• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.27
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• pp.327-361
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• 2009

So far there has been a strong tendency to study The Great Learning in terms of quite" limited ethical and moral understandings." Yet The Great Learning was originally a political text to educate the ruler. So the ethical and moral understanding discussed in the book should be interpreted as something more comprehensive and practical, which includes the political ability. This paper thus focuses on this new line of understanding of The Great Learning. Among the three principles of the book, 'Myeongmyeongdeok( 明明德)' means the virtue of a politician, that is to 'cultivate (Myeong)' the 'properties for a statesman (Myeongdeok).' 'Sinmin (新民)' means 'to innovate or reform the people as a result of substantive administration of a politician'. 'Jieojiseon (止於至善)' means 'to reach and to maintain the highest degree of goodness as a result of Myeongmyeongdeok and Sinmin'. These three principles would divide into eight practicums. Myeongmyeongdeok would divide into five steps of 'Sugi(修己: Cultivating the self)' practicum, which are 'Gyeokmul (格物) → Chiji(致知) → Seongeui(誠意)→ Jeongsim (正心)→ Susin (修身)'. Sinmin would divide into three steps of 'Chiin (治人: rule the people)' practicum which are 'Jega(齊家) → Chiguk(治國) → Pyeongcheonha(平天下).' And the point where the two practicums are harmonized, i.e. that of Sugichiin (修己治人), is the place of Jieojiseon. Not every ethical people become a politician but every politician must be ethical. That is the assertion of the Great Learning.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.29
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• pp.153-178
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• 2010

The aim of this research was to examine the traditional Confucian view of self-realization in East Asia and the meaning of life implied therein. The researcher closely reviewed the phase of self-realization of both Confucius and Mencius who are central in Confucianism, especially in the primordial Confucianism, and after investigating maturity of personality as well as educational characteristics thereof, the researcher tried to elicit its modern significance. In Analects, Confucius who is the founder of Confucianism mentioned about 'the pleasure of studying and practicing what he has learned'(學而時習 "Hagisiseup" in Korean), since after, his past was then just the process of self-realization that lasted throughout life. That is, the six phases of self-realization, to wit, 'bending on learning(志學, "Jihak")-'standing firm'(而立, "Irip")-'having no doubts'(不惑, "Bulhok")-'knowing the decrees of Heaven'(知天命, "Jicheonmyeong")-'ear being obedient organ for the reception of truth' (耳順, "Isun")-'able to follow what my heart desires without transgressing what is right'(從心, "Jongsim"), are lying hidden and undeveloped during lifetime, and, at the same time, these phases illustrate the state of enlightenment of life in an in-depth manner. By showing the process of living which is being sublimated in respect of quality, and by going through important process of self-innovation up to six times during lifetime, Confucius edifies us the activity of complete self-realization as well as the importance of education and learning. Meanwhile, these are connected to Mencius in a similar pattern, and strong influence of the characteristics of the learning of the mind and heart( 心學, "Simhak") based on his philosophy permeates the self-actualization phase of Mencius. Mencius' self-actualization phase is expressed in terms of six stages, viz., Person of Goodness(善人, "Seonin")-Trustworthy Person(信人, "Sinin")-Person of Beauty(美人, "Miin")-Great Person(大人, "Daein")-Sage(聖人, "Seongin")-Divine Person(神人, "Sinin"), and these six phases of self-actualization process are educational and learning model for people who dream actualization of perfect personality during their lifetime. Confucian and Mencian view of self-realization congruent with self-discipline internally, and it also reveals a stereotype of human externally. These are a process of performing organic ideals in order for cultivating oneself and regulating others(修己治人, pronounced 'sugichiin' in Korean) which has been pursued by Confucianism. Briefly, these self-realization phases are the arts of living that will lay foundation for "Being Born Human, pronounced Saramim' in Korean" and for becoming "Fully Human, 'Sarmadoem'" and finally for "Human Feelingness, 'Saramdaum'

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.34
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• pp.63-88
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• 2009

