University of BucharestThe aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi’s th... more University of BucharestThe aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi’s thought,Li 理,from the perspective of Confucian ethics and to stress its importance in the strategic synthesis of Confucian thought realized by Zhu Xi in the 12th century. Focusing on the fundamental concepts of Neo-Confucian thought—Li (principle), Qi 氣 (vital force), Dao 道 (the way/nature), Ren 仁 (humanity) and Xin 心 (mind-heart)—the paper turns its attention to the inseparability of metaphysical and ontological perspectives on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the ethical perspective in the new Confucian paradigm. Taking into consideration the various definitions given to the concept Li, this paper attempts an interpretation of the concept based on the ineluctability of the Confucian moral norms stated by Zhu Xi, according to which in the order of the world everything happens under the unavoidable sign of the necessity of its issuance. These findings suggest that Li is a concept comp...
The notional universal category of causality exists in any natural language, but it is realized i... more The notional universal category of causality exists in any natural language, but it is realized in a different way and with specific means in each language. There have been many attempts to specify the restrictions on the interpretation of causal constructions in Korean, but none of them captures such restrictions entirely. As a consequence, it is difficult to identify the correct interpretive restrictions present in the causal phrases. On the other hand, in Romanian linguistics, we cannot find exhaustive studies on the causal verbs and many of the general grammar studies give little consideration or avoid this grammatical category entirely. The present study's main purpose is to show the difficulties in teaching Korean to Romanian students, focusing on the problem of expressing the causative in Korean, difficulties due, on one hand, to the grammatical and functional differences between the two languages and on the other hand to the lack of exhaustive studies on the causative co...
The aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi's thought,Li 理,from the per... more The aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi's thought,Li 理,from the perspective of confucian ethics and to stress its importance in the strategic synthesis of Confucian thought realized by Zhu Xi in the 12 th century. Focusing on the fundamental concepts of Neo-Confucian thought-Li (principle), Qi 氣 (vital force), Dao 道 (the way/nature), Ren 仁 (humanity) and Xin 心 (mind-heart)-the paper turns its attention to the inseparability of metaphysical and ontological perspectives on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the ethical perspective in the new Confucian paradigm. taking into consideration the various definitions given to the concept Li, this paper attempts an interpretation of the concept based on the ineluctability of the Confucian moral norms stated by Zhu Xi, according to which in the order of the world everything happens under the unavoidable sign of the necessity of its issuance. these findings suggest that Li is a concept composed of a sum of various aspects (li) resulting from the different instances of its issuance in the world with which the mind-heart governed by it is confronted, therefore proving that Li is the sum of moral norms that encompass humanity, righteousness, rites and wisdom, the pillars of the confucian moral order. Zhu Xi and his strategic synthesis of Neo-Confucian concepts Zhu Xi, the Chinese philosopher whose prestige earned him a place among the sacred classic thinkers Confucius, Mencius, lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, gave new meaning to confucian thought. the system that he proposed has dominated for centuries not only chinese thought, but also Korean and Japanese philosophies, and has served as the basis of the Confucian paradigm throughout asia. Zhu Xi's contribution was not limited to the spheres of thinking, ethics or governing, but it had preponderant influence in these fields. Zhu Xi adopted the concept of humanity (ren 仁) from confucius, the doctrine of virtue and humanity from Mencius, the idea of authenticity (cheng 誠) from the Zhong yong (The Doctrine of the Mean), 1 and the methods of reaching the correct way described in the Da xue 2 (The Great Learning), which he 1 Zhong Yong (the Doctrine of the Mean), initially a chapter of the classical book Li ji (The Book of Rites), was included by Zhu Xi in the collection of the Four Books (Si shu), the new Confu-cian canon from the song. 2 大学 Da xue (the Great learning) was, similarly to Zhong yong, initially a chapter of the classic Li ji, later to be included by Zhu Xi in the confucian canon of the Four Books.
