심산 김창숙의 사상적 변화와 민족운동

Abstract

Simsan Kim, Chang-sook (1879~1962) was a Confucian scholar with a progressive idea, and participated in various activities to change Korea into modern society. Though he approved accepting modern western thought, he didn’t accept it as his own belief system. He participated in a save-the-nation enlightenment drive on the basis of studies for spiritual culture of the Hanju school (a sect of Confucianism) and his father’s spirit of reform. As Korea perished in 1910, he faced a spiritual crisis, however, he overcame it through learning Confucianism in earnest. Confucian knowledge he acquired at that time came to be a source which made it possible for him to participate in various kinds of national movements, that is, it gave him his sense of values and view of the world which made him read and understand the world. His national movement from the latter half of the 19th century till the early 20th century was in the same line with the general development course of Korean nationalism. He anticipated that Korean society based on social status would be dissolved and new society would be constructed taking the Donghak Peasant War opportunity. He changed the society of country districts from aristocracy-centric to people-centric one by the formation of Seongju branch of Daehan Association (a body for mass-education) in the latter era of the Joseon Dynasty. His democratic beliefs which appeared in his save-the-nation enlightenment drive developed into the idea of popular sovereignty which denied the monarchy before and after 1910. His participation in the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in 1919 made sure that his theory of a nation establishment aimed at the system of a democratic republic. Ideologically his national movement was based on Confucianism. In the course of Simsan’s ideological change, we can see the example of the autogenous development of Korean democracy based on Confucianism.