The Leitmotif of the Confucian Concept of Shu: Interpretations of Chong Yagyong and Zhu Xi

The Confucian concept of shu (恕) (reciprocity) is a leitmotif which is continuously interpreted and reinterpreted in response to changing circumstances. The purpose of this paper is to determine the features of shu in t he Analects (Lunyu 論語) and the Great Learning (Daxue 大學), as interpreted by Chŏng Yagyong 丁若鏞 (1762-1836), widely regarded as one of the greatest and most original Korean thinkers, by comparing his interpretations with those of Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200), whose brand of Neo-Confucianism in Chosŏn constituted an almost unassailable orthodoxy. Both placed great emphasis on shu, but there are important differences in their interpretations. This paper thus contributes to an understanding of the dynamics of the Confucian concept of shu in East Asia.