The aim of this paper is to show how the North Korean Juche ideology
acquired a religious dimensi... more The aim of this paper is to show how the North Korean Juche ideology acquired a religious dimension through the manipulation of traditional concepts from the sixteenth century Neo‑Confucianism of Yi Hwang. The study will bring together two of the most influential thought forms in the Korean Peninsula in a new approach from the perspective of religious and political studies, that will lead to their re‑evaluation and re‑contextualization.
In a bureaucratic state, such as the Kingdom of Chosŏn, Confucian
scholars had an important role ... more In a bureaucratic state, such as the Kingdom of Chosŏn, Confucian scholars had an important role at all levels of the social, political and administrative life. Holding a public position meant a big change in one’s social status; it brought privileges, but also responsibilities. Most of all, it meant loyalty and dedication to the king, the government and the state. Theoretically, this was in line with the Confucian moral values. In practice, the Confucian scholar-official often experienced conflicting feelings between their moral duty to serve others (state, king, people) in the macro-frame of the cosmic order, and their moral duty of self-transformation, an individual process that was at times at odds with the sociopolitical developments. Therefore, many Korean Confucian scholars had doubts about their public involvement and either resigned from their positions or did not accept ranks or offices. They are also found in the Japanese Confucian tradition, even if in Japan there are no civil examinations and there is no equivalent to the ”yangban” society. Both traditions have as a starting point their view on one’s moral duty under the Confucian classics, especially the Great Learning (Daxue 大學) and Neo-Confucian master Zhu Xi’s comments on the classics, which highlight the role of the individual as a servant of the society. In this paper, I will investigate how this cultural pattern is perpetuated in the first half of Chosŏn by thinkers such as Yi Hwang T’oegye and Nammyŏng Chosik and in Japan by Fujiwara Seika and Hayashi Razan.
In this paper, I look at the way Yi I Yulgok thought about Yi Hwang Toegye in terms of his moral ... more In this paper, I look at the way Yi I Yulgok thought about Yi Hwang Toegye in terms of his moral persona and what this could mean for the Sarim scholars.
Korean Confucian Moral Self-Accomplishment and Postmodern Ethics. This paper analyzes the key con... more Korean Confucian Moral Self-Accomplishment and Postmodern Ethics. This paper analyzes the key concepts in Yi Hwang-Toegye's ethics and suggests the relevance of the Korean thinker's teachings for the postmodern ethics. Moral duty is a central process in Toegye's moral teachings and a key element in this process is the assumed responsibility for the other (seo 恕). In Toegye's moral teachings the responsibility for the other is expressed by practicing ritual reverence (gyeong 敬). This is also one of the very basic ways of achieving self-accomplishment and becoming what Confucius considers an ideal of moral cultivation: "inner sage, outer king". In the postmodern ethical approaches of Emmanuel Lévinas or Zygmunt Bauman this would be translated into establishing an ethical basis for the human moral behaviour through an asymmetrical relationship between the self and the other, where the other comes before the self. The necessity of moral self-cultivation is enforced not only by the subjective and suggestive individual morality, but also by the concrete duty to social adequacy. The paper shows thus that the Korean Confucian ethics from the 16 th century and the postmodern ethics of Lévinas and Bauman both recommend a spiritual methodology where the moral self-cultivation, whether through the practice of reverence (Toegye) or by applying the principles of proximity in human relations (Lévinas), is a necessary element in the definition of the human being. REZUMAT. Desăvârşirea morală confucianistă şi etica postmodernă. Articolul analizează concepte cheie din teoriile etice ale gânditorului coreean Yi Hwang – Toegye şi observă relevanţa acestora pentru etica postmodernă. Datoria morală este unul dintre procesele centrale ce se desprind din învăţăturile lui Toegye, iar unul dintre elementele fundamentale ale acestui proces este ideea responsabilităţii asumate pentru celălalt (seo 恕). Pentru Toegye, această responsabilitate pentru celălalt se manifestă prin practica seriozităţii