『大學』의 주요 개념에 대한 이언적(李彦迪)과 이이(李珥)의 해석 비교 - ‘격물치지’와 ‘인’에 대한 해석을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Through the reorganization of the Daehak,(『大學』) Lee Eun-jeok(李彦迪), a Confucian scholar in early Chosŏn Dynasty, defined the term “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge”(格物致知) as the method of distinguishing key principles or virtues from political and social norms and their institutional forms. He further argued that more important than “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge” is to gain a single and comprehensive principle which penetrates all the core principles or virtues, through ‘reasoning’(思). Lee Yi(李珥) expressed concern that the idea of ​​acquiring a single, comprehensive principle through ‘reasoning’ could approach the practice of Zen Buddhism or the theory of Lu Jiuyuan(陸九淵) and Wang Shouren(王守仁). Based on Zu Xi’s Daehak-janggu(『大學章句』), he argued that “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge” itself is a thorough investigation and enlightenment(得), saying that a separate intellectual maturation process, such as ‘reasoning’ is not necessary, and that a separate stage of ‘enlightenment’ should not be placed as a final stage. Meanwhile, Lee Eun-jeok said that the core purpose of Daehak is to encourage the King to restore his virtue of benevolence(仁) through the practice of “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge” and thus lead to government of benevolence. He was more concerned with the restoration of the King's virtue of benevolence and the execution of his virtuous governing than with “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge”. We can confirm from various literatures that Lee’s claim affected Lee Hwang(李滉) and No Sushin(盧守愼). According to Lee Yi, the misconception that the core purpose of Daehak is making the king restoring virtues through “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge” was originated from not knowing that the core content of Chapter 9 and 10 of Daehak is “the Way of Understanding the situation of others by analogizing my situation.”(絜矩之道) Lee regarded the core purpose of Daehak as “Investigation of things and acquisition of knowledge”, which supports “the Way of Understanding the situation of others by analogizing my situation” on an ontological and epistemological basis. Especially noteworthy is that Lee Yi showed a different political-philosophical point of view from Lee Hwang, in that he thought that anyone could be a virtuous person as long as he restored ‘Myongdeok(明德)’. While, Lee Hwang was mainly concerned with restoring the virtues of the King.