老柏軒 鄭載圭의 삶과 학문 -강우지역에서의 노사학 계승 및 확산을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Nobaekheon Jeong Jae-gyu(1843~1911) was born in Mukdong, Yukri, Ssangbaek-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam Province in 1843, when the confusions of the late Chosun started to surface. Living in the rapidly changing situations during the enlightenment period, he devoted his entire life to recovering and establishing the teachings of traditional Confucianism that had deteriorated in status. At the age of 22, he became a pupil of Nosa Gi Jeong-jin(1798- 1879) in Jangseong, Jeolla Province. It was him that played the pivotal role in establishing Nosahak in the Gangwoo region, which was still under the strong influence of Nammyeonghak despite its fall. Not getting swept by the atmosphere of combining different schools that were born in the Gangwoo region in the middle 19th century, he consistently committed himself to Nosahak since his first encounter with his teacher Gi. He exposed himself to and accepted the theories of other schools around through close interactions and fierce discussions with their scholars and, at the same time, reinforced the academic solidarity by participating in the meetings in the Gangwoo region and taking an excursion to the scenic spots in the neighboring areas. He did them in order to promote the dispersion and spread of Nosahak. In fact, he devoted his life to inheriting and developing the academic heritage of his teacher in the Gangwoo region. His spirit to endure the teachings of traditional Confucianism and thus to overcome the difficult times was passed down onto a group of literary figures, who continuously succeeded his spirit through academic activities, after his death. Even though his life and academic activities were traditional and conservative actions in the new era called the enlightenment period, it should be recognized that they were his best choices as he adhered to traditional Confucianism from the past.