Customer Reviews

Chong Yagyong: Korea's Challenge to Orthodox Neo-Confucianism (Suny Series, Korean Studies)

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This work is a important opportunity to activate the new discussions about the concept of "Sirhak" which have been used to categorize late Choson dynasty intellectual trends. Mark Setton's perspective is very new and striking. Especially, this work is the first attempt to locate Chong Yagyong's thought in the whole context of East Asian tradition of Neo-Confucianism. This work made a deep impression on me in that aspect.

CHONG YAGYONG: KOREA'S CHALLENGE TO ORTHODOX NEO-CONFUCIANISM is a short study of the life and works of the Korean Neo-Confucian scholar and bureaucrat, Chong Yagyong, or Tasan (1762-1836). Tasan, his nom de plume, refers to a hill, "Tea Mountain", near Kangjin in South Cholla province, where Chong was exiled following anti-Catholic purges in the capital. Chong was a gifted and precocious scholar who became a trusted advisor to King Chongjo (r.1776-1800). His works were reputed to have been loved by Kojong, the last king of Korea.

This book surveys historically Tasan's life, the factions in the Korean royal court, and Tasan's Korean, Chinese, and Japanese influences, and critically analyzes Tasan's corpus of work. The author situates Tasan squarely in the Neo-Confucian tradition, but argues, that his arguments opposed the orthodox position, espoused by most Korean scholar-bureaucrats of his time, originally formulated by Chu Hsi. Where Chu tried to turn Confucianism into a metaphysical theory capable of competing with Taoism and Buddhism, Tasan, through analysis and philological research, advocated a return to a Confucian emphasis on ethics and political activism.

Besides Tasan's arguments, what is most interesting about this book, is how the author reveals the myriad influences in Tasan's intellectual development: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, even, possibly, Catholic Christian (although the evidence is ambiguous). Also, a picture of Korean political development is offered. Both these situate Korea in an international context. Tasan surely deserves a place in the history of philosophy, along with others alive in the world of his generation.

If only this book would have included more excerpts from Tasan's works in translation, it would be perfect. As it is, it is a slim volume, more a teaser than the final word.

This work is a important opportunity to activate the new discussions about the concept of "Sirhak" which have been used to categorize late Choson dynasty intellectual trends. Mark Setton's perspective is very new and striking. Especially, this work is the first attempt to locate Chong Yagyong's thought in the whole context of East Asian tradition of Neo-Confucianism. This work made a deep impression on me in that aspect.

Perhaps the whole thing was about the style. I am not well aware of the new things in neoconfucianism added by Tason. But his spirits and style were just what the neoconfucianism at the time needed the most.