reverenţiale (gyeong 敬). Aceasta este, în fapt, o metodă fundamentală de cultivare a sinelui pentru a atinge idealul etic confucianist enunţat de Confucius prin formula " înţelept în interior şi rege în exterior ". În teoriile eticii postmoderne ale lui Emmanuel Lévinas sau Zygmunt Bauman, acest desiderat s-ar traduce în stabilirea unei 174 baze etice a comportamentului uman pe baza unei relaţii asimetrice între sine şi celălalt, în care celălalt stă întotdeauna înaintea sinelui. Necesitatea cultivării morale a sinelui este susţinută nu doar de moralitatea subiectivă şi sugestivă a individului, dar şi de datoria concretă a acestuia de adecvare socială. Această lucrare subliniază prin urmare faptul că atât etica neoconfucianistă coreeană, cât şi etica postmodernă recomandă un tip de metodologie spirituală în care cultivarea sinelui, fie prin practica seriozităţii reverenţiale (Togye), fie prin aplicarea principiului proximităţii în relaţiile dintre oameni (Lévinas), e un element ce defineşte fundamental omul. Cuvinte cheie: Confucianism, etică postmodernă, datorie morală, cultivarea sinelui, responsabilitate morală.
Yi Hwang Toegye is one of the most prominent icons of Korean Confucianism from Joseon. Dubbed as ... more Yi Hwang Toegye is one of the most prominent icons of Korean Confucianism from Joseon. Dubbed as the promoter of the Korean Confucian orthodoxy, Toegye is renowned for his comprehension of the Confucian Way. Yet, he formally withdrew from official positions in a time when scholarly worthiness was closely related to one's social duty. Then what made a scholar like Toegye become an icon of Korean Confucianism and moreover what made him more iconic than some of his contemporaries? These questions have been raised before and have been answered primarily from either a philosophical or a political perspective. I believe that there has to be more than that in order to create such a powerful image, something that made Toegye be the providential Teacher, in the same way Confucius had been centuries before, something that pertains to the domain of the sacred rather than secular. The aim of this paper is to identify the elements of spirituality in Toegye's discourse and to analyze their implications in the shaping of the iconic image of the Korean Neo-Confucian thinker of the 16 th century which acquired an almost religious significance.
University of BucharestThe aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi’s th... more University of BucharestThe aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi’s thought,Li 理,from the perspective of Confucian ethics and to stress its importance in the strategic synthesis of Confucian thought realized by Zhu Xi in the 12th century. Focusing on the fundamental concepts of Neo-Confucian thought—Li (principle), Qi 氣 (vital force), Dao 道 (the way/nature), Ren 仁 (humanity) and Xin 心 (mind-heart)—the paper turns its attention to the inseparability of metaphysical and ontological perspectives on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the ethical perspective in the new Confucian paradigm. Taking into consideration the various definitions given to the concept Li, this paper attempts an interpretation of the concept based on the ineluctability of the Confucian moral norms stated by Zhu Xi, according to which in the order of the world everything happens under the unavoidable sign of the necessity of its issuance. These findings suggest that Li is a concept comp...
The notional universal category of causality exists in any natural language, but it is realized i... more The notional universal category of causality exists in any natural language, but it is realized in a different way and with specific means in each language. There have been many attempts to specify the restrictions on the interpretation of causal constructions in Korean, but none of them captures such restrictions entirely. As a consequence, it is difficult to identify the correct interpretive restrictions present in the causal phrases. On the other hand, in Romanian linguistics, we cannot find exhaustive studies on the causal verbs and many of the general grammar studies give little consideration or avoid this grammatical category entirely. The present study's main purpose is to show the difficulties in teaching Korean to Romanian students, focusing on the problem of expressing the causative in Korean, difficulties due, on one hand, to the grammatical and functional differences between the two languages and on the other hand to the lack of exhaustive studies on the causative co...
The aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi's thought,Li 理,from the per... more The aim of this paper is to analyze one of the key concepts in Zhu Xi's thought,Li 理,from the perspective of confucian ethics and to stress its importance in the strategic synthesis of Confucian thought realized by Zhu Xi in the 12 th century. Focusing on the fundamental concepts of Neo-Confucian thought-Li (principle), Qi 氣 (vital force), Dao 道 (the way/nature), Ren 仁 (humanity) and Xin 心 (mind-heart)-the paper turns its attention to the inseparability of metaphysical and ontological perspectives on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the ethical perspective in the new Confucian paradigm. taking into consideration the various definitions given to the concept Li, this paper attempts an interpretation of the concept based on the ineluctability of the Confucian moral norms stated by Zhu Xi, according to which in the order of the world everything happens under the unavoidable sign of the necessity of its issuance. these findings suggest that Li is a concept composed of a sum of various aspects (li) resulting from the different instances of its issuance in the world with which the mind-heart governed by it is confronted, therefore proving that Li is the sum of moral norms that encompass humanity, righteousness, rites and wisdom, the pillars of the confucian moral order. Zhu Xi and his strategic synthesis of Neo-Confucian concepts Zhu Xi, the Chinese philosopher whose prestige earned him a place among the sacred classic thinkers Confucius, Mencius, lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, gave new meaning to confucian thought. the system that he proposed has dominated for centuries not only chinese thought, but also Korean and Japanese philosophies, and has served as the basis of the Confucian paradigm throughout asia. Zhu Xi's contribution was not limited to the spheres of thinking, ethics or governing, but it had preponderant influence in these fields. Zhu Xi adopted the concept of humanity (ren 仁) from confucius, the doctrine of virtue and humanity from Mencius, the idea of authenticity (cheng 誠) from the Zhong yong (The Doctrine of the Mean), 1 and the methods of reaching the correct way described in the Da xue 2 (The Great Learning), which he 1 Zhong Yong (the Doctrine of the Mean), initially a chapter of the classical book Li ji (The Book of Rites), was included by Zhu Xi in the collection of the Four Books (Si shu), the new Confu-cian canon from the song. 2 大学 Da xue (the Great learning) was, similarly to Zhong yong, initially a chapter of the classic Li ji, later to be included by Zhu Xi in the confucian canon of the Four Books.
The aim of this paper is to show how the North Korean Juche ideology
acquired a religious dimensi... more The aim of this paper is to show how the North Korean Juche ideology acquired a religious dimension through the manipulation of traditional concepts from the sixteenth century Neo‑Confucianism of Yi Hwang. The study will bring together two of the most influential thought forms in the Korean Peninsula in a new approach from the perspective of religious and political studies, that will lead to their re‑evaluation and re‑contextualization.
In a bureaucratic state, such as the Kingdom of Chosŏn, Confucian
scholars had an important role ... more In a bureaucratic state, such as the Kingdom of Chosŏn, Confucian scholars had an important role at all levels of the social, political and administrative life. Holding a public position meant a big change in one’s social status; it brought privileges, but also responsibilities. Most of all, it meant loyalty and dedication to the king, the government and the state. Theoretically, this was in line with the Confucian moral values. In practice, the Confucian scholar-official often experienced conflicting feelings between their moral duty to serve others (state, king, people) in the macro-frame of the cosmic order, and their moral duty of self-transformation, an individual process that was at times at odds with the sociopolitical developments. Therefore, many Korean Confucian scholars had doubts about their public involvement and either resigned from their positions or did not accept ranks or offices. They are also found in the Japanese Confucian tradition, even if in Japan there are no civil examinations and there is no equivalent to the ”yangban” society. Both traditions have as a starting point their view on one’s moral duty under the Confucian classics, especially the Great Learning (Daxue 大學) and Neo-Confucian master Zhu Xi’s comments on the classics, which highlight the role of the individual as a servant of the society. In this paper, I will investigate how this cultural pattern is perpetuated in the first half of Chosŏn by thinkers such as Yi Hwang T’oegye and Nammyŏng Chosik and in Japan by Fujiwara Seika and Hayashi Razan.
