18~19세기 조선 맹자학의 주석서와 그 작자

Abstract

This study attempts to understand overall impression of commentary on Mencius of Joseon Dynasty in the 18th-19th centuries and its writers. The 18th and 19th centuries were considered 'Confucianism era' as considerable books on Confucianism were published. Although many studies on it were conducted, an approach to its overview remains unsatisfactory. As an attempt to overview a tendency of interpretation of Mencius during the 18th and 19th Joseon Dynasty, this study examines a commentary distribution in each chapter of 『Mencius』 and inclination of its commenters. Judging from a frequency of notable annotations, interpretation of Mencius during the 18th and 19th centuries did not show a drastic change in interest including definite change in frequency and major interest area. However, decrease in social attention to usefulness of Confucianism seems relevant with overall decrease in quantities of commentary. Furthermore, commenters tendency showed a certain degree of change. During the 18th century, there were many Noron scholars who became a master of crown princes and who were in central political world. On the contrary, during the 19th century, there were many Namin scholars who gave up entering government post and deepened their consciousness on matters of Joseon Neo-Confucianism, living in countryside, especially in Youngnam region. It is considered to be influenced by the political environment of the time where it was no more possible to enter the central political world only with knowledge of Confucianism due to reign of potentates of the 19th century while the reign of Yoengjo and Jeongjo, a king who was fond of learning, shaped a condition for going into central political world with knowledge of Confucianism. In addition, arguments over human and natural laws, which still remains to be an important object of discussion, and limited import of books prevented Confucianism from becoming an expanded discussion on politics and economy. Rather, it was expressed as a tendency of ruminating traditional awareness of problems. Along with these characteristics, general overview on commentary distribution and commenters provides considerable implications on understanding of Mencius studies tendency in the latter Joseon Dynasty.