율곡 『순언』에 담긴 수기치인(修己治人)의 성인관 고찰

Abstract

This article has considered the view toward Yulgok’s 『Sun-Eon』 Saint in the perspective that it is the implementer of Xiuji-Zhiren (修己治人, self-cultivation and governing the people). Yulgok commented on the 『Lao-Tsu』 and focused on the domains of Xiuji and Zhiren. Yulgok regarded saints as the ideal human being through the background of Daoxue (道學) that has the contents of Xiuji and Zhiren. It displays that Yulgok had the interests in the issues in the ethics practice in reality. Yulgok presented the saint as the ideal human being that had accomplished self-completion in both aspects of Xiuji and Zhiren. In the aspect of the Xiuji-theory, the saint of 『Lao-Tsu』 is deemed by Yulgok as a human that has nullified personal desire to restore their original human nature. Through the nullification of personal desire, Yulgok thought that the human nature of the originality of goodness for humanity is restored. In the aspect of the Zhiren-theory, the saint seen by Yulgok had undertaken the Politics of the True King (王道政治). The saint ruler does not attempt to maneuver the purposeful world. In addition, they encounter politics through three treasures. Yulgok also thought that the ideal politics of saint to be the same as the Confucian Politics of the True King. The Politics of the True King considers the people as its foundation and is the political system in which the ruler loves and protects their people as their own offspring. In this aspect, from the three treasures of 『Sun-Eon』, the treasure of Benevolence (慈) could be considered to have profound relativity with the realization of the Politics of the True King. The treasure of Frugality (儉) is displayed with the attitude of the ruler staying away from external objects. The treasure of Buganxian (不敢先, Not daring to lead) is shown as the posture of self-humbleness of the ruler. Yulgok states that the result of political action by the saint is the restoration of order in the relationship towards the social constituents. Yulgok intended to preach about the ethical and ideal politics in the Confucian background through the treasure of Lao-Tsu and the language of Lao-Tsu.