This paper was a quest of pattern of holding "Dae Hak - the Great Learning" during Joseon Period having investigated the characteristics of the Essentials of the Studies of the Sages(聖學輯要, Seong Hak Jibyo) that was compiled by Lee I was a reinterpretation of the Great Learning, and also academic enrichment. During the period of Joseon Dynasty, the Great Learning had held the most important position as core scripture in the intellectual society that pursued Seong Hak(聖學, sage learning). Throughout the Joseon Period, the Great Learning was the essential text for the Emperorship Learning(帝王學, Jewang Hak) as well as Seong Hak, and it can also be said that Seong Hak Jibyo compiled by Yulgok - the courtesy name of Lee I, was the comprehensive collections thereof. While compiling Seong Hak Jibyo, Yulgok presented a model of Seong Hak of Joseon, which was based on "the Great Learning". Yul Gok organized the system of "Seong Hak Jibyo" largely in five parts, and properly arranged the Three Cardinal Principles(三綱領, samgangryeong) and Eight Articles or Steps(八條目, paljomok) therein. Particularly, in the Chapter Two, "Cultivating Oneself(修己, sugi)", Yulgok deal with 'being able to manifest one's bright virtue'(明明德, myeong myeong deok) among the Three Cardinal Principles as the core curriculum, meanwhile, Yulgok also covered "Investigation of things, gyeongmul(格物)," "Extension of knowledge, chiji(致知)," "Sincerity of the will, Seongui(誠意)," "Rectification of the mind, Jeongshim(正心)," "Cultivation of the personal life, susin(修身)," among Paljomok(eight steps) as the ultimate purpose of 'Stopping in perfect goodness'(止於至善, jieojiseon) These well preserve the principal system of Confucianism where "Cultivating oneself and regulating others (修己治人, sugichiin)" are core value, and his instructions as such also back up academic validity logically by presenting specific guidelines for practice according to each domain. Reinterpretation of "The Great Learning" by Yulgok in Seong Hak Jibyo is an arena to investigate the characteristics of Confucianism in Joseon Period, which was different from that of China, furthermore, such guidelines might take a role as criteria to understand the characteristics of humans and learning possessed by Korean people.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.126
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• pp.423-461
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• 2013

The researcher conducted this study to investigate what special meaning does an emotion experience program, a Confucianism philosophical thinking, has for Sunwoo(善友), and based on what structure it unveils a good clue of Sunwoo(善友); and to reveal the structure of philosophical counselling treatment simultaneously. Thus, the researcher performed an "emotion experience program for 3 weeks, targeting 22 research subjects and collected the data of their experience. As for date analysis, a phenomenological analytic method of Colaizzi (1978), one of qualitative research methods was used. It was because the phenomenological analytic method of Colaizzi was suggested to derive common properties of whole research subjects rather than those of individual research subject, which could help develop the theories of philosophical counselling treatment. The finding of the analysis revealed the intrinsic structure of the phenomenon which the research subjects experienced through "an emotion experience program" was reborn as 'unfamiliarity and suspicion', 'burden', 'recognition of a method and a need', 'self-reflection', 'awareness of nature and the correct behavior', 'joy and pleasure', and 'rebirth as a valuable existence'. These were categorized to examine the structure of philosophical counselling treatment. The findings revealed the treatment went through the precesses: 'the start of learning and intentional guidance', 'reflection', 'enlightenment', 'Sugichiin(修己治人)', 'freedom', and 'transcendence. Considering the purpose of Confucian philosophy is living valuable life and the accomplishment of objectives is based on the transcendence, realizing preallotment and putting it into practice, the structure of emotion experience by the research subjects is appropriate for the purpose of Confucian philosophy and the process of objective accomplishment.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.37
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• pp.441-471
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• 2009

Both in the East and the West, the most classical question in political philosophy was 'what is truly a good life?' 'Good life' and 'good politics' are thus essentially tied together. Mencius (孟子, B.C385-303/302) was not exception to this belief. It is not an exaggeration that his Mencius, the treatise that encapsulates his whole views, begins and ends with good life and good politics. He began with new definitions of good life and politics and the rest elaborates why they are so. This paper attempts to systematically approach to what Mencius thinks as a good life in terms of political thoughts. Confucius, his intellectual mentor, asserted that the most humane human life is a civilized life and it means to realize the value of 'Yin (仁: Grace)' and thus set his good life from previous ones. Mencius concurred that Confucius's explication of the good life was right. Moreover, he argued that to realize this, political practice should follow. The 'good life' for Mencius consists of 1) the life in which the ruler does not monopolize joy but shares it with people, that is '$Y{\breve{o}}mindongrak$(與民同樂)' or '$Y{\breve{o}}minhaerak$(與民偕樂)' and 2) the life, based on this political foundation, that pursues the life of 'Five Ethics (五倫)' in which each individual member of society has its share in it. Mencius discussed about 'Four Virtues (四德)', the essential goodness of human, confirmed by 'Four Clues (四端)' to talk about the possibility of realizing the good life. On the other hand, he devised the political device of '$YinJ{\breve{o}}ng$ (仁政: Gracious Politics)' as a practical tool for it. Furthermore, he asserted 'Good people theory (養民論)' as the first condition for the good politics, '$YinJ{\breve{o}}ng$' and 'Education of people theory (敎民論)' as the final one. As Mencius inherited Confucius effort for a good life with the theory of '$YinJ{\breve{o}}ng$', the so-called Zhuxi scholars inherited his as 'Sugichiin (修己治人: cultivate yourself and then order society)' after 1500.