This paper examined Kwon Mun-hae's family background and scientific features, the writing background of “Daedongunbukunok”, a distribution channel of the Bonseo (main volume) having an external system of Unseo dictionary, and a writing having dict...
This paper examined Kwon Mun-hae's family background and scientific features, the writing background of “Daedongunbukunok”, a distribution channel of the Bonseo (main volume) having an external system of Unseo dictionary, and a writing having dictionary features being different from external system, and it described historical cognition of Kwon Mun-hae after selecting the Silla Kingdom history related poems and songs.
Kwon Mun-hae had a family having geographical background of Yecheon, Gyeongbuk Province, and was under Toegye's instruction to be a member of the Yeongnamhakpa, that is, the school of Yeongnam, and was greatly influenced by Toegye. Kwon Mun-hae, a member of the Sarim party, thought much of moral duty theory of the Seongrihak, that is, a study of human nature, to complain against China-oriented historical view, and insisted on moral duty of the times through the Bonseo in the era of chaos of King Seonjo, and edited the Bonseo to be of help to keep a long-standing friendship between families.
The Bonseo originally consisted of three volumes, that is to say, the first volume, the middle volume and the last volume, etc, and Kwon Ram, Kwon Mun-hae's son, published one copy of a copying volume of the last volume only to keep it so far. In 1836, the second year of King Heonjong, the Bonseo was published.
“Daedongunbukunok” has an external system of Unseo encyclopedia and actually has a lot of features of dictionary. Despite trends of historical cognition based on Chinese history, Kwon Mun-hae thought much of Korean history to write the Bonseo by referring to Korean history books. Descendants also have regarded “Daedongunbukunok” as a kind of dictionary.
This study investigated the Silla Kingdom related statement of “Daedongunbukunok” to examine Kwon Mun-hae's historical cognition. The findings were as follows:
Firstly, Kwon Mun-hae was found to think much of social ethics based on moral duty of the Seongrihak. Secondly, Kwon Mun-hae informed of natural disaster related statement to give warning. Thirdly, the statement of toadyism diplomacy established a friendly relation with the great powers to prevent an armed conflict and to gain an advantage over the diplomacy with other forces and seek for peace. Fourthly, the statement of a son of the God laid emphasis on an independent country with autonomous history. Lastly, Kwon Mun-hae had a thought to encourage the agriculture and take care of the people and to open the world for the people.
In conclusion, “Daedongunbukunok” was written based on historical cognition of Kwon Mun-hae who made efforts to describe the history of the nation. Silla Kingdom related statement of “Daedongunbukunok” showed Kwon Mun-hae's ideas to rearrange the order of the country based on governing ideology of Seongrihak. “Daedongunbukunok” had not only a style of Unseo dictionary but also the values of a dictionary.