율곡의 인성교육론(4) - 독서론을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Gyeokmongyogyeol of Yulgok of the middle of Joseon period emphasized te personality education for the youths as a royal summon of the time. Many considered that the humanity lost its true nature at that time facing the total crisis not only education. Still, it was not as serious as today because it was the time that the study of Confucian classics reached the peak. During that time, public education considered that the study of five classics was the absolute curriculum and Seowon took over the private education. For the elementary education, Seodang played its role and Hyanggyo also took an important place for the education. With those educational institutions, Joseon had more than enough contents in personality education with teaching of the thought of benevolence-filial piety of Confucius. From this point of view, contemporary education has many problems because of the lack of teaching the value of benevolence-filial piety from emphasizing Western education too much. Yulgok emphasized the study of Confucianism in his reading education. For him, the reason for emphasizing the teaching of benevolence-filial piety is that one can reach Tao with education. Nothing prior to seeking reason when seeking for reason, nothing comes before anything. The most effective way of seeking reason is reading because books contain the sages’ purposes of the publications. They also provide the information on the true nature and virtues that need to be learn as well as something bad that needs to be avoid.