Study Of Hong Tae-Yong’s Pragmatical Learning Thought

Hong Tae-Yong, great thinker, scientist and writer during the Yeongjo-Jeongjo period, was a pioneer in the Korean Northern Learning School. In view of his irreplaceable position in Korean history, Hong Tae-Yong became the object of study among Korean scholars. Meanwhile he attracted attention of Chinese scholars as well for his special journey to the capital of China (Yan) in1765, which produced all kinds of connections between Hong Tae-Yong and China and further enabled Hong Tae-Yong’s ideology and life to undergo tremendous changes. This thesis, based on such a great mind and his experience of the journey to Yan, in accordance with the academic exchanges with Chinese scholars after he returned to Korea, ventures to further reveal Hong Tae-Yong’s thought on pragmatical learning and explore the efforts Hong made on the realization of his learning ideology. Studying from two aspects--theory and practice, the paper changes the current situation in academia which still lingers on the theory level. Furthermore by focusing on the expression and realization of Hong’s learning philosophy, I made attentive efforts in making his thought more three-dimensional and comprehensive.The overall outlook of Hong Tae-Yong’s learning thought is discussed from three aspects in this thesis, namely, his journey to Yan and academic exchanges with Chinese scholars afterwards, his pragmatical learning thought, and the thought collision with king Jeongjo. By means of such research methods as summarizing and the deductive analysis, etc., I first put forward the showing-up certainty of Hong Tae-Yong’s learning thought from Hong’s life and thought-forming background. Then, through analysis of his journey to Yan and exchange content with scholars in Qing Dynasty, the deep influence of his experience in China on the development of Hong’s pragmatic learning ideology is concretized. On this basis, specific content of Hong’s thought on pragmatical learning is summarized. Through discussion of Hong Tae-Yong’s thought, I found what Hong Tae-Yong pursued is a "Jerneh salvation" pragmatic learning ideology and "make the country rich and stable" spirit. To achieve this goal, Hong Tae-Yong advocated taking an objective and rational look at China, studying from China and using China’s advanced science and technology to change North Korea’s backwardness, which actually led the development of the Northern Learning School. However Hong Tae-Yong never stopped at theoretical thinking. After careful study of the "Gui Fang Diary" which recorded the conversation between Hong Tae-Yong and the crown prince (King Jeongjo later), I found Hong was actually using the speaking opportunities to express out his pragmatical learning thought timely to the crown prince, most of which are affirmed and even highly consistent with the crown prince’s insight, as facts have proved. Such attempts, in fact, can be seen as Hong’s practical and painstaking efforts to realize his ideology. Reviewing history, it’s easy to discover that after the King Jeongjo ascended throne, many reform policies are interlinked with Hong Tae-Yong’s ideas. Although we cannot judge boldly whether king jingo’s ruling strategy is completely from Hong Tae-Yong, for sure we can speculate Hong Tae-Yong’s thoughts had penetrated into the king, or at least there was certain reference significance.Factually Hong Tae-Yong’s ideology is of far-reaching significance. As the pioneer of the Northern Learning School, he shed deep influence on its development, especially for such north school scholars as Park Jie-won, Li Demao, Liu Degong, Park Je-ga, etc., who followed Hong Tae-Yong’s footprints to visit China. Thereafter frequent exchanges between North Korea and China enabled more North Korean literati come into contact with the advanced cultural relics of Qing Dynasty, thus breaking the original understanding of China from traditional world outlook and values, and further contributing to the formation of a new idea, namely the Northern Learning School ideology.Hong Tae-Yong’s ideology is of great historical progressiveness, for its nationalist character cannot be denied in the first place and the orientation of modernization is clearly visible in the second place. Finally, Hong’s ideology reflects interests of the ruled class to some extent and embodies a spirit of humanism and expansion of civil rights.In conclusion, Hong Tae-Yong’s pragmatism not only produced great impact on the Northern Learning School literati, but also has far-reaching significance in history, leaving such an indelible mark in Korean Thought development. Even today it still has a realistic significance.