北學派의 燕行 經驗과 現實認識의 變化

Journey to the North and Changes in Reality Consciousness of the School of Northern Studies

The Bukhakpa (The school of Northern Studies) was the school that the emphasized the production and application of the institutions and devices concerning "tility and welfare." In such a point of view they paid attention to China, which they thought was an advanced country in those days. They meant to experience and identify all the institutions and devices in China and then have those suitable to our situation applied to our life. Thus most of the scholars in the school were eager for the journey to China, and had been there in practice. Though their journey to China was of diverse significance according to the individual situations and points of view, it had become a precious opportunity for them to justify their study in Joseon. As such, the journey to China became a critical opportunity for the scholars in the school of Northern Studies, which brought about the changes in their thoughts and actions. That is, before their journey to China, the scholars in the school were a group of scholars who were groping for the theoretical methodologies for the principle of Utility and Welfare, but after their journey, they had changed into the ones who tried to apply and practice in real life all the institutions and devices concerning Utility and Welfare that they experienced and identified during their journey to China. And for the change their experience in China had critical influence. However, what ought to be premised in the study of their journey to China is that the scholars had already been equipped with theoretical foundation to adopt principle of Utility and Welfare long before they had the journey. The journey itself was a practical result of the theoretical preparation. The book Yeon Haeng Rhok(A Record of the Journey to China), which had been written from the diverse points of view of diverse people, had great influence in many people. As a result, the book has played an important role in spreading the changed in the attitudes towards China and diverse activities concerning the principle of Utility and Welfare among the multitude of public.