儒教文化研究-PARK So Jeong - Philosophizing Jigi 至氣 of Donghak 東學 as an Experienced Ultimate Reality.pdfVIP

P Philosophizing Jigi 至氣 of Donghak 東學 as an Experienced Ultimate Reality * PARK So Jeong Abstract This paper explores ways of accommodating j igi 至氣 (lit. ultimate energy) within Korean philosophical discourse. I will argue that jigi was conceived on the basis of a Koreanized notion of gi 氣, which has its origin in the Chinese term qi 氣 but bears considerable difference from the Neo- Confucian framework of liqi 理氣 metaphysics. The following three points will be examined. First, as a new coinage referring to the ultimate reality of Donghak 東學 (lit. Eastern Learning), j igi straightforwardly represented an awareness of Donghak while other terms like sangje, cheonju, and hanallim were used as general nouns for ultimate reality, adopted in different situations according to broader contexts. Second, j igi was not worked out through the medium of a Neo-Confucian worldview: even though Donghak came into being in a Confucian state, Joseon 朝鮮 Korea, Donghak’s proposal of seeing gi as ultimate reality should not be reduced to a branch of liqi metaphysics but rather properly be appreciated as a new worldview. Finally, a comparison of gi and qi in contemporary usage in both the Korean and Chinese languages shows that the concept of j igi experienced as mutual resonance is deeply rooted in the Korean language. Keywords: jigi 至氣, ultimate reality, gi 氣, qi 氣, Donghak 東學 (Eastern Learning), Korean philosophy, Korean language * PARK So Jeong: Lecturer, Chinese Division / Philosophy Programe, Nanyang Technological University (sjpark@.sg) 82 Journal of Confucian Philosophy and Culture Vol. 2 6 / August 2016 1. Introduction Donghak 東學 (lit. Eastern Learning) holds an ambivalent status in Korean philos