맹자의 ‘以意逆志’論에 대한 조선학자들의 인식논리

Abstract

Mencius was well versed in poetry writing to widely facilitate the same in his argument. In addition, as in ‘understanding the sentiment of poet with the mindset of a reader 〔以意逆志: A reading method with the basic elements of meaning of reader and writer, as well as its language〕’ or ‘know the man to discuss the era of his time’, he proposed the methodology of interpreting his own independent poetry. This is an aspect of interpreting the scriptures that had developed during the warring states period by the methods of ‘displaying one’s intent by writing a poem’ or ‘a poetry is quoted to discuss the reason’, mainly focusing on interpretation of the scriptures, such as, 『Sigyeong (the Book of Odes)』. However, what may be of an issue is that such a perspective would understand the purpose for a poet to write his own poetry with the mindset of a reader was the opinion of Jo Gi (108~201), a scholar of the Han Dynasty, who submitted the initial note of Mencius as well as the opinion of Joo Hee (1130~1200) of the Song Dynasty who succeeded the foregoing opinion. For the case of the Joseon Era that accommodated the doctrines of Chu-tzu of the Won Dynasty during the end of Goryeo and early Joseon, such a unique perspective in extremely broad domain was accepted, and it was not restricted only for the scriptures reading method to read Sigyeong but also went through overall activities to read the classic writings. As a result, throughout the entire Joseon Era, this perspective of ‘deducting the mindset of the author with the mindset of reader’ was facilitated as an important mean of critics for academic activities and reading classic writings beyond the reading skill of the scriptures. Here, it is intended to contemplate on understanding the situation of such Joseon scholars with the expansion of the scriptures interpretation method to have the conversion of the perspective that emphasizes the understanding of reading method of scriptures, or more precisely, overall insight for the classic writings for accommodating people that had been converted on certain issue to be facilitated in classic writing and academic studies. The theory of Yiuiyeokji that was initially originated from the interpretation of the Sigyeong of Mencius was accepted by the Joseon’s scholars as an extremely serious and important implication. However, the purpose of its scheme is to be demonstrated under the position of people of respective era for the intrinsic nature of the scriptures with significant critique insight, not a simple acceptance. The Chinese scholars during the Han Dynasty and Song Dynasty, Jo Gi and Joo Hee, respectively, considered ‘Ui (意)’ as the ‘mindset of interpreter’ as it has the effect of emerging the presence of interpreter and its positive participation. On the other hand, O Gi deemed ‘Ui (意)’ as the ideology or emotion materialized within the literature text that it has brought the effect of emphasizing understanding on analysis on the text itself as well as its author. The intellectuals of Joseon that had the strong self-ego and personality and profound view toward the scriptures and historic truth accepted the theories of Chu-tzu while pursuing the more intimate implication beyond simple silent acceptance and their method was a very serious one. This is to depict on how the interpretation methodology of the scriptures shifted to diverse classic reading methods, and in addition, it is intended to show that the acceptance of Joseon on the doctrines of Chu-tzu was established much more multi-level strata. Mokeun Yi Sak emphasized one’s own subjective perspective as a new writer with the focus on the mindset as the writer. Seongho Yi Ik said that the mindset of the writers millennium ago could be found as well through the method of Yiuiyeokji, but he clearly pointed out that if one intends to search for truth with the erroneous evidence or simply seeking for implication only by fragmented phrases, the trust would not be readily available. Suam An Jeong-bok clearly manifested the method of Yiuiyeokji, but its direction was careful one following the historic situation of the work and internal principle of the work, but not strongly applying the individual insight. Hong Dae-yong understood it by intending to entice the methodology of ‘Yiuiyeokji’ into more of sentiment and dignity of readers in a way of accepting and responding by contemporary people to the complete spirit of people of old times. The epistemic logic of the Joseon scholars regarding the Yiuiyeokji to the direction of our study that planned for the multi-dimensional approach of the study of Chinese classics is considered to have significant implications.