Zhu Xi and Jeong Yak-yong in Comparative Perspective

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Is Confucianism a static relic of the past, or a living, breathing diversity of thought? While we often speak of Confucianism in the singular, this course invites you to explore "Confucianisms"—a dynamic and evolving tradition that has taken different shapes across time and geography. This course offers a comparative philosophical exploration of Zhu Xi, the 12th-century Southern Song Neo-Confucian master, and Jeong Yak-yong (Dasan), the prominent 18th-19th century Joseon scholar. The lectures contrast Zhu Xi’s orthodox Neo-Confucian framework, which focuses on universal principle (Li), with Dasan’s innovative reinterpretation, which emphasizes human inclination and empirical performance (Giho/Taste). Though separated by 500 years, both thinkers stood at critical intellectual crossroads. Zhu Xi synthesized a metaphysical defense of Confucianism against Buddhism and Daoism; centuries later, Dasan challenged that very orthodoxy to address the arrival of Western Learning and the practical needs of Joseon society. Across eight lessons, the course explores: • Ethical Frameworks: Contrasting the goal of recovering an innate virtuous nature (Zhu Xi) with the goal of achieving virtue through concrete actions (Dasan). • Nature and Cultivation: How different views on human nature shape the practice of "Sympathetic Concern" (Shu) and moral development. • Sagehood and the Good Life: Divergent visions of what it means to be a "Sage" and how individuals can find joy and fulfillment. • Extended Topics: Comparative perspectives on whether animals possess morality and how music reflects cosmic and moral order. By placing their views on human nature, morality, and self-cultivation side-by-side, we uncover the hidden diversity of the Confucian soul.

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