진암(眞菴) 이병헌(李炳憲)의 동이(東夷) 인식

Abstract

This paper explores the issues related to origins of the East Asian civilizations, especially focusing on the ideas of Lee Byung-hun who lived during the Japanese occupation period. Lee Byung-hun was an intellectual who lived in turbulent times in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and was a Confucian intellectual who switched to a civilized thinker with a Confucian academic background, but did not give up his Confucian beliefs. He is also regarded as a Confucian reform thinker who tried to cope with the changing times through Confucian reform. This paper would discuss his recognition of Dongyi and the origin of Confucianism and explore what identity he had as a Confucian intellectual who lived in the Japanese occupation. In specific, this paper explores Lee Byung-hun’s views on the significance of Korean identity as Eastern people emphasizing Korea’s position in the east, and its connection between Taihao 太皞 Fuxi 伏犧 and Dongyi as the eastern Di 帝 who created the eight trigrams and various civilizations. Then, this paper discusses his recognition of Shun 舜 as Dongyi and his perspective that directly linked the birth of Confucianism to the Korean people. From these Lee Byung-hun’s discussions, this paper explores his mission to connect Korean cultural and ethnic identity with the origin of Confucianism as a Confucian philosopher who lived during Japanese occupation period.