‘구이(九夷)로 떠나는’ 혹은 ‘구이에 오시는’ 공자를 둘러싼 화이(華夷) 개념의 변주

Abstract

Confucius’ words on Gu-Yi(九夷, nine barbarians in the east) were read variously. They were interpreted as the rejection of barbarians, or on the contrary, as criticism of China by quoting the noble barbarians. The word ‘leaving for Gu-Yi’ represents the latter. However, in Joseon, ‘Confucius who will leave for Gu-Yi’ was reversed to ‘Confucius who will come to Gu-Yi’. Since the 14th century, the intellectuals have proved that Joseon had long been a civilized place by connecting the old legend of ‘Gija(箕子) enlightened Joseon’ with ‘Confucius wanted to come’. In 18th century Noron academia, there were another variations. Horon(湖論, a branch of Noron) built a theory of specializing Joseon. Emphasizing that Confucius’ coming to ‘east’, Han Wonjin argued that only Joseon could be a civilization, and that the barbarians of the north and west - implicitly Manchurians - could not be civilized at all. Nakron(洛論) were different. Seo Jonghwa argued that the distinction between the civilized and barbarian was meaningless in the sense of virtue. Hong Daeyong urged mutual recognition of the civilized and barbarian. Finally he linked ‘Confucius leaving for east’ with ‘Laotzu leaving for north and west’, emphasizing universal equality regardless of thought and region.