19세기초 유희 『물명고』의 분류명 내원과 분류체계 연구

Abstract

The basis of this study is Yu Hui’s Thesaurus of Names of Things (1824) which contains Hangeul inscription of names. This study explores the three-step classification system, organized into large-medium-small divisions, and the characteristic structure of classifying names. Behind Yu Hui’s unique four group classification names there lies a complexity of ideas including the Buddhist theory of senses for sentient and non-sentient beings, the dual nature of stillness and movement of the Great Ultimate, and the Neo-Confucian theory of five substance from the Explanation of the Diagram of the Great Ultimate of Sung China, and also the theory of five elements for minerals originally propagated by the books of medicinal herbs. It is inferred that the division of animals and plants was made based on the existence of senses. Animals with senses are located in the first group, and plants with no senses, in the second. Minerals depending on [im]mobility are located in two groups: the immobile earth, stone, and metal are in the third, and the mobile water and fire are in the forth. Grouping animals, plants and minerals in this way is viewed as classification of the ‘Livelihood in Nature’ and thus Thesaurus of Names of Things is designated as the book investigating the world of nature. Speaking of the small division for animal names it discovers the five elements theory in its five groupings, they are: animals with wings, with hair, without hair or wings, with scales, and with hard cover. This theory of five animal groups originates from the ancient Chin-Han dynasties. Also found was that thin-haired animals are listed as vegetarian, and short-haired ones, carnivorous. Animals with wings were listed as bird, with scales as fish, with hard cover as crustacean. Therefore, the small division consists of the five namely, bird, vegetarian, carnivorous, fish, and crustacean. For the classification of the rest of animals Thesaurus of Names of Things cares for small things. Confucius’s emphasis on names of things shown in the Book of Odes provided the basis for Jeong Cho’s work “Concise Terms of Animals, Plants and Trees” in Comprehensive History of Institutions (1116). This idea was in the same vain used by Yu Hui for his own thesaurus. The middle division classification includes aquatic animals with scales or with hard cover, and animals with hair or without hair. Summing up, the natural objects that Thesaurus of Names of Things focused on 685 items under the large, medium, and small divisions. The proportion of minerals is one tenth compared to the nine tenth concentrated on animals and plants. This data indicates that there is great demand that this thesaurus be compared with the books of medicinal herbs. Moreover, comparative studies for Thesaurus of Names of Things and its reference book, Names of All Things and Products of Culture, will benefit from intensified research on Korean inscriptions of things.