星湖 李瀷의 修養論 − 學問態度와 窮理⋅涵養工夫를 中心으로 −

Abstract

This study investigates Seongho Yi Ik's theory of mind cultivation. As everyone knows, Seongho was one of major scholars who represented the Confucian social reform movement called Silhak in late Joseon Dynasty and a master of a school of thought that believed that leaning and studying must contribute to a society. He was a Confucian scholar who studied the Nine Chinese Classics not just a scholar of Silhak School. In his theory of human nature and heart, Seongho divided heart into the heart of family and the heart of Gods in heaven and earth, and again identified the heart of family as a body organ, heart or big Gi (氣) and the heart of the Gods as superior Gi or small Gi based on the view of this big and small heart, he developed his theory of mind cultivation. Seongho taught Gung-Li-Gong-Bu (窮理工夫: the study of consideration) as the law of large heart through Gyeok- Mul-Chi-Ji (格物致知: the process of self-cultivation) and Ham-Yang- Gong-Bu(涵養工夫: the study of self-cultivation) as the law of small heart, and then he emphasized the wisdom that differentiated between the issues of heart as the subject or the object of perception by adding the meanings of Jeong (正) and Gak (各) although he accepted the traditional interpretation of Gyeok (格). On the contrary, the reason he mentioned Gong (恭: politeness) as a way of Ji-Gyeong (持敬: maintaining devotion) along with Ju-Jeong (主靜: aiming at quietness) in the study of self-cultivation was that he tried to suggest more practical way of practice. This is different from Toegye‘s teaching of Gyeong (敬: manners), which is one of unique characteristics in Seongho's theory of mind cultivation.