This study is aimed at the investigation of "the trend and character of Confucius Thought in the Chosun Dynasty" in the viewpoint of Xin-xue. That is, in this paper I intented to examine the thoughts of thinkers of 'The three major debate' , Hoijae(晦齋 ...
This study is aimed at the investigation of "the trend and character of Confucius Thought in the Chosun Dynasty" in the viewpoint of Xin-xue. That is, in this paper I intented to examine the thoughts of thinkers of 'The three major debate' , Hoijae(晦齋) · Mangkitang(忘機堂) · Toegye(退溪) · Kobong(高峰) · Yulgok(栗谷) · Ugye(牛溪) · Nam Dang(南塘) · Oae Am(巍巖), in the Neo-Confucian thought of the Chosun Dynasty, identify the character of their arguments, and revaluate the trend of Confucian Thought in the Dynasty.
The reason why this work was carried out through the perspective of Xin-xue is followings;
1) The need of systematic access to the conception of Xin-xue in the Confucius, which has used arbitrary, is raised among many scholars. For this reason, this study primarily established the identification of the commonness and difference of Lu-Wang Xin-xue and Cheng-Zhu Xin-xue as a Confucius Xin-xue.
2) Though this work is based of existing studies of the major three arguments of Confucian Thought in the Chosun Dynasty, this work dealt with a whole process of development and character of Confucian Thought in the Chosun Dynasty. Therefore this work tried to grasp the trend and character in the developing process of an important arguments in the Dynasty by means of the framework of Confucius Xin-xue.
3) The current level of Korea Confucianism, especially in the case of ToegyeHak(退溪學), I think, passed the level of finding ‘theoretical identity through a logical analysis to Neo-Confucian Thought’, and went into the ‘period of seeking new scientific methodologies’. In this respect, I tried to look at the argumentative contents in Xin-xue and Neo-Confucian Thought in the standpoint of the arguers themselves, and to show the character in this basis.
Thus, the contents of this study is comprised of three parts; 1) the part of identifying the commonness and difference of Lu-Wang Xin-xue and Cheng-Zhu Xin-xue, 2) the part of verifying the causal connection of both thoughts in the thoughts of thinkers of 'The three major debate', 3) the part of giving a new character to each argumentum and of appreciating the trend of Confucian Thought in the Chosun Dynasty. Through this three process, this study is ultimately aimed at carrying out ‘a reflective inquiry and criticism into Confucian Thought in the Chosun Dynasty from a viewpoint of the Xin-xue’.
The present result of this study, proceeded through this steps, is followings; A paper that identified the commonness and difference of Lu-Wang Xin-xue and Cheng-Zhu Xin-xue was published in CHULHAK-RONCHONG(vol 41, The New Korean Philosophical Association, 2005) titled of "The characters of the two trends of Neo-Confucianism from a viewpoint of the Xin-xue(心學)". A critical work of ‘The controversy on the Theory of the Limitlessness(無極) and the Great Absolute(太極)’ was published in CHULHAK-RONCHONG(vol 46, The New Korean Philosophical Association, 2006) titled of "The controversy on the Theory of the Limitlessness(無極) and the Great Absolute(太極) from a viewpoint of the Xin-xue(心學)". And a paper of ‘the Four-Seven Debate between Toegye and Kobong’ was published in CHULHAK-RONCHONG(vol 49, The New Korean Philosophical Association, 2007) titled of "An investigation into the Four-Seven Debate between Toegye and Kobong from a viewpoint of ethics".
However, because the purpose of this study is not completed by listed studies, both "The controversy on the Four-Seven Debate from a viewpoint of the Xin-xue(心學)" and "The controversy on the Debate on Human Nature (人物性同異論辨)Four-Seven Debate from a viewpoint of the Xin-xue(心學)" are going to be published in a relevant academic journal in time(2009, 9, 14).