• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.73
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• pp.35-63
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• 2018

The intellectuals of the Joseon Dynasty were Yangban Sadaebu who had knowledge based on Confucianism(Neo-Confucianism), enjoyed cultural powers by expressing their knowledge in words or writing, and entered government posts to guide society with such knowledge or included some pre-officials. Sisa(Poem Society) was a major place of knowledge transmission to acquire and impart knowledge of creating Chinese poems that traditional intellectuals of the Joseon Dynasty possessed. Seocheonmaehwasa(西泉梅花社) was a group of writers from the late Joseon Dynasty gathered together based on the commonality of kinship and political iniquity although they were different factions like Nam'in and Soron, and they enjoyed apricot blossoms and wrote poems there. Seocheonmaehwasa(西泉梅花社) was basically the meeting making poems. They improved their creative abilities with creating poems. Seocheonmaehwasa(西泉梅花社) was a major place of knowledge transmission to acquire and impart knowledge of creating Chinese poems that traditional intellectuals of the Joseon Dynasty possessed.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.40
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• pp.243-272
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• 2022

Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do, is an area that requires attention from those who study the history of Korean thought. In addition, Jeongeup is an area wherein many works were recorded for the first time in literary history. This is the case with Jeongeupsa as a style of Baekje songs and the lyrics of the noble families of the Joseon Dynasty, Sangchungok. Jeongeup is likewise the location where Choi Chi-won (857~?) was selected to serve as a local taesu (viceroy) and where a unique tradition of music and style were passed down. In this paper, the relationship between Choi Chi-won's role in the process of establishing a silent Confucian academy in Jeongeup and the emergence of scholar culture was examined. When Choi Chi-won left after his term in office, a birth shrine called Taesansa Temple was built to repay the selection of the villagers, and it became the source that led to the opening of the Confucian academy Museongseowon in the future. Jeongeup will be shown to be the location where Choi Chi-won realized his aspirations and honed his capabilities. In particular, Choi Chi-won's played a crucial role in the mid-Joseon Dynasty by supporting the construction and securing the name of Museongseowon. That is why Choi Chi-won was able to be revived as a symbolic figure in the region. In addition, it can be seen that the shape of Choi Chi-won was more sedentary- in the form of a Confucian scholar- and Confucian scholars emphasized the transfer of portraits at Museongseowon. Through the poetry written by Choi Chi-won, readers can learn about the worries and perceptions of scholars during those times. Although his value in the field of poetry is diverse, he can especially be recognized as a Confucian intellectual. In a large number of his works, he expresses his anxiety, agony, and critical inner consciousness all of which came from his encounter with the realities of his time. In fact, Choi Chi-won showed his qualities as a prominent literary figure of his time who had extraordinary aspirations and an admirable work ethic. However, he failed to overcome his regional and mental alienation as a poet in neighboring countries. Therefore, he internalized a sort of fierceness in terms of his perception of the world. However, it seems that it was rather a factor that made his work exhibit a strong lyrical style. In addition, Choi Chi-won's collection of writings includes a number of works that strongly criticized various forms of pathological phenomena caused by terminal phenomena of the time. He also highlighted the wrong in society by realistically depicting the lives poor and needy people and their eventual sacrifice via distorted relationships. This can be read encapsulating the agony of intellectuals of that time. The dictionary definition of a 'Confucian scholar' is "a Confucian term referring to a person or class that embodies Confucian ideology," and in its contemporary meaning it suggests " ⋯ an example of a personality, but not an identity, and the conscience of one's time period as a source of human morality inwardly and social order outwardly." In this respect, it could even be said that Choi Chi-won could be considered the originator of scholar culture.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.367-380
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• 2005

This paper aims to investigate the characteristics of house site selection and its expression of building through manuscript of Taegdanggip which was authored by Lee-sik in the middle of Chosun dynasty. Its results are summarized in the following. Firstly, as a Confucianist, Lee-sik selected his ancestor's grave site as well as his house site by means of divination sign. And then he interpreted the characteristics of the location from feng-shui perspective. Secondly, he built Taepoongdang(literally 'pond and wind house') as his house for retirement based on a trigram from the Book of Changes. He reflected the divination sign in consturcting his house Taekpoongdang. Finally, the location of Taekpoongdang and Baekagog village was well suitable to feng-shui theory.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.50
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• pp.29-54
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• 2013

