19세기 말∼20세기 초 한·중·일 삼국의 실학 개념

Abstract

The concept of Silhak around the turn of the 20th century was distinct from its previous usage, in that it had begun to move beyond the context of Confucianism, and also from its current usage, because it was not yet established as a specific historical term. Most notably, at this time Silhak was regarded as representing the universal spirit of learning, and so it became the basis for accepting Western civilization. This change was evident in all three countries, though there were some significant differences among them. Korea, then a Japanese colony, tried to build momentum for its independence movement through the historical verification of an identity which was non-Chinese but pro-Korean, and anti-Japanese but pro-modern； Silhak functioned quite satisfactorily for this purpose. China considered Silhak mainly in terms of its value in encouraging an orientation toward learning or scholarship, and Silhak was not established in China as a specific school. In Japan, the concept of Silhak was different again: it was used as a term which contrasted with the humanities as a whole, and particular emphasis was placed on its practical and scientific aspects. The Japanese also took Silhak as a background upon which an idealized image of the ancient Orient could be projected, as a conceptual framework to support their idea of building a Greater East Asia.