雪嵒 權玉鉉의 讀史와 史實 隨錄

Abstract

Seolam Kwon Ok-hyeon(1912~1999) was a 20th-century scholar of Chinese classics who was academically rooted in Song Si-yeol and inherited scholarly lineages formed by Song Byeon-seon(1836~1905) and Jeon Woo(1841~1922) in the later Joseon period. Seolam lived in the age of turbulences ranging from an outbreak of a national crisis to the replacement of old studies with new scholarship. Nevertheless, he clung to Confucianism till the end, seeking to promote morals and manifest loyalty. Currently, it is a trend that academic circles of this country extend its horizon to the Chinese classics of the 20th century. Catching up with that trend, this study speculated on Seolam's reading of historic books and his fragmentary recordings of historical facts. Chapter II of the study examined the question items that Seolam provided as he read through 『Jwajeon』 and 『Gangmok』, and noted that legitimacy and a sense of great cause were the most important standards that motivated him to read historic books. In his readings, Seolam also placed much importance on general manners of history description, especially the use of terms that clearly discriminate legitimacy from non-legitimacy and fidelity from infidelity. In Chapter III, this study considered Seolam's fragmentary recordings of historical facts, revealing again the depth of his spiritual loyalty. When criticizing historical facts that were derived from national crises, for instance, both of the major wars which Joseon sustained, the collapse of the Ming dynasty and rule by military regimes in this country, Seolam intentionally stressed the spirit of loyalty that significant figures demonstrated in defending and protecting their nation. Meanwhile, he continued to devote attention to real politics. Seolam was somewhat progressive and valued students' struggle for democratization, which he regarded an action faithful to the state.