Mun Il-pyeong(1888-1939) is famous for a nationalist historian led history into popular style to enlighten the public. This paper aims to overview the characteristic of Mun Il-pyeong's history based on prior studies on Mun Il-pyeong's works. The characteristic of Mun Il-pyeong's history shows us people centric trend based on a struggle of classes. For the people, he insisted that description of history should be easy and scientific for the people who are host of history. And Mun Il-pyeong insisted the harmony of nationalist history and positive history. This was a progressive attitude in writing history at that time. Another characteristic of Mun Il-pyeong's history is that he considered cultural history as important. Mun Il-pyoeng wanted to overcome the ashamed political history by cultural history. In this intention, Korean history was again born proudful by him. Mun Il-pyoeng pursued open nationalism, not ultra-nationalism by connecting with other world. This paper focused on the essential part of Mun Il-pyoeng's history. Many scholars think Mun Il-pyeong focused on Korean modern history or history of foreign relation. But I think Mun Il-pyeong attached importance to Practical Learning, Sirhak in late Joseon dynasty. Because Sirhak contained Mun Il-pyeong's academic intention, Modernism and Culturism dreamed from his youth age. Therefore he led so-called Joseonhak Undong meaning study of Sirhak. Studying Sirhak made Mun Il-pyeong open a new direction Korean modern history have to go.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.49
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• pp.73-107
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• 2012

Yeoheon Jang Hyeongwang(1554-1637), one of the greatest Mid-Joseon Confucianists did systematic studies on universe and nature. It can be considered that he inherited the academic tradition of Cho Sik (曺植) and Jeong Gu(鄭逑) and followed their steps of fengshui (風水) and compilation of geographical records. His living and thought and deserve researching with regard to geographical studies. This paper attempts to analyze Yeoheon's recognition of geography in general. In other words, I shall prove that his view of geography is Neo-Confucian. At the same time, I shall discuss how he named people's residence, how he understanded the Joseon territory, what he thought about fengshui, and what significance the complication of geographical records by his disciples had. Yeoheon considered that land is composed of water, fire, earth, and rock, and understanded the land according to the theory of Zhouyi (周易). He analyzed geographic environments by the system of Zhouyi. His study of geography is basically intended for practical use, and as a result is necessary for people to choose where to live and where to cultivate. In his opinion, it is essential to divide the land of the Joseon by means of geographical differences in order to help people to find a better place to live. We can see his Confucian view from the fact that he placed a greater emphasis on human beings over nature. Therefore, the practical use for humans is the first priority in his study of geography. Meanwhile, he considered nature itself as only the object of study. He realized the vitality of life by making a close observation of nature and attained the mind of the Heaven and Earth in a detached way. He, as a follower of Neo-Confucianism, enjoyed the land by feeling comfortable with his present status and by being satisfied with himself. He put his Confucian view of universe and world into practice in his life. As a part of his efforts, he named his residence and surrounding natural environments with the polar star and 28 stars, and accordingly they are reconstructed in a system of universe. The Confucian tradition of dongcheon gugok (洞天九曲) starting with Zhu Xi's administration of wuyi jiugu (武夷九曲) was widely prevalent during the Joseon period, but Yeoheon's system of organizing places is original. His sense of naming places reflects his ideas of following his predecessors, comparing natural objects to human emotions, and desiring to live in retirement. Yeoheon understanded the Joseon territory with comparison of the Chinese land. He expressed his knowledge in the form of changing geographical features of a district, appreciating natural beauty, locating towns, and being familiar with a region, and proposing his own climatology and view of the reality. His recognition of the Joseon territory resolves itself into the following several points. He regarded the Joseon territory as one organism, and considered the territory to be composed of ki (氣) as Neo-Confucianists usually do. In addition, he understanded not only natural environments but also towns from a perspective of the fengshui and adopted a comparative methodology in dividing regions. He also applied climatology to analyze persons and customs. He employed the methodology of fengshui from the comprehensive theory of the Yijing. It is because he was influenced by Cho Sik and Jeng Gu. Yeoheon chose dwelling places for people, or gave advice on several places of his hometown relying on his knowledge of fengshui. When it comes to his theory of fengshui, he agreed with the theory of topography with regards to the fengshui of tombs, but criticized the custom of delaying funerals in order to turn fortune in one's favor. In addition, he accepted that it is necessary to complement a town by creating forests around it. We need to pay attention to the fact that Yeoheon's disciples complied several geographical records. It proves that they inherited the tradition of "valuing practical use and governing on behalf of the people" from Cho Sik and Jeong Gu. Yeoheon put a great emphasis on geographical records and encouraged his disciples to compile them. In other words, he emphasized that they, as administrator or intellectual, need to be erudite in the history and custom of a region where they have lived, and have to establish a standard to encourage or warn people in the region while considering the geographical records. His opinion functioned as a guideline for his successors to compile geographical records later. This paper only analyzed several facts with regard to Yeoheon's knowledge of geography and an academic tradition concerning the study of geography. In the future, I shall discuss how his predecessors and successors understanded geography and how the tradition of compiling geographical records was transferred and developed between them. I believe that this study will contribute to establishing the history of geography, which the Joseon Confucianists researched for a long time but we have not paid an enough attention to until now.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.36
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• pp.265-299
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• 2009

