될 수 있다. 13장에서는 환난과 영광 그 자체에 대한 분별적 인식을 해소시켜, 즐거워하고, 애통해 하지 않는 삶의 담박한 자세는 병신춤에 있어, 무아지경의 목적 없는 무목적의 유희적인 요소를 표출해 낸다. 병신춤은 ``아해와 같은 어른``의 모습으로 기교도 없는 불구자의 몸짓 그대로 진솔함을 드러낸다. 이러한 비교야말로 『노자』의 「도덕경」의 세계를 더 확대하여 가는데 필수불가결한 과정이라 생각된다.

This article focuses on the aesthetic consciousness which is commonly reflected through the aesthetic consciousness of the general public, which is contained in the cripple dance of the Miryang Baekjungnori, and the book of Tao Te Ching written by Lao-tzu. Therefore, it discusses the concept of general culture and the artistic characteristics of the Korean folk dance, considering their relationship. Also, it describes the characteristics of the Miryang Baekjungnori and the Korean folk dance. Lastly, it emphasizes the connection between the book of Tao Te Ching written by Lao-tzu and the Korean dance culture, considering the literal research of cultural science. The cripple dance of the Miryang Baekjungnori is the kind of dance which shows the abnormal expression of one`s deviation from his or her daily life as a physically or emotionally-disabled being. It focuses on the transformation of tragedy into comedy in order to help go beyond one`s life and lead the ethnic way of thinking naturally into one`s life. Through such a process, it is possible to find the meaning of the cripple dance in terms of its contribution to the addition of power in one`s life. Such a meaning could be explained by the tangled and dislocated physical shapes of ``Chumi`` in Chapter 8 in the book of Tao Te Ching. The shapes are used to describe one`s physical movements towards freedom. They do not contribute to the establishment of an unnatural dance. Instead, they make one`s physical movements carried out in a natural way like water. Also, they describe the physical hardships experienced by one`s body as the factors compromising the virtue which can be harmonized through the natural water-like dance with a natural and comfortable feeling, which is located on such a low place as the land with a mind which is as calm as the pond, among a number of people. In Chapter 9, it is said that when one makes achievements, he or she needs to step away from his or her position like the saint from the heaven. Based on such a concept, it can be concluded that instead of waking up our concept and making the dance containing resentment and pleasure become dominant at most, it is necessary to have the kind of virtue for leaving things behind. In Chapter 13, it is stated that it is necessary to clearly distinguish hardships from glory in order to lead a happy life. Also, it is said that one`s moderate attitude towards his or her life, which is not considered to be miserable, is used to show all the pleasant factors which have no objective in regard to the execution of the cripple dance. In other words, the cripple dance is used to show the child-like movements of an adult sincerely through the physical movements of a disabled person. Such a comparison can be regarded as the essential part of the process for expanding the world of Tao Te Ching.