의당 박세화 명덕설의 특징과 의의

Abstract

The School of Euidang(毅堂學派) led by Euidang Park Se-hwa(毅堂 朴世和, 1834～1910) in North Chungcheong Province was one of five major schools in the Giho(畿湖) region covering Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chungcheong Provinces, but it has been less known and researched. In the meantime, Park Se-hwa was mistakenly associated with the scholar Maesan Hong Jik-pil(梅山 洪直弼, 1776～1852) that Park had studied under Hong, thus evaluated as the School of Maesan Hong Jik-pil, or since Park exchanged with scholars Kim Pyeong-muk, Yu Jung-gyo, Yu In-seok and the like of the School of Hwaseo(華西學派), he was at times mistaken for a scholar of the School of Hwaseo. But, Park Se-hwa’s stance was very different, in terms of the Theory of Human Mind(心性論) argued in Neo-Confucianism, from the School of Ganjae(艮齋學派) or Hwaseo which led to Hong Jik-pil, Im Heon-hoe and Jeon Wu. Park Se-hwa’s School of Euidang was independent. Due to Park Se-hwa’s inclination that he carried a strong will to transmit the authentic Doctrines of Zhu Xi(朱子學) and that he attempted to strictly adhere to teachings of Yulgok(栗谷) and U-am(尤菴), apparently Park’s academia belonged to one of the sects under the School of Giho(畿湖學派); however, he did not entirely base his academic foundation on the studies by Giho scholars but tried to transcend his learning to much broader studies. His attempt was represented by the Theory of the Luminous Virtue of Mind(明德說). His conclusion of the Theory of the “Luminous Virtue of Mind” was, in short, interpreted as “mind(心), sex(性) and affection(情) being open and righteous(光明正大),” while he did not revert to the Theory of Principles and Material Force(理氣論) under Neo-Confucianism. This was an entirely different viewpoint from other scholars who argued the Theory of Luminous Virtue of Mind and the Theory of the Primacy of Material Force(主氣論), thus the point is characterized as the main identity of the School of Euidang. Without distorting the authentic Confucianism of the Giho region led by Yulgok and U-am, the scholar Park He-hwa asserted that the Theory of the Luminous Virtue of Mind and of the Primacy of Material Force could not be explained(不可說) in order to entice Neo-Confucian scholars who were then divided over arguments of the Theory of Human Mind(心性論) or the Theory of the Luminous Virtue of Mind to save the country while practicing Neo-Confucianism. This can be interpreted that Park Se-hwa’s Theory of the Luminous Virtue of Mind had its foundation in Confucianism of the Giho region, which at the same time expanded its scope to transcend to a broader cause. That was possible because throughout his life the Neo-Confucian scholar Park Se-hwa strictly practiced what he preached, the Neo-Confucian ideal, or the Unity of Knowledge and Action(知行合一). As a result, he was able to widely exchange with scholars of the School of Hwaseo or of Ganjae, despite their different views in the Theory of Values Based on Benefit(性利說) or the Theory of Justice(義理論), and he engaged in civil army activities and sacrificed his life for his country. In that regard, Park Se-hwa can be evaluated as a truly great scholar of Confucianism in the late period of the Korean Empire.