The Great Learning is an essential scripture of Confucianism that has had great influence on the politics, thoughts, society and culture of the East Asia which contains Korea, Japan and China. In case of Japan, the doctrine of Toegye(退溪) is flown into pre-Tokugawa era, and as the doctrine of Zhu Xi(朱熹) exercise influences over the other thoughts, the importance of the Great Learning is embossed relatively in Tokugawa era. The characteristic of Japanese confucianism of Tokugawa era is to lay weight on real world as such, and the Japanese confucianism has grown up academically centers on exhaustive reinterpretation about some Confucian classics. And Backho-Yoon Hyu(白湖 尹?), Seokye-Park Sedang(西溪 朴世堂) who lived in 17th century of Joseon dynasty attempt new interpretation about the Great Learning and they have an objection to the explanatory notes of Zhu Xi. In the same period of China, there are similar academic trends around Whang Jong Hi(黃宗羲), Ko Yeom Mu(顧炎武), Wang Fu Chi(王夫之). In other words, new views of real scholarship which reject emptiness and put much value on reality were current of thoughts that have been common to the oriental three countries in early and middle 17th century. The main object of this paper is to understand the attitude and understanding about the Confucian classics especially the Great Learning of the scholars who lived in early and middle Tokugawa era. It will be a decisive clue to understand the ninucture of thoughts system of them. Through these work, we understand how it has had influenced to thinking-ninucture and lives of the Japanese. And the other purpose of this paper is to understand characteristics of them when we compare that vking-ninucture and lives of the Japanese Confuciang-ninearly and middle Tokugawa era with in the same period of Jeseon and the later Ming(明) and early Ching(淸) dynasty.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.49
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• pp.7-38
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• 2012

This study is an argument that Yeoheon Jang Hyun Gwang's Yeok-Hak-Do-Seol has been on the context of the typical Confucian methodology of self-organization for a sage's or superman's character (爲己之學) and completed the methodology. Therefore the context from Confucius to Southern Song China Era is argued as a context of development and systematization of the methodology. In addition the fact that Zhuxi(朱熹) and his students had systimatization of the methodology with the publications of some important textbooks is also explained. The most stressed thing of this study is Yeoheon's Yeok-Hak-Do-Seol is just the text that succeeded them as the methodology of self-organization and had a special purpose of completion of the methodology not only with comprehensive items of practice but also intuition into the human's life and the world by his mastery of Yeokhak(易學). The viewpoint this study keeps is the Confucian methodology of self-organization is considered for the purpose of development and upholding the Confucian truth, and thus the methodology itself has been regarded as the necessary one that is the closest approximation to a pursuit of Confucian truth. According to this viewpoint we can observe the features of methodology of the pursuit of Confucian truth from the Yeok-Hak-Do-Seol. However the Yeok-Hak-Do-Seol has its purpose merely on a human being's self-organization but also on an enormous enterprise to make the universe peace or sustainability of the world. His stress on the enterprise shows that his methodology is not a merely repetition of the tradition of the Zhuzixue but a creative deveopment of the tradition. The other feature is that his methodology is systematization on the basis of Yeokhak, or the study of Yi-jing(易經). The main method he intensified is easiness and simplification that is the main point which he extracted from Yi-jing as the most important and necessary way of life.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.42
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• pp.71-103
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• 2014

