17-18세기 조선맹자학의 동아시아적 지평-정전제 논의를 중심으로-

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to take a look at the specific aspects of the under the Mencius Studies of Joseon for the prospect of East Asia in the 17-18th century. Detailed relevant points of observation is the ‘Discussion of Jeongjoen-je (A land tax system advocated by Mencius)’ of Chapter 3 of 「Deungmoongongsang」 that established important point of political economic theory that Mencius asserted. The Jeongjoen-je discussed in more details for issues involving the land allocation sustained clear position that, ‘good politics starts from the correctly establishing the boundaries’. Because of this attribute, it had been steadily called upon by the conscious statemen who intended to structure the economic foundation required for building up the idealistic Confucian state and reviewed for its possibility of realization. Since it was a level to discuss the fundamental policies to rule a country, not an issue of developing individual ethics that this point may be critically utilized for checking on how his script reading would strive for the governing practice on this discussion point under the context of the phase of ruler, namely, the governing practice for a ruler. Under the point of Jeongjoen-je, those Confucian scholars of Joseon display a remarkable outcome in East Asia at the time in conjunction with seriousness of critical mind, refinement of discussion and governing policy. This issue may be developed as a general theme of East Asia without a need to stop in comparing with certain issue of Chu Shi. Under this discourse, it is considered to be the minimal approach method to take a look at the genuineness of the governing planning that has not realized the direction of the noting party and issue of attitude and this aspect has been reviewed far more refined ways. It is not easy to discuss the academics with a single general theme by the countries that have different cultural environment and academic tradition. However, the Chinese classics that integrate mutually different opinion on a theme of scripture could be one of the barometers to understand the reciprocity of the respective time. In particular, the discussion of the Jeongjoen-je that may bring out the social changes, not an issue of the discussion topic of individual ethical improvement and the comparison thereto would have the possibility to visually expand on understanding of East Asia at the time, not just a simply critical mind of Chinese classic. In particular, the discussion on the Jeongjoen-je has conspicuous implication with the standout struggle of Joseon scholars who completed with the profound academic endeavors with the respective concreteness in their minds.