牧隱 李穡의 歷史意識과 民族思想

Abstract

Mokeun (牧隱) Lee Saek (李穡) is a great scholar of late Goryeo. He is renowned as a scholar of Neo-Confucianism. However, he also had a reputation as a brilliant scholar in the Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. He is the one who communicated the context of the unique national ideology, started from Dangun (檀君), to later generations. His life and spiritual world are similar to those of Goun (孤雲) Choi Chi-won (崔致遠) in the late Silla. Indeed, it is proven in his collection of works that he was greatly influenced by Choi Chi-won. He had an autonomous perception of Korea's history of antiquities going from Dangun to Gija (箕子). He highlighted the cultural excellence and superiority of Dangun Joseon and Gija Joseon. Especially he tried to widely spread the greatness of the unique ideas and spirit of Korea as well. In his thoughts, the senses of national identity and civilization are exquisitely well merged. Cheonbukyeong (天符經) is known as containing the essence (精髓) of national ideology of Korea. In this article, I have proved through his collection of works, the circumstances in which Lee Saek studied Cheonbukyeong. Lee Saek seemed to have attached importance to Korean national consciousness to be descendants of heaven (天孫意識). And he seemed to have seen the origin of this idea going back to Cheonbukyeong. Also, he gave importance to the idea of Triode (三極) of Heaven, Earth and Human being, especially the Human Pole (人極). He said, "I possess the heaven and earth in my mind (一心具天地)". This is related to the contents of the Cheonbukyeong saying, 'My mind is the center of heaven and earth (人中天地)'. ‘The heaven and earth is in the center of human being (人中天地).’ Lee Saek's thoughts, which emphasize the 'autonomy of the human being (人間主體)', go back to the unique ideology of Korea and recently flourished in Neo-Confucianism. The teachings of Cheonbukyeong that say "find the seeds of heaven in my mind" are the core of the unique ideology of Korea and the core of Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism.