최시형의 생태학적 사유와 평화

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of Choi Si-hyeong’s ecological thought and also the significance of it for us to find out the true path to peace today. Choi Si-hyeong deemed that as the people and women got suppressed and sacrificed by the ruling class and men in the past, nature, too, was sacrificed unilaterally by humans. But he understood that sacrifice as either nature or God’s self-sacrifice. He formulated the proposition of ‘Serve God with God’ and excellently demonstrated the ecological meaning of that sacrifice in the overall perspective of nature. Based on this demonstration, Choi Si-hyeong says that to realize true peace in this world, first of all, we should have faith in the truth that not only the people and women but nature, too, have been doing what they have to do associated with self-sacrificing love. Grounded on this conviction (信), he believed that we should practice respect (敬) for not only the people and women who had not been treated properly before but also nature as previous beings so as to reach true harmony with nature. As the most important attitude and principle to practice this, he suggested sincerity (誠) and non-action (無爲), and he applied this attitude and principle to the people working cooperatively with nature as well. This author thinks that the attitude of ecological ethics and the principle of ecological labor provide mankind with a crucial clue to enter the path to true peace.