Earticle

초록

한국어

Kim Yun-sik was a major Confucian scholar who lived through the late Joseon dynasty and the Japanese colonial period. Facing rapid political and social upheaval, he insisted that Confucian principles must remain the foundation of personal ethics, social order, and state governance. He emphasized Myeongdeok 明德, the Five Relationships 五倫, and the ideal of Datong 大同 as essential values that could guide the nation through crisis. At the same time, he sharply criticized the superstition widespread in society, identifying Fengshui theory 風水地理說 as the most harmful. He argued that such beliefs undermined moral responsibility and rational thinking, and he refuted them using Confucian reasoning. For Kim, a healthy society required ethical practice and collective effort, not reliance on supernatural forces. His critique reflected a broader desire to cultivate a more disciplined and morally grounded public culture. Although firmly rooted in Confucianism, he recognized the necessity of Western knowledge for Korea’s survival. However, he rejected uncritical imitation, arguing instead for selective adaptation suited to Korea’s circumstances. He interpreted Western learning as an extension of the Confucian Six Arts 六藝, seeking to harmonize tradition with modern change. Through this approach, he aimed to preserve cultural continuity while equipping the nation to face new global realities. Ultimately, Kim Yun-sik’s thought reflects an effort to preserve Confucian identity while responding constructively to a transforming world. His approach offers an example of how an intellectual can navigate historical upheaval without abandoning core moral principles. It also illustrates the creative strategies Korean thinkers employed to reconcile inherited traditions with the pressures of modernity.

저자

• 이오륜

참고문헌

발행기관

간행물

표지보기 관심저널 등록

• 간행물명

  동북아 문화연구 [Journal of North-east Asian Cultures]

• 간기

  계간

• pISSN

  1598-3692

• 수록기간

  2001~2026

• 등재여부

  KCI 등재

• 십진분류

  KDC 910 DDC 950