孟子의 思想과 물[水]의 이미지

Abstract

All living things, including human being could not keep up their birth and life without water. Such a valuable and precious water has been polluted or being contaminated due to various factors such as industrialization, man-made disaster into the modern times. At this point, It would be very meaningful that considering about ideas of water onto the philosophical direction from the categories of water-culture. This paper presents the water-image in a thought, for that, the study targets at the Confucianism which emphasis on the reality within variety of philosophical fields and centers on Mencius who make an efforts to practice. The paper studies three categories; political theory, ethology, cultivation in Mencius’ ideas and researches the water-images which related above three categories. Through the study, it can be known that Mencius utilizes water-image to derive the principles and to describe the important concepts those relates to his main ideas. And also, can be seen that Mencius understands the principle of the nature as a principle of human nature and human social life. In particular, he does focus on the role of coexistence of naturally good that water has then, he utilizes it to explain his various ideas. After all, this paper would give an opportunity to consider water as an origin of life in a different point of view once again.