In this paper, I look at the way Yi I Yulgok thought about Yi Hwang Toegye in terms of his moral ... more In this paper, I look at the way Yi I Yulgok thought about Yi Hwang Toegye in terms of his moral persona and what this could mean for the Sarim scholars.
Korean Confucian Moral Self-Accomplishment and Postmodern Ethics. This paper analyzes the key con... more Korean Confucian Moral Self-Accomplishment and Postmodern Ethics. This paper analyzes the key concepts in Yi Hwang-Toegye's ethics and suggests the relevance of the Korean thinker's teachings for the postmodern ethics. Moral duty is a central process in Toegye's moral teachings and a key element in this process is the assumed responsibility for the other (seo 恕). In Toegye's moral teachings the responsibility for the other is expressed by practicing ritual reverence (gyeong 敬). This is also one of the very basic ways of achieving self-accomplishment and becoming what Confucius considers an ideal of moral cultivation: "inner sage, outer king". In the postmodern ethical approaches of Emmanuel Lévinas or Zygmunt Bauman this would be translated into establishing an ethical basis for the human moral behaviour through an asymmetrical relationship between the self and the other, where the other comes before the self. The necessity of moral self-cultivation is enforced not only by the subjective and suggestive individual morality, but also by the concrete duty to social adequacy. The paper shows thus that the Korean Confucian ethics from the 16 th century and the postmodern ethics of Lévinas and Bauman both recommend a spiritual methodology where the moral self-cultivation, whether through the practice of reverence (Toegye) or by applying the principles of proximity in human relations (Lévinas), is a necessary element in the definition of the human being. REZUMAT. Desăvârşirea morală confucianistă şi etica postmodernă. Articolul analizează concepte cheie din teoriile etice ale gânditorului coreean Yi Hwang – Toegye şi observă relevanţa acestora pentru etica postmodernă. Datoria morală este unul dintre procesele centrale ce se desprind din învăţăturile lui Toegye, iar unul dintre elementele fundamentale ale acestui proces este ideea responsabilităţii asumate pentru celălalt (seo 恕). Pentru Toegye, această responsabilitate pentru celălalt se manifestă prin practica seriozităţii reverenţiale (gyeong 敬). Aceasta este, în fapt, o metodă fundamentală de cultivare a sinelui pentru a atinge idealul etic confucianist enunţat de Confucius prin formula " înţelept în interior şi rege în exterior ". În teoriile eticii postmoderne ale lui Emmanuel Lévinas sau Zygmunt Bauman, acest desiderat s-ar traduce în stabilirea unei 174 baze etice a comportamentului uman pe baza unei relaţii asimetrice între sine şi celălalt, în care celălalt stă întotdeauna înaintea sinelui. Necesitatea cultivării morale a sinelui este susţinută nu doar de moralitatea subiectivă şi sugestivă a individului, dar şi de datoria concretă a acestuia de adecvare socială. Această lucrare subliniază prin urmare faptul că atât etica neoconfucianistă coreeană, cât şi etica postmodernă recomandă un tip de metodologie spirituală în care cultivarea sinelui, fie prin practica seriozităţii reverenţiale (Togye), fie prin aplicarea principiului proximităţii în relaţiile dintre oameni (Lévinas), e un element ce defineşte fundamental omul. Cuvinte cheie: Confucianism, etică postmodernă, datorie morală, cultivarea sinelui, responsabilitate morală.
