燕岩朴趾源與淸文人的交流

Abstract

Park Ji Won(1737-1805) was a real scientist, philosopher and novelist in the late Chosŏn Dynasty of the eighteenth century. He has been regarded as one of the greatest thinkers and the representative of the “Practical Learning School”. In 1780, which means Qing Dynasty during Geon Ryong’s reign of its fifth year and Jeongjo’s reign of its fourth year, Park Ji Won’s cousin Park Myeongwon is appointed as ambassador of the delegation which is to celebrate Geon Ryong Emperor’s seventies birthday. And Park Ji Won joins the delegation as a follower to accompany with his cousin. During Park Ji Won’s three months’ trip in China, he has travelled to Seong Gyeong, Buk Gyeong, Yeol Ha as well as other places and get in contact with 50 Qing Literatus whose names can be verified. The academic exchange activities he makes have left a significant and long-lasting influence; therefore, his outings in China are worthy concern and attention. There are four distinct characteristics of the academic exchange activities between Park Ji Won and Qing literatus. Firstly, Park Ji Won starts with a positive attitude to make friends with literatus who are in different strata of Qing society with the aim of having a full understanding of it, and that is unique among the various purposes of making friends for Chosŏn scribes in the eighteenth century. Secondly, Park Ji Won is the first Chosŏn literati who get in touch with large numbers of Qing literatus and scholars including young civil scholars, village scholars, Chambers, book-sellers and government officials, among which are mainly Qing literatus as well as some ordinary Han scribes and Man Jok scribes. Thirdly, Park Ji Won is the Chosŏn scholar who keeps in touch with Qing scribes with the most in-depth conversations by writing after Hong Dae-yong. The conversation can be involved in many aspects as Geometry, eating utensils, astronomy, Western sects, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, historical facts, current events, tone, music, medicine, and even the writing records about Panchen Lama and Tibet, this is incredible when comparing with other records made by ambassadors in Chosŏn Dynasty because of its uniqueness. Fourthly, among those in contact, Wang Gokjeong is Bak Jiwon’s most intimate friend. On one hand, they admire each other on the literary talent; On the other hand, Wang Gokjeong does not pay much attention to avoiding taboos or behaviors which go against the social rules when communicating with Park Ji Won. No doubt that Park Ji Won is willing to be intimate with him as some information can not be revealed precisely from other scholars. The interaction between Park Ji Won and Qing scribes has caused considerable social and historical significance for China and Chosŏn with the purpose of change and even eliminates the stereotype and bias about each other. Three major significances are listed as follows. Firstly, the continuous interaction is the major motivation for Park Ji Won to form the “Respect China, Resist Aggressors” thought and it has provided the practical meaning of promoting Chosŏn literatus to have a full knowledge of Qing Dynasty with a new vision. Secondly, the in-depth communication between Park Ji Won and Qing literatus helps him gain an objective and real cognition of the people in Qing Dynasty and their academic achievements, it should be emphasized that this cognition is different from the understandings of other Chosŏn literatus who have been to China before as they regard people in Qing Dynasty as Barbarian or do not pay much attention to the academic achievements of Qing Dynasty for they are “lack of concept”. Besides, Park Ji Won is also the only Chosŏn scribe who has deeply examined and summarized the communicating experience between Chinese and Chosŏn scribes. Thirdly, in the communicating history between China and Chosŏn of the eighteenth century, Park Ji Won is the first person who has positively introduced large amounts of Chosŏn academic and scribes to Qing literatus with pointing out the recording mistakes about Chosŏn scribes in the Chinese literature, thus pushing forward the in-depth as well as real understanding towards Chosŏn academic achievements.