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A Discussion on Hohyeon(好賢) and Hodeok(好德) Reflected in Kwon Geun(權近)'s Shi-chon-gyeon-nok(詩淺見錄)

  • Journal of Korean Classical Chinese Literature
  • Abbr : 한문고전연구
  • 2008, 16(1), pp.7-34
  • DOI : 10.18213/jkccl.2008.16.1.001
  • Publisher : The Classical Chinese Literature Association of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature

진예숙 1

1공주대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

“Shi-cheon-gyeon-nok(詩淺見錄)”, a book authored by Yang-chon Kwon Geun(陽村 權近) who sought to unroll his Confucian ideals in activities on both public administrative and academic world during Korea's historical and ideological transition period of the late Goryeo dynasty and the early Joseon dynasty, encompassed all the key issues in successive generations of discussion on the Book of Odes(詩經論), so it became a good foundation for follow-up growth and development of discussions on the Book of Odes in the era of Joseon dynasty. Moreover, it has deep implications in a sense that it has been valued as precious reference material to reveal an ideological mainstream of Chinese classics studies during transitional period from the Late Goryeo dynasty to the early Joseon dynasty, simply beyond author Kwon Geun's personal thoughts. Yang-chon recognized deeply that “the Book of Odes(詩經)” could work to culture our human mentality, and his contemporary social reality demanded talents equipped with pioneering spirit to open up a new era. In addition, his strong pride in his being and high-ranking officials as such talents sought by his contemporary society motivated him to author the “Shi-cheon-gyeon-nok”. Focusing on the point, this study addressed his discussions on Hohyeon(好賢; Leadership's liking to meet capable talents) and Hodeok(好德; Leadership's liking to culture his own virtue) which were reflected on poem collections such as <Giok(淇奧)>, <Chieui(緇衣)>, <Gwanjeo(關雎)> and <Tojeo(兎罝)> contained in “Shi-cheon-gyeon-nok”. Yang-chon found that on the way from statesman's personal self-culture(修己) evolving into social extension, i.e. government over people(治人), the statesman's Hodeok works as in-between as well as catalyst for building up an ideal society. On the other hand, he developed discussions on Hohyeon based on people(民) to highlight a real leadership model deserving trusts and loves from the people. Yang-chon's discussions on Hohyeon and Hodeok reflected in “Shi-cheon-gyeon-nok” sought to give an outlook on his contemporary issues involved with political, social and ideological upheaval and suggest(or even urge) alternative solutions like Hohyeon and Hodeok through poetic analysis on the ancient Chinese history contained in “the Book of Odes(詩經)”, even under unfortunate circumstances where he could not do anything for declining doom of Goryeo dynasty but just face it in his eyes. Yang-chon's logical theory of Hohyeon and Hodeok like this has a cyclic structure of end and beginning(終始) in itself; The logic of Hohyeon based on the people is a fruit of leadership's Hodeok, while the logic of leadership's Hodeok works as causal factor(始) to trigger a popular consensus on Hohyeon. Thus, it is found that Yang-chon's logic on Hohyeon and Hodeok is not separated but unified logical structure from a macroscopic perspective of building up Confucian ideal society. In other words, Hodeok induces a sense of Hohyeon, which has effects on leadership's sense of Hodeok again in the manner of a cyclic impact structure. Summing up, it is concluded that Yang-chon reflected his strong will of establishing a new order of imminent world on the poetic analysis. He underlined enlightenment of King Mun(文王) in his writings to implant it into his contemporary era. While focusing on the morality of human duties based on such enlightenment, Yang-chon sought to set it as benchmark for moral culture of people in dramatic historical upheaval from the late Goryeo dynasty to the early Joseon dynasty. A variety of analyses on poem collections as commented in “Shi-cheon-gyeon-nok” contain his socio-political ideology, which reveals Yang-chon's neo-Confucian ideology to build up a new world order by turning change(變) into right(正) direction, as well as his intellectual distress in social reality of historical transition. His theory has great implications for our contemporary era of divided two Koreas.

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