大谷 成運의 「南溟先生墓碣」에 대한 小考

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation into Nammyeongseonsaengmyogal by Daegok Seong Woon among the tombstone writings for Nammyeong Jo Shik. The myogal(a small round tombstone) was praised as "the best expression of Nammyeong's spirit" of all the tombstone writings for him. Daegok was a lifetime friend of Nammyeong's and exhibited Nammyeong in daily life in an intensive manner in the myogal, putting a special emphasis on his aspects in daily life as a scholar and his features as a teacher. Why did he put a special emphasis on them?Both Nammyeong and Daegok were representative intellectuals not in a government position those days. Since they did not go into government service, they received no visible attacks that the world could notice. However, they exerted as much influence on later generations as those who went into government service by leading a life of stepping back and cultivating themselves. It was a life as an intellectual not in a government position with a root in thorough self-study. Such a life as an intellectual not in a government position demonstrated by the two was clearly confirmed in "their aspects in daily life," which they shared most between them. They took different types of external conduct of life, which is why previous studies took approaches in different directions from each other while placing them on the same hierarchy. They approached Nammyeong in an extroverted aspect and Daegok in an introverted one. In spite of those viewpoints of later-generation scholars, however, the two were lifetime friends before death and considered to have understood each other best after death. The base of the perception is Daegok's myogal. There were small differences in types of life between them or Daegok's Heoyeojijeom for Nammyeong, but they were in the same direction in terms of self-identity establishment as intellectuals not in a government position. They did not intend to reveal it, which was why few people recognized it. It is, however, apparent that they allowed each other.