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The Study of ‘Hanmun Seohakseo(漢文西學書)’ 『Kongje keokchi』

JooYeon Bae 1

1동국대학교 동국역사문화연구소

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ABSTRACT

This paper is to review the contents of the natural science and its critical issues described in the 『Kongje keokchi』 written by A.Vagnoni, Jesuit Missionary, from Italy, and to examine the responses of intellectuals of Choseon-Dynasty. 『Kongje keokchi』 is ‘Hanmun Seohakseo’ written by A.Vagnoni(Italy: 1566~1640) and edited by Hanun(韓雲) and Jinsoseong (陳所性) of Ming(明) Dynasty in 1633. This book described the knowledge of astronomy such as wind, fog, earthquake etc. and the philosophy of Aristotle. The purpose of this book was to spread the providence of God of Christianity through introducing the western science. According to the ‘Thomism’, to find out the god's creatures through the rationality of nature endowed by God is considered as the way to the God and it is the main reason why this book accepted the philosophy of Aristotle actively. This paper examine the the response of the intellectuals of Choseon- Dynasty on this book. This book deeply affected the view of nature of Silhak scolars and we can see that in the recognition of ‘Yin-Yang and the Five Elements(陰陽五行論)’ and through the Spherical of the Earths. We can see the influence of this book in the collection works of Lee-ik(李瀷) which described the climate and earthquake. After introduced this book to the Yi Dynasty, the effect of ‘Four Elements Theory’ was spread actively among scholars in late 18C and it was trigerred to make the ‘Silhak Scholars’ in the Choseon-Dynasty. As mentioned above, introduction of this book to Choseon-Dynasty was served as a momentum to prepare the various theories on the natural science. The successive work is needed to compare the works of scholars who were influenced by this book.

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