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Jeongjo’s Ruling by Filial Piety(孝治) and Implementation of Social Welfare

  • Journal of Korean Hyo Studies
  • 2017, 0(26), pp.57-95
  • Publisher : The Korean Hyo Studies Association
  • Research Area : Humanities > Other Humanities
  • Published : December 31, 2017

Haeyoung Kim 1

1수원대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

In this thesis, Jeongjo’s rule by filial piety(孝治) and social welfare were examined. Generally in Confucianism(儒家), when parents’ love[慈] and children’s love[孝] are realized properly, the awareness of one body is aroused, when an elder brother’s love[良] and a younger one’s love[弟] are embodied appropriately, brotherly love is created, when a husband’s righteousness[義] and a wife’s virtue[德] are materialized right, roles between a man and a wife will become harmonized, when a superior’s grace[惠] and a junior’s obedience[順] are realized well, a sense of order is established, and when a leader’s love[仁] and a vassal’s loyalty[忠] are embodied properly, a righteous society can be established. As everyone knows, Joseon dynasty made Neo-Confucianism a national ideology. Therefore, the basic national policy pursued not ruling by force but ruling by justice. It has the characteristic of emphasizing humanization through enlightenment(敎化) in order to suppress the compulsory abuse of laws and improve human independence. Jeongjo, the 22nd king, relieved the poor and victims as the policy to stabilize people’s livelihood, and also enacted and proclaimed Jahyuljeonchik(字恤典則) called as the modern welfare system for children. Moreover, as the policy to respect the aged, the stability of the nation was reinforced through Noinjik(老人職) Jesu(除授), Gajaje(加資制), Sijeong(侍丁), Bokhoje(復戶制), Yangroyeon and etc. Theì implementation of these social welfare policies by Jeongjo is interpreted to have resulted from his strong awareness of ruling by filial piety(孝治). He succeeded traditional Confucian ethics that ‘filial piety and brotherly love(孝弟) are the basis to practice benevolence(仁) on’, and furthermore, argued that returning what one has received from one’s ancestors is ‘filial piety(孝)’, giving to descendants is ‘affection(慈)’, kindness to the same race is ‘harmony(睦)’, and when the kindness to the same race(同族) becomes expanded, it is ‘benevolence(仁).’ His strong consciousness of ruling by filial piety and practice were realized into social welfare. It is because it is the reason for a nation’s existence.

Citation status

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