『사기(史記)』 「유협열전(游俠列傳)」 입전(立傳) 동기에 관한 고찰

Abstract

This paper analyzed Sima Qian's perspective on The Gallant Citizens that The Gallant Citizens is at the center of the conflict and consequences between righteousness and benefits, which are implied consistently from the first episode of Bo Yi Biography to Huo Zhi Biography. A literary inspiration for The Gallant Citizens is basically due to the critical mind of the theory of Chinese Idiom “Fa Fen Zhu Shu” (Make A Determined Effort To Write Books) and “Tian Dao Shi Fei” (The dispute of Divine Justice). Sima Qian begins with the question of Divine Justice that the pain experienced by a tragic character is the reason of creating a masterpiece and that history is never on the side of the good people. Sima Qian emphasized on defending the chivalry through counter-argument with the details to the Han Fei's criticism of both Confucianism and chivalry. He also acknowledged that The Gallant Citizens was unjust, but at the same time there was something to praise. Based on the perception of reality that the winners of history cannot necessarily be said to be just and that even a virtuous person does not necessarily succeed in life, in The Gallant Citizens, Sima Qian especially maintained that their actions should not be viewed negatively. While noting that Sima Qian, who seeks to find a common denominator between dissociate and Confucianism, and finds common ground between chivalrous and righteousness, appreciates the Gallant Citizens' social responsibility and historical role, this paper tried to prove that the Gallant Citizens' inner character and appearance, such as chivalrous, Bu Yi’s chivalry and its spirits, are related to the Confucian’s scholar mind. Sima Qian re-evaluated the existence value of the Gallant Citizens that could disappear behind history, and attracted them to the realm of history, cleverly combining their characteristics with the reality perception of grievances and the dispute of Divine Justice in order to re-create the epitome of character biography.