근대 중국에서 ‘종교/미신’ 범주의 발명과 굴절 - 양계초, 진독수, 채원배를 중심으로 -

Abstract

In this paper I traced the process of inventing the ‘religion and superstition’ discourse in modern China. To elucidate the process, I examined the ideas of New Culture Movement thinkers, such as Liang Qichao(양계초), Chen Duxiu(진독수), Chai Yuanpei(채원배), ect. They had a great social impact in the invention of the ‘superstition and religion’ discourse. Especially the view of Liang Qichao offered a basis in the process of making the intellectual orderly rank of science, religion, and superstition. His idea of religion was based on the modern Western concept of reason and science. To evaluate Chinese tradition, he introduced a standard which came from western system of knowledge. We now understand that such a cultural category and standard is deeply connected with ideology, or power orientation. Liang has changed his standard of view as the social milieu changed. But he did not changed the his fundamental stance that religion and superstition is inferior to science, and the former two must become extinct in the future as science and reason develop. For Chen and Chai, religion and superstition had only negative value from the outset. Therefore, for them, the distinction between religion and superstition had no meaning. In East Asia, modernization discourse accepted the western science and reason as truth. So, religion and superstition always was treated as inferior, whereas science and philosophy treated as superior. Based on such a standard, traditional culture was classified into two division as philosophy and religion/superstition. As a result of uncritical acception of such a prejudice, eastern traditional culture was given the order of rank from philosophy and religion/superstition.