• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.27
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• pp.167-196
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• 2009

The king-vassal-subject relation in neo-confucianism can be elucidated in their status context as well as in their communicative context. In their status context, there are two aspects of power such as sovereignty and rule. Chu-zhi thinks that subjects are nobler than king in the aspect of sovereignty, but the relation is reversed in the aspect of ruling power. These two relaitions are not contradictory, but compatible. When ruling power operates, he thinks, king, vassals and word-watching officials(諫官) must check each other. In their communicative context, there are theories of sympathy and public discourse. Sympathy consists of moral sympathy through virtue politics and emotional sympathy through enjoying together. Chu-zhi finds a theoretical basis of public discourse in the place where heavenly principle meets with human mind. Public discourse is to search for common good. Institutional arrangements for public discourse are the official's rights to open and free speech. He thinks that word-watching officials must be speech leaders.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.54
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• pp.45-76
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• 2014

The purpose of this paper is to examine Toegye(退溪 李滉, 1501~1570)'s interpretation of Chungyong(中庸) who led the completion of the $Chos{\breve{o}}n$-style acceptance of Neo-Confucianism. This paper is focused on revealing the way that how he understood it according to the system of Neo-Confucianism that was proposed by Chu Hsi, rather than revealing the unique perspective of Toegye. I have the following configuration in this paper. First, I have set two directions of research for understanding of Chungyong, these were derived through the work that is an overview of cases of interpretation of Chungyong of $Chos{\breve{o}}n$. 1) How to understand the overall structure of Chungyong? 2) How to understand key concepts of Chungyong? Next, basing on these directions of research, I analyzed Toegye's interpretation of Chungyong. To grasp the structure of the whole, Toegye followed the segmentation system and structure of Chungyong changgu: Commentary on the Doctrine of the Mean, and to understand key concepts of Chungyong, he conducted in collaboration with concepts of Neo-Confucianism. Concretely, I analyze his work : Chungyong $suk{\breve{u}}i$(中庸釋義) and Chungyong $jil{\breve{u}}i$(中庸質疑) for asserting that he accepted the segmentation system and structure of Chungyong changgu. And I analyze his documents: letters to and from his disciples. This analysis focus on concepts of Chungyong for asserting that his understanding is in the context of Chu Hsi and other Neo-Confucian scholars's commentary. Toegye tried to reduce the diversity of interpretation and present one meaning.