Park Se-dang (朴世堂, 1629-1703) is a figure rebuked as a "disturbing enemy of the Confucian canon" (斯文亂賊), having composed the Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo (南華經註解刪補), the sole commentary on every chapter of the Zhuangzi (莊子) in Joseon Dynasty. This article purports to articulate the significance of Park Se-dang's composition of the Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo within Joseon Dynasty in the 17th century, through the comparison between him and Zhu Xi (朱熹, 1130-1200), the founder of Neo-Confucianism, the mainstream ideology of Joseon Dynasty, in their recognition of the Zhuangzi. Since Neo-Confucianism attained an absolute status as the canonical doctrine in Joseon Dynasty, the other thoughts, including the thoughts of the Laozi and the Zhuangzi, could not be discussed without their relationship with it. Park Se-dang's recognition of the Zhuangzi does not deviate far from Zhu Xi's recognition of it. While his composition of the Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo might be said to have inherited and deepened Zhu Xi's recognition, it can also be seen as an attempt to escape from Neo-Confucianism in some aspects. Due to this complication, when the faction of the Noron (老論, a faction separated from the Seoin in the Joseon Dynasty, the hard-liners) rebuked him as a "disturbing enemy of the Confucian canon," they did not mention neither his Shinjoo Dodeokgyeong (新註道德經, New Commentary on the Laozi) nor his Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo. In his Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo, Park Se-dang does not think that the Zhuangzi is in diametrical opposition to Confucian thoughts. Firstly, he emphasizes that Zhuangzi faces the actual world with ultimately positive concern, though from a critical perspective. Secondly, he seeks common grounds between the thoughts of Zhuangzi and Confucians, proving that Zhuangzi emphasizes human relationships between father and son or between king and subject. Thirdly, he illuminates Zhuangzi's theory of human nature from a new perspective in order to reestablish Confucian theory of human nature. Fourthly, he attempts to apply Zhuangzi's thoughts in order to overcome contemporary consumptive political feuds, including the splits of political factions or the disputes about ritual proprieties (禮訟論爭). Park Se-dang's composition of Shinjoo Dodeokgyeong and Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo was a complementary measure for Confucianism, his proper mainstay being Confucianism. He attempted to escape, not from Confucianism itself, but from the absolutism of Neo-Confucianism. In the 17th century Joseon Dynasty, when Neo-Confucianism was becoming dogmatized and absolutized as a canonical doctrine and a dominant ideology, Park Se-dang's composition of Namhwagyeong Joohaesanbo was a very innovative attempt, which shows that he established himself as a pioneer to escape Neo-Confucianism, having consolidated his own unique and progressive academic province, differentiating himself from traditional Confucian scholars in his objective.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.31
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• pp.241-262
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• 2011

In this paper we show how the perception of heavenly principle(天理) and definition of individual desires(私慾) in the five commentaries on Daodejing(道德經) was changed over time. The five commentaries on Daodejing(道德經) composed during $Chos{\breve{o}}n$ are 'Sooneon(醇言) by Lee, Yul-gock (李珥,1536~1584), 'SinJoo-DoDuckKyung (新註道德經) - or New Commentary on Daodejing(道德經) - by Park, Se-dang(朴世堂,1629~1703), 'Dodukjigi(道德指歸)' by Suh, Myoung-euing(徐命膺,1716~1787), 'Chowondamro (椒園談老)' by Lee, Chung-ik(李忠翊,1744~1816), and 'Jungro(訂老)' by Hong, Suk-joo (洪奭周,1774~1842). The course of history in understanding the book, "Daodejing(道德經)," demonstrated that by the late of $Chos{\breve{o}}n$ Dynasty in the 18th century, the notion of 'the moral law for the community' has changed. Neither Suh, Myoung-euing nor Lee, Chung-ik emphasized 'the necessity for the truth of the heavens.'Instead, they focused more on the 'individuals' who followed the moral law than the moral law itself. They did not see the individual desire as the object that had to be discarded. Within the context of this framework, the individual's role had changed from the person who had to be obedient to the law to the subject who judged the moral law all by him/herself. This process of breaking up 'the goodness of the community' led the $Chos{\breve{o}}n$ Dynasty of the 18th century in the transition period to the modern era. In other words, it was the time when the introspection of the 'moral law' prevailed in the $Chos{\breve{o}}n$ Dynasty occurred naturally and spontaneously among the Confucian scholars, which implied the reconceptualization of the 'self-awareness' or 'the point of view on the individual's self-desire' was occurred in the context of academic development during the late $Chos{\breve{o}}n$ Dynasty.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.31
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• pp.33-52
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• 2011

This study intends to understand Kobong's thought, especially the problem of Self-cultivation. Kobong, along with Toegye(退溪), is a major figure to understand Confucian ideas of Chosun in the 16th century. There has been a lot of research centered on Kobong's Four-beginnings(四端) and Seven-emotions(七情), but not much on the Self-cultivation of Kobong. Confucianism is basically to seek after actualization of Perfect Virtue(仁) and the way to be a sage, through the pursuit of self-discipline(修己 明明德) and social practice(安人 新民). The problems of Confucianism might be summarized as follows: interest and appreciation for the source of existence(知天/事天); harmony in relationships and practices(愛人/愛物); both of the above together. Therefore, Self-cultivation is to change the self, the subject of one's life, through the relationship between man and heaven. Kobong and Toegye had debated for about eight years(1559-1566) over the problem of human nature, especially emotion(情), and virtue and vice(善惡) fundamental position of Toegye is that the difference between Four-beginnings(四端) and Seven-emotions(七情) can be understood as emotion with qualitative distinction. By contrast, Kobong sees the relationship between Four-beginnings(四端) and Seven-emotions(七情) as that of total and partial. Discussion on the Four-beginnings(四端) and Seven-emotions(七情) is not restricted within the problem of logical analysis of concepts or theoretical validity, but come to a conclusion with the problem of Self-cultivation(修養). In this sense, Kobong tried to follow Neo-Confucian theory of human nature and self-cultivation, on the assumption of Confucian self-discipline and social practice.