朝鮮時代의 한국적 가치 연구

Abstract

Traditional values refer to one’s attitudes or perspectives developed by negotiating with oneself, others, society, world, nature and universe, which include thoughts on what is right, desirable, and what is dos and don’ts. The purpose of this study was to investigate values which Korean people traditionally emphasized, and their changes by epochal situation focused on the Choson Era. Also, this study intended to assist in finding values and meaning which should be passed down and manifested in contemporary society based on the study results. In this context, I select some positive values in the background of the Joseon dynasty. As traditional values or ethics in Korea destroyed and distorted going through the period of Japanese colonialism, all the existing social culture and traditional culture were denied, which resulted in vanishing common value which led community for several hundred years. The loss of common value caused community destruction and collapse, and made Korean people seek to survival, success and advancement in life as suffering from severe conflict of values. Experience of hollow state of mind caused by historical and cultural severance left distorted and degenerated values to Korea people, which made them pursue false values without realizing true meaning of traditional values. The true meaning of traditional values should be universal no matter how society changes, and could be milestone to contemporary people wandering aimlessly. Realizing and reconsidering the meaning of traditional values to found comtemporary values of Korean people by reflecting on history can produce significant results beyond age-old debate about East or West, and tradition or modernity.