• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.25
• /
• pp.137-166
• /
• 2009

Prior studies on Nam-myoung characteristics used to focus on practical confucianism of "Kyeong Eui (Respect and righteousness)" ideology. However, in the strict sense, what are the elements that can define Nam-myoung as a historical figure and as he has been in his time and after his death? Is it his philosophy established and derived from respect and righteousness? For this, I have a quite different view. All of literatures about Nam-myoung from his and his posterity time consistently most highly valued the idea of "Entering the government service and live in seclusion" advocated by Nam-myoung who consistently refused to be assigned any post from the government. This study aims to look into his idea by examining his personality and to find out the basis of his idea implied through the examination. He discussed the practices of "Entering the government service and live in seclusion" of other historical and present figures of his time through critical examination on them. For setting the reference for determining the reasonability for their practice of such idea, Nam-myoung pointed out "foresight" for understanding "Gimi (shade)" of which "Gi" is the diverging point of good and evil. He understood if one puts aside self-interest and observes the law of nature, one would be a good and lucky man but if one includes self-interest in the law of nature one would be a wicked man. His view on anyone entering government service when the time is against the person to obtain the post or when the person is unable to fill the post satisfactorily, was that they are 'people with self-interest' and therefore their practice of entering the government service and living in seclusion is wrong.