栢後 殷成馹의 學問과 文學世界

The World of Baek-hoo Seong-il Eun’s Scholarship and Literature

The objective of this study was exploring the world of scholarship and literature of Baek-hoo Seong-il Eun (1857-1935) who was active in the Gunwi area of Gyeongsang-do during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Seong-il Eun regarded ‘reverence (敬)’ as the key to Wigijihak (爲己之學 - learning for one’s own sake), namely, scholarship for building up his character complete. He put reverence at the center of his daily life, and his specific practice of this principle was manifested in his emphasis on Xiaoxue (小學 - Elementary Learning). He adopted right mind (正心), diligence (勤業), and frugality (節用) as three mottos for his daily life, and faced with national adversities, he appealed to the king for uprooting evils of the times and strengthening the national treasury. Such scholarship and practice of his were inheriting the traditions of the Yeongnam (嶺南) academic clique. With regard to literary style, he regarded ‘Jinhwang (眞荒)’ as the highest stage. Many of his poems were written on the theme of sincere heart shared by Confucian scholars such as mutual trust among Confucian scholars (儒者), faithful friendship (友誼), and sympathy with respect for scholarship. On the other hand, there are poems showing that the poet’s eyes related to natural features were directed to the state of ‘quietness (靜).’ Quietness (靜) in this context refers to a clean and peaceful state of mind. Many of his works tell how Seong-il Eun interpreted academic traditions progressively in response to the change of time and, at the same time, illustrate the fact that he had his own idea on how such traditions shoulde implemented in the real world. Thus, it can be said that at the core of the world of Seong-il Eun’s scholarship and literature are his positive attitude toward traditions, his active consciousness, and his sense of reading the change of time.