Yi Hwang Toegye is one of the most prominent icons of Korean Confucianism from Joseon. Dubbed as ... more Yi Hwang Toegye is one of the most prominent icons of Korean Confucianism from Joseon. Dubbed as the promoter of the Korean Confucian orthodoxy, Toegye is renowned for his comprehension of the Confucian Way. Yet, he formally withdrew from official positions in a time when scholarly worthiness was closely related to one's social duty. Then what made a scholar like Toegye become an icon of Korean Confucianism and moreover what made him more iconic than some of his contemporaries? These questions have been raised before and have been answered primarily from either a philosophical or a political perspective. I believe that there has to be more than that in order to create such a powerful image, something that made Toegye be the providential Teacher, in the same way Confucius had been centuries before, something that pertains to the domain of the sacred rather than secular. The aim of this paper is to identify the elements of spirituality in Toegye's discourse and to analyze their implications in the shaping of the iconic image of the Korean Neo-Confucian thinker of the 16 th century which acquired an almost religious significance.
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Papers by Diana Yuksel
acquired a religious dimension through the manipulation of traditional concepts from the sixteenth century Neo‑Confucianism of Yi Hwang. The study will bring together two of the most influential thought forms in the Korean Peninsula in a new approach from the perspective of religious and political studies, that will lead to their re‑evaluation and re‑contextualization.
scholars had an important role at all levels of the social, political and
administrative life. Holding a public position meant a big change in
one’s social status; it brought privileges, but also responsibilities. Most of all, it meant loyalty and dedication to the king, the government and the
state. Theoretically, this was in line with the Confucian moral values. In
practice, the Confucian scholar-official often experienced conflicting feelings between their moral duty to serve others (state, king, people) in the macro-frame of the cosmic order, and their moral duty of self-transformation, an individual process that was at times at odds with the sociopolitical developments. Therefore, many Korean Confucian scholars had doubts about their public involvement and either resigned from their positions or did not accept ranks or offices. They are also found in the Japanese Confucian tradition, even if in Japan there are no civil examinations and there is no equivalent to the ”yangban” society. Both traditions have as a starting point their view on one’s moral duty under the Confucian classics, especially the Great Learning (Daxue 大學) and Neo-Confucian master Zhu Xi’s comments on the classics, which highlight the role of the individual as a servant of the society. In this paper, I will investigate how this cultural pattern is perpetuated in the first half of Chosŏn by thinkers such as Yi Hwang T’oegye and Nammyŏng Chosik and in Japan by Fujiwara Seika and Hayashi Razan.
acquired a religious dimension through the manipulation of traditional concepts from the sixteenth century Neo‑Confucianism of Yi Hwang. The study will bring together two of the most influential thought forms in the Korean Peninsula in a new approach from the perspective of religious and political studies, that will lead to their re‑evaluation and re‑contextualization.
scholars had an important role at all levels of the social, political and
administrative life. Holding a public position meant a big change in
one’s social status; it brought privileges, but also responsibilities. Most of all, it meant loyalty and dedication to the king, the government and the
state. Theoretically, this was in line with the Confucian moral values. In
practice, the Confucian scholar-official often experienced conflicting feelings between their moral duty to serve others (state, king, people) in the macro-frame of the cosmic order, and their moral duty of self-transformation, an individual process that was at times at odds with the sociopolitical developments. Therefore, many Korean Confucian scholars had doubts about their public involvement and either resigned from their positions or did not accept ranks or offices. They are also found in the Japanese Confucian tradition, even if in Japan there are no civil examinations and there is no equivalent to the ”yangban” society. Both traditions have as a starting point their view on one’s moral duty under the Confucian classics, especially the Great Learning (Daxue 大學) and Neo-Confucian master Zhu Xi’s comments on the classics, which highlight the role of the individual as a servant of the society. In this paper, I will investigate how this cultural pattern is perpetuated in the first half of Chosŏn by thinkers such as Yi Hwang T’oegye and Nammyŏng Chosik and in Japan by Fujiwara Seika and Hayashi Razan.