栗溪 鄭琦의 학술정신 -시대인식과 학술저작을 중심으로

Abstract

Yulgye Jeong Gi (1879~1950) was a Confucian scholar who taught from the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century in and around Hapcheol, Gyeongnam and Guryea, Jeonnam. As the first pupil of Jung Jae-gyu who continued the academic context of Nosa he continued to extend its academic field. At the age of about thirty, he wrote 『Dapgakseol(答客說)』 showing his understanding of time when the western civilization arrived upon the region and entire world was overturned with the sun and moon losing their light that the Chinese civilization became a barbarian and the man became a beast in the time that he determined to live his life path to be living with working on ‘ways of mindset for Confucian family’. He maintained the extreme ethics follower that ‘one is a beat, tree or plant if he lacks generosity and righteousness’, and he preached that, in this troubled time for the world, ‘one has to make good of one’s body alone’ as the ‘universal truth of all times’. He had the faith in that if he kept the right of ways in the Confucian teachings, even during the hard times, it would be the ‘foundation of peaceful time’ at some point of tine. As a poor Confucian scholar, he taught traditional academic field and kept the succinct posture of life with his conviction that carried him all through his life. Therefore, his scholastic publications reflect the trend of traditional Confucian scholarship that would be difficult to consider they were written such publications around the 1930s. 「Hwadongyeokdae-ga(華東歷代歌)」 had the style of Oyeonjeolgu (a poem with five phase pattern) to sing the histories of China and Joseon for the long-piece lyrics and it demonstrates clearly on certain aspects of his perception on civilization and history. 『Geunsarok Seopbongoi(近思錄葉本考異)』 is the historical evidence on the Geunsarok (introductory book for Confucian studies) that it has an implication in that he additionally supplemented the works of Kang Young. Unlike 『Sohak』 or 『Simgyeong』 that submitted various notes, the search on 『Geunsarok』 was not very active in Joseon, but it still has significant implication that it continues the context of the 『Geunsarok』 studies that had been handed down to the Seoin Faction since Sagye Kim Jang-saeng. 『Jaeuntonggo(字音通考)』 displays his profound interests in the phase and annotation (of Chinese language into Korean) of the Confucian classic that it is a byproduct of the long teaching career of Yulgye. As a product of awareness that the consonant of writings on Confucian classic had to be read accurately, 『Gyujangjeongwun(奎章全韻)』 and 『Okpyeon(玉篇)』 were used to make 『Gyuokgoi(奎玉考異)』, and with the annotation of Oseosamgyeong, 『Eonhaegoi(諺解考異)』 was made to combine them. He displayed his profound understanding on the history of annotation and exquisite understanding on consonant of Confucian classic with his principle to study first before taking on the Confucian classic learning. It has significant implication to study the history for review on annotation that was continued after the 20th century while being processed with the translation of the Scripture on the basis of the existing annotated version of the time. 『Saryeui(四禮儀)』 is the comprehensive collection of cases studies started out from 『Sangryeui(喪禮儀)』 that it adjusted the outcome on the existing cases in a little bit more realistic context, and the point that the publication was made by the request of his surroundings that it would affirm the positive response to the traditional etiquette that was still facilitated in the society. 『Gyegotongpyeong(稽古通編)』 is the Yulgye’s version of 『Sohak』 that depicted the interests and position of Yulgye who devoted his like in sustaining traditional ethics that the basic spirit of his publication that the right of way would not change even if the world changes and the rationale truth in the mind of people may be swayed momentarily but the days will come back to light as it was his conviction. It was responded with 「Hwadongyeokdaega」 to compile the cases of China from Xia Dynasty and Zhou Kingdom, followed by Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty along with Silla and Joseon to disclose the morality to practice ethics in numerous cases to set the role model for all. In addition, there are significant aspects to consider with Yulgye’s relatively fair and open view toward the scholarship, and in particular, he had the perception that righteousness is the public object that there are contents to pay attention to, such as, his posture not to merge with other different opinion with Seonyu, criticizing posture toward the faction for various academic fields that interferes the academic advancement and so forth. Obviously, there was sense of issues on the academic tendencies of the time that was overblown to lean toward economy that there was significant mentioning to value Daoism but he understood the Daoism and economy as a relationship of strictly principle and application that he criticized the practice of the people for not even practicing most fundamental ethics in speaking of name to pour water, wipe it in response and so forth. The view on such a scholarship had become the driving force for buttressing his scholarship while defending his right of way as well as sustaining the posture as the traditional Confucian scholar in Guryea where he resided after his adulthood. However, his awareness of time and entire life of Yulgye still have certain hesitation to evaluate with the view of present time. There are still discussions to be made on whether his timeliness is still reasonable.