한문과 문화 영역의 성격과 교육 방향

Abstract

This paper focuses on the characteristics and future directions for culture studies in the education of classical Chinese in secondary school. Although the position of culture studies in the education of classical Chinese may have been gradually elevated since the revised curriculum of 2007, the detailed content of cultural studies remain unchanged. This reflects the current state of the educational sphere, under which the experts agree on the general direction of emphasizing cultural studies but fail to reach an agreement on the specific educational directions and content. In order to find a directional path for culture studies in the education of classical Chinese, it is important to take notice of the culture of classical Chinese as a language culture. Traditionally, Korea’s language culture was diglossia, consisting of classical Chinese and the Korean language. In the medieval diglossia, classical Chinese, which was perceived to be more superior to the Korean language, interacted and developed alongside with Korean, so as to result in the present “Korean language culture” which comprehensively inherited both the classical Chinese and Korean language culture. Considering such facts, culture studies in the classical Chinese curriculum should be based on the basic understanding of classical Chinese’s position and role within the diglossic and historical context. At the same time, the classical Chinese culture should be emphasized as the basis for the contemporary “Korean language culture,” which did not unilaterally stem from the national language culture but is an integrated successor of both the classical Chinese and the national language culture. Only through such emphasis on the classical Chinese culture, which composes the basis of today’s language, can students gain a wholesome perspective towards the contemporary language culture and furthermore, can form a pluralistic understanding of the “Korean language culture.” Such a change in direction will shed light on the characteristics of culture studies in the education of classical Chinese, which is closely linked with the everyday language and is a subject that could inform students of our multi-cultural and convergent identities.