김석문의 학문 배경과 『역학도해』의 전승 과정

Abstract

Devoting himself at an early age to the science of divination and the stars, Kim Seokmun composed a six volume work, Yeokhak-dohae, and went on to publish an abridged version of that set thirty years later. His version of astronomy differed from the traditional “the Square Heaven and the Rotundate Earth(天圓地方)”. Through a new conception of the earth and its rotation, his version of astronomy seemed to move beyond opinions of the universe and space hitherto accepted in East Asia. At the same time, his concept of the earth's rotation in particular showed a break in thought from Western astronomical beliefs. As a self-styled “Follower of the Ming(大明遺民)”, Kim Seokmun was a literary follower of Heokyeok of the No-ron(老論) faction, who had instituted a system of essays with a decidedly negative opinion of Western philosphy. As his mentor, Heokyeok mostly likely had a certain influence over Kim Seokmun. In fact, Kim Seokmun's attitude toward the divination(曆法) even in the prevailing spirit of Confucianism was one of seeking compromise between the West's comparatively reformist tradition of family education and his teacher, Heokyeok's writings, which rejected Western thought. To Kim Seokmun, the challenge lay in reconciling the two viewpoints rather than letting them remain mutually antagonistic. The Xiang Shu scholars, absorbing Western scholarship through the emphasis of Yi Li studies, suggested a solution to the Book of Changes conundrum using methods involving more idealistic cooperation in keeping with the then current wave of scholarship. With an impressive amount of work in the fields of astronomy and he divination during the latter half of the eighteenth century in his own right, Hwang Yunseok held Kim Seokmun's divination scholarship in high regard. Word of his accomplishments, however, could not be widely propagated. References include a remark in Pak Jiwon's memoirs: “We regard the mentor Kim Seokmun's ‘theory that three large round things floating in the air(三大丸浮空說)’ which Hong Daeyong explained in very natural terms,” signifying that the latter's treatise on outer space borrowed significantly from that of Kim Seokmun. Several attempts were made to publish Yeokhak-Dohae, but none were entirely successful. Among these attempts was An Jeongbok's effort to both arrange and examine the work. This dcument was published with the aim of attracting the Southern(南人) faction. It seems, however, that this document, being passed down over a period of time, was not properly preserved. It was passed to the Poch'eon scholar Seong Hyoga and, according to Seong Daejeong, was sent to be preserved at the Bongseonsa Temple. During this process, the document's importance was not understood by Seong-un. The treatise on pace found in Yeokhak-Dohae was an original concept that developed a combined view of ‘Rotation theory(自轉論)’ and ‘Idling theory(空轉論)’ against the backdrop of ‘Earth theory(地球論)’. It was made possible by the development of a critical amalgation of traditional(East Asian) and Western astronomical studies. As writings such as this later drew the attention of scholars of the Nak-ron(洛論) faction, Hong Daeyong and Hwang Yunseok's astronomical thesis was expanded into a basis of philosophy and thought regarding the topic. Eventually, however, An Jeongbok and others from the Southern Silhak faction entered the fray. The Silhak scholars appropriated this amalgated view of astronomy, and their resulting thesis became the starting point of the development of their own fundamental astronomical thesis.