한문학 연구자의 평전 쓰기에 관한 몇 가지 생각 -湛軒 洪大容의 경우를 예로 삼아-

Abstract

The critical biography is a genre to understand the individual totality of a person. To write a critical biography, although study results already produced should be read, primary data are more important. Therefore, although existing study results are important, primary data should be inquired into first. A critical biography requires to read ‘all’ data without exception. In revealing the totality of a person, the excuse that ‘it is not the major’ is absolutely not necessary. In addition, data that have been overlooked in studies conducted thus far can also be very important data in understanding the totality of the person. Although it is needless to say that collecting and reading data is important, one thing that particularly matters here is the nature of data because the shape of the person may vary according to the nature of the data being delivered now. Therefore, the literature left by the relevant person should be carefully reviewed to understand the nature and limitations of the literature. If some images of the targeted person are obtained by reviewing data, the images should be described from the horizon of the times when the person lived. In the case of Damheon, the images of him as an intellectual cannot but be described and this will inevitably require the understanding of the horizon of the history of knowledge in the times of Damheon. To exemplify concretely, deep understanding of the astronomy and mathematics in western science books transmitted from Beijing. In addition, the critical biography should be written sufficiently considering the person’s personality, family background, and private history. In the case of Damheon as an example, the fact that his family was the best yangban family in the 18th century and the fact that he was a neo- Confucian scholar close to dogmatism should be considered without fail. Let me finally add one only thing. We generally see the target person studied by us with a positive view. There may be cases where the view is close to worship. Even when contradictions have been found in the thought and behavior of the target person, we close our eyes and strive to understand and describe everything coherently. However, critical biographies cannot be hagiologies or biographies of great men. Should not us to maintain objective distances and more strict critical attitudes?