조선후기 유서 지식의 성격

Abstract

This article aims to examine the characteristics of knowledge that was collected and transferred by way of yuseos in the late Joseon Dynasty. A yuseo is characterized by its stylistic nature of gathering, itemizing, classifying, and verifying of knowledge, making it effective for collecting and transferring large amounts of knowledge. This allowed it to properly reflect the expansion of knowledge after Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. In principle, polymathy was not rejected in Neo-Confucianism. The wariness of Neo-Confucianists against polmathy was strengthened together as knowledge increased. The differences in positions and directions between polymathy and Neo-Confucianism have become more clear since the mid-18th century, with interest in the natural history or artisanal arts spreading to some intellectuals. Ojuyeonmun Jangjeonsan’go was one of the achievements of that process. Yuseo, on the one hand, exploited the tradition of the study of names since Han dynasty. The study of names was to draw classics as a standard for verification of knowledge and to justify hierarchical worldviews. A re-recognition of the mathematical order of things appeared in parallel with the interest in natural history at Ojuyeonmun Jangjeonsan’go. It was certainly done under the influence of the West-Learning. But it still took the tone of traditional Sangsuhak, and yet not at all had the value of methodology that covers the whole work. Until then the principle of things in yuseos in the late Joseon Dynasty did not deviated significantly from the traditional knowledge system.