Korean Philosophy in Europe

Isabelle Sancho, Martin Gehlmann, Diana Yuksel, Vladimir Glomb

General

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Humanities, Philosophy, Korean Philosophy

Beginner

In this course, four European scholars introduce European understanding and research about Korean Philosophy.

1. Understanding the perspective of European scholars on Korean philosophy, focusing on Joseon Neo Confucianism.

2. Understanding the outline of Joseon (Neo) Confucianism through cosmology, theory, education system, and bureaucratic life.

3. Exploring the important moral problem consciousness of Joseon Confucian scholars.

4. Study the characteristics of North Korea's description of the history of Joseon philosophy and compare it with South Korea.

Week 1

General overview about Korean Confucianism

Professor Isabelle Sancho talks about the general images of Confucianism, especially in modern both South and North Korea and also in the Western hemisphere. And she explains the general history of Korean Confucianism and why we need to focus on the cosmology of Confucianism.

Week 2

Confucian cosmology

At first, professor Isabelle Sancho compares cosmology and metaphysics and explains how Confucian cosmology works with Yin and Yang. She explains the details of Yin and Yang with the case of Taeguekki(태극기).

Week 3

Confucianism and Ritualism

Professor Isabelle Sancho introduces Confucian ritualism and the relationship between Confucian ritualism and the historical writings in Joseon Korea. Also, she points out very important differences between ritualism and the Book of Rites.

Week 4

Instruction and Evaluation: Ganghak(강학) Practice in Joseon Dynasty

Professor Martin Gehlmann introduces one of the Korean traditional education system, Ganghak(강학) with very vivid historical records. Ganghak was the teaching and evaluation system for remembering and understanding of Confucian classics such as the Book of Rites, The Great Learning or the Analects.

Week 5

Theories and ideas on social participation and moral obligation in Confucianism

Professor Diana Yuksel talks about the social roles of the Korean Confucian scholars identified by themselves. There were two dimensions of their life: Social and Individual, so sometimes they had to choose one of them. Professor Yuksel explains it with the case of Yi Hwang Toegye(퇴계), the one of most famous scholars in Joseon.

Week 6

Confucian education in the local setting: Hyanggyo(향교) and their curricula

Professor Martin Gehlmann gives us a lecture about the Korean traditional education system especially the local one named Hyanggyo(향교). Analyzing the name of Hyanggyo(향교), ‘Hyang’ means local and ‘Gyo’ means schools. It can be distinguished with Sungkyunkwan(성균관) the capital school in Joseon Korea.

Week 7

The genealogy of the Way in Joseon Korea

Professor Vladimir Glomb explains the transmission of the Way of Neo-Confucianism especially focusing on Zhu Xi(주희) and how it changed in Joseon after Zhu Xi’s death. He shows how both Yi Hwang(이황)’s and Yi Yi(이이)’s disciples described their teacher as the legitimate successor.

Week 8

Confucianism & Individualism

Professor Isabelle Sancho argues how Joseon Confucian scholars dealt with community and individuals in harmony. They solved this problem by following and developing the theory of the five relations, Oryun(오륜) which was claimed by Confucian sage Mencius. Professor Sancho introduces many interesting claims and information about this problem in the Analects and the Four Books.

Week 9

Confucianism studies in North Korea

Professor Vladimir Glomb shows how North Korean scholars categorized Joseon Confucian scholars under the shadow of Juche ideology. To accomplish this, Professor Glomb explains what Juche ideology is and the background of its birth also he introduces some sources from North Korea like Ryeoksagwalhak(력사과학).

Week 10

Disengaging scholars from public service in Joseon Korea part.1

Professor Diana Yuksel introduces many cases of retirements of Joseon Confucian scholars to show what was the meaning of royalty for them and itself. The ‘official reasons’ were disease, aging, or weakness but in many cases, the real meaning of their retirements was a kind of protest. Kim Siseup(김시습), one of Saengyuksin(생육신) was a very example of the retirement for protesting about the deposition of King Danjong(단종).

Week 11

Disengaging scholars from public service in Joseon Korea part.2

Professor Diana Yuksel continues her previous lecture and shows us the deeper layer of the Confucian concept of Royalty and Righteousness with Kim Siseup(김시습)’s case. She drags the legend of Boyi(백이) and Shuqi(숙제) in Zhou(주) dynasty China and compares their spirit with Joseon Confucian scholar’s retirements to show what is Royalty and Righteousness.