순자의 도가 비판에 대한 연구

Abstract

Xunzi's critique of Taoist thought and thinkers, grounded in the Confucian perspective, can be seen as a debate between Confucianism and Taoism. Because Xunzi's ideological foundation rests on a respect for propriety, he inevitably criticized Taoist thought and thinkers who held a negative stance toward artificiality, as represented by propriety. In other words, Xunzi believed that the Confucian culture of rites and music, embodied by propriety, was the shortcut to ending an era of chaos and establishing a new social order. Therefore, he launched a critique of Taoist thought and its thinkers, who advocated inaction and naturalness. The most notable of Xunzi's critiques of Taoist thinkers are Laozi and Zhuangzi. It can be argued that these critiques of Taoist inaction and naturalness can be viewed as valid critiques of Taoism's inaction and naturalness from the perspective of Confucian propriety and music. Xunzi's sharp criticism of Taoist thinkers prevented the infiltration of Taoist inaction and naturalness into Confucian thought. In particular, he was able to prevent the influence of transcendental and metaphysical thought on Confucianism. From this perspective, Xunzi can be said to have left a significant mark on the revival of Confucianism in the late Warring States Period, and he can be considered a thinker who breathed new life into Confucianism.