月川 曹端의 주자학 芻議 -리의 주재는 체계를 관통하는가?-

초록

Cao Duan emphasizes Li(理)’s activity or preside over Qi(氣). presiding of Li is not at all like a person riding a horse. However, the presiding function is only as ‘why it happens(suoyiran: 所以然)’. In the same way, in the theory of xinxing(心性), we can talk about the presiding of xingli(性理), which refers to the suoyiran of xin. Just like the moving and quiet Yin-yang(陰陽) and taiji(太極) as its suoyiran, in the moving body and the perceptive mind, the xingli as its suoyiran is acting. All people possess the so-called principle of moving and quiet, and this principle is indistinguishable from heaven and earth. In this respect, humans are originally one with heaven and earth. However, people may temporarily lose their original appearance due to interference from temperament bias and personal desires. The task at this time is to restore the original appearance by removing the obstacles of temperament and desire, not to add something from the outside. It is to maintain the original state of the mind containing xingli, or taiji. However, xingli only functions as suoyiran and does not preside over it with will. Therefore, its action can be revealed only through the mind. Also, the moral action of xin does not disappear unless the principle of suoyiran disappears, and it is always expressed as soon as an appropriate opportunity arises. At this time, the study method that Cao Duan suggests is study from the xin, and it is a way to maintain the original state of the mind that retains xingli. It is ‘jujing(主靜)’ ‘xuxin(虛心)’ based on ‘desirelessness[無欲]’, and ‘qiongli(窮理)’ which includes ‘jujing(主敬)’. However, Cao Duan did not explain the relationship between cognition, which is the ability of xin, and it’s empty but not dark[虛靈不昧] characteristics. Xin’s abilities and characteristics must also be based on the suoyiran of xingli, but Jordan did not provide any explanation for this. What is more serious is that if li’s presiding is merely a function of suoyiran, its content is helpless and no progress has been made in the theory of Zhuzi school. Furthermore, Cao Duan seems to have overlooked the fact that the two entities, li and qi, can conflict with each other. Just as a well-trained horse can behave unexpectedly, qi can also not follow its rules. He appears to have been completely unaware of this serious problem.

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