The Study on Hong Dae-yong’s the Theory of Spring and Autumn' Sinocentrism

The purpose of this paper is to reveal that Hong Dae-yong's the theory of Spring and Autumn' Sinocentrism pursues diversity and equality. The theory of Spring and Autumn' Sinocentrism is usually to distinguish between Civilization and Savage by region, tribe, and culture. If the Zuozhuan(左傳) emphasizes tribe, the Gongyangzhuan(公羊傳) differs only in that it values culture, but most of the Joseon Neo-Confucianism scholars do not deviate from the two lines. Prior to a travel to Beijing, Hong Dae-yong also does not deviate from the theory of Spring and Autumn' Sinocentrism of the Zuozhuan. This point can be found in an article in the Eul-Byeong-Yonhaengrok(乙丙燕行錄). While discussing with Qing Dynasty intellectuals during a travel to Beijing, he showed great changes in the consciousness of Zhuzixue’s Truth Inheritance, the legitimacy of the Yulgok school, and the theory of Spring and Autumn' Sinocentrism. From this, Hong Dae-yong provides an opportunity to recognize equality as well as the diversity of thoughts and