사소절에 나타난 이덕무의 아동교육관

Abstract

This paper is to examine Ajeong Lee Deokmu’s view of childhood education demonstrated on Sasojeol (Small Courtesy for Scholars). It is predominantly Neo-Confucian scholars who were concerned about childhood education during the Joseon Dynasty. It has significance to look into the view of childhood education of Lee Deokmu, a Silhak scholar (Realist School of Confucianism), which enables to compare views of childhood education between Neo- Confucianism and Silhak. As everyone knows, Thousand-Character Classic(千字文) written by Zhou Xingsi(周興嗣) and Xiaoxue(小學) published by Zhuxi are representative teaching materials for children in Joseon. Thousand-Character Classic serves as a textbook for character education while Xiaoxue works as a Confucian material, both of which are main materials for children education in Joseon era. Though Thousand-Character Classic and Xiaoxue had a lot of advantages for character and Confucian education, textbooks for children were widely published since new awareness and efforts for practice as to childhood education were reflected after the 16th century. Sasojeol mainly describes small courtesy that family members of Confucian scholars, women and children should observe in daily lives. The part Donggyu particularly written in order to discipline children in a family inherited the view of childhood education on Xiaoxue to clarify that small courtesy (小節) is the root of greater virtue (大德). Dongyu is a typical textbook for children to stress that right habits and attitudes formed with thorough practice of small courtesy in childhood would serve as the basis to achieve greater virtues in the future.