I would like to summarize the findings by introducing the results of this research project by year.
First is A Study on Sŏng, InHo’s Experience as Diplomatic Envoy to China and Companionship of Scholars in Qing Dynasty in the Late 19th Century.
This ...
I would like to summarize the findings by introducing the results of this research project by year.
First is A Study on Sŏng, InHo’s Experience as Diplomatic Envoy to China and Companionship of Scholars in Qing Dynasty in the Late 19th Century.
This paper studies a longing for village through experience as a diplomatic envoy to China and the companionship of scholars in Qing Dynasty. Sŏng, InHo’s family participated in diplomatic envoy to Japan as a recorder(Called Chesulkwan) for three generations. In the 19th century, Sŏng, InHo went to China as a diplomat(Called Chachekunkwan) in diplomatic mission of 1869, and wrote Yuyŏnlok(遊燕錄). It is a valuable material which is the only record of diplomatic mission in the year of 1869.
So, this paper introduced Sŏng, InHo’ life and his book through Chukkanjip(竹澗集), and also demonstrated an aspect of diplomatic mission in 1869 through Yuyŏnlok. It is very meaningful to investigate a descendant from a concubine(Called Sŏchok)’s life, his writing, and aspect of friendship of scholars in Qing Dynasty, and set the fundament of yŏnhaenglok research.
Second is A Study on the Perception and Criticism of Sŏng Haeŭng(成海應)’s Northern Region- Focused on Sokchoeŏn(「贖罪言」)
This paper examines cause of the Hong Kyŏngnae rebellion and academic response to reform institutional contradiction settling the public sentiment of the Northern region in the early 19th century focused on Sokchoeŏn of Sŏng Haeŭng who was an intellectual of descendants from a concubine and inspector of the archive in King Jeongjo period. Sokchoeŏn contains unmerited meaning, and is made up of eight books such as Changinjae(「獎人才」), T'aeksuryŏng(「擇守令」), T'ongisŏ(「通吏胥」), Kŭmhaengmin(「禁倖民」), P'agirak(「罷妓樂」), Chŏngjŏnje(「正田制」), Chŏnggunje(「正軍制」), Ch'uk'wajae(「畜貨財」). It is a kind of a reform plan of the Northern region.
These perceptions and criticisms are general and systematic through writing of saying farewell to a provincial governor who goes the Northern region. And it implies criticism of power politics in the early 19th century.
Sŏng Haeŭng had a vision to reform the Northern region, but he was not in a position to practice. So, he wanted to relieve the poor who had fallen into a state of distress through his reform. It is philosophy of governance(經世意識). It’s from this point that this paper can be confirmed aspects of meeting the demands of the times for academic response to an intellectual of descendants from a concubine in the late Chosŏn Dynasty.
Third is A Study on the Governing Awareness through Sŏng Haeŭng’s Songsŏ
This paper aims to analyze content and deduce meaning with twenty-two songsŏ(送序 farewell document) which was written by Yŏn'gyŏngjae Sŏng Haeŭng. Songsŏ is document that farewells and encourages departees. In this paper, the main reason I have noticed is that Sŏng Haeŭng wrote songsŏ in the majority, and fourteen songsŏ are about the public realm. Furthermore, most of the works are related to a traditional friendship between families. He wrote them after resigning from office, so it is expressed in his awareness on the condition of ripeness level of study.
Sŏng Haeŭng emphasized the importance of improvement(改量) and stabilization of public welfare to Kim Kisŏ who left for Cheongdo governor. And he made a request for spying for China(called 覘國) to Sŏng Uchŭng and Cho Manyŏng who visited China as public duty. In this regard, he showed a special interest in frontier awareness of ancient countries’s capital such as Icheon and Chuncheon. In addition, songsŏ contains criticism of contradiction in system significantly. Especially he pointed out to local government of northwestern province and the three southern provinces official structural problems, and attached importance to appoint competent people. Sŏng Haeŭng’s consciousness that is expressed in his songsŏ is based on thought of Silhak, and can assess a result of economic consciousness.
Forth is Seong Dae-Jung’s Awareness of practicality and Confucian Statecraft Learning.
Seong Dae-Jung, who successively served as Gyoseogwan Gyori and Bukcheong Busa during the reign of King Yeong-jo and King Jeong-jo in the 18th century, was the person who reached the highest rank as a descendant of a concubine throughout the late Joseon period. In the background, receiving warm friendship of King Jeong-jo by and having unequivocal knowledge and a style of penmanship played an important role. However, what should receive attention as his unequivocal style of writing is that he emphasized ‘the utility of learning’ and ‘ruling over the world well through sentences.’
Bearing this in mind, this study concretely found out the fact that he devoted himself to getting rid of the evils of the times through a sincere mind and practical politics based on his awareness of practicality Sending a person who was going to China, Seong Dae-Jung advised him to take their strengths by accepting advanced cultures, such as books, meteorological observation and Military, criminal law, land, castle system and to attack our weaknesses to take them as measures for strengthening ourselves since it was the old site of the rites and music during three periods though it was a country of barbarians, In addition, successively serving at local posts in Uljin, Heunghae and Bukcheong, he continuously and actively took part in practical politics, enforcing civil laws(Hojeon) to eliminate the evils of military service.
In sum, the ultimate goal of Seong Dae-Jung’s ‘utility’ is the enlightenment of the world, that is, ‘Confucian Statecraft Learning(Gyeongsehak).’ Through this, he can be evaluated as a figure that had and practiced a strong will for utility through Silsim-Siljeong(實心實政) and Confucian Statecraft Learning at a level different from sticking to the retrospective view of literature based on the Six Confucian Classics through Silsim-Siljeong.
Through the above research results, I confirmed the genealogy of Sŏŏl Intellectual in the late of Chosŏn Dynasty focusing on academic horizons and Orientation of Silhak of Sŏŏl Intellectual in the Latter Half of 18th Century and the First Half of 19th Century