1920년대 식민지 조선 유림과 일본의 湯島聖堂

Abstract

Yushima Seido Shrine (湯島聖堂), the center of education and the Seokjeonje (釋奠祭) ceremony by the Shogunate, was an unfamiliar place to the Confucian scholars in Joseon until the end of the 19th century. The Shrine was temporarily closed after the Meiji Restoration and its subsequent European Modernization plans, but was later rediscovered by the Samunhoe, the group of enlightened Japanese intellectuals who tried to establish ‘modernized Confucianism’ for the new modern country. In this regard, the group took interest in the old Shrine and revived the ceremony of Seokjeonje once ceased by the Meiji government. The Confucian scholars in Joseon recognized the existence of Yushima Seido Shrine from cultural exchanges with the Samunhoe through the Gyeonghakwon. More specifically, pro-Japanese Confucian scholars of Gyeonghakwon recorded their visits to the Shrine in 1914, which induced official visits to the Shrine by the general Confucian scholars in Joseon. The number of visits by the Confucian scholars reached its peak in 1922, the 2400th anniversary of the death of Confucius. On October 29, 1922, the Samunhoe held ‘Memorial Rite for Confucius after 2400 years of the Death of the Master (孔子二千四百年追遠記念祭)’ at the Yushima Seido Shrine, and pro-Japanese Confucian scholars of Gyeonghakwon participated in the Rite, along with other Confucian scholars from the colonized Joseon. After the Rite, the Yushima Seido marked itself as the new ‘holy place’ of the ‘new Confucianism’ and symbol of progress of Japan. Especially for the local Confucian scholars in Joseon who didn’t know that Japan also respected the same philosophy as they did, the event made an impression that Japan is not only a modernized country, but also a country with modernized and advanced Confucianism, which became a good excuse for pro-Japanese Confucian scholars on their treacherous actions.