조선후기 북학파의 상업관과 통상론

Abstract

This paper is to examine the viewpoint toward commerce and international trade of Bukhak school(北學派, the thoughts for learning Qing culture), one of Silhak schools (Realist School of Confucianism) in the late Joseon. As is generally known, Bukhak scholars including Hong Dae-Yong(洪大容), Park Ji-Won(朴趾源) and Park Je-Ga(朴齊家) belonged to Seoin Noron(老論) faction in terms of the school tie and since they lived primarily in Seoul, they were deeply interested in development of commerce and industry from early on. In contrast, scholars in Seongho School(星湖學派) which is also called the school of administration for the people and knowledge for utility(經世致用學派) were from Namin faction, mostly retiring to hermitage in farm villages and focusing on institutional reform such as land issues, etc. Bukhak scholars, therefore, were very open about commerce towards which then noblemen were ill-disposed. Park Je-Ga particularly insisted not only developing commerce and industry but making idle gentry into tradesman class in addition to domestic distribution of goods using wagon and international trade by vessels. Prior to these opinions of Park Je-Ga, Hong Dae-Yong argued the equality of the four classes which were scholars, farmers, artisans and tradesmen and Park Ji-Won wrote what he saw during his visit to Beijing on the book Yeolha Ilgi in detail with great interest in commercial and industrial development of China and argued utility of commerce through the character Heosaeng on Heosaengjeon. For Hong Dae-Yong and Park Ji-Won's impact, Park Je-Ga further insisted domestic distribution and international trade using wagon and vessel.