다산과 대진의 『맹자』해석 비교 연구

Abstract

This article compares two interpretations on Mencius, one by Dai Zhen, the representative bibliographical scholar from Qing dynasty, and the onther by Dasan Chong Yag-yong, the most notable scholar of Practical Learning School from Chosun dynasty. What two scholars shared in common was that they strongly opposed the interpretation through NeoConfucian notions and propagated the historical and bibliographical research in interpreting the classical literature.

On the other hand, the two scholars differ sharply in their aim and problematik as they opposed Zhu Xis interpretation on Mencius. That is, while Dai Zhen criticized the socio-cultural oppression caused by conceptualized morality that is detached from real-life desire, Dasan, through his theory of nature as moral appetite, attempted to uncover the fact that determining moral subjectivity is nothing but free-will of humankind, and that humans hold the key to moral responsibility and practice.

In short, Dai Zhen stressed the capacity of mind that discerns the principle ( li ), and Dasan emphasized the minds autonomous making of moral decision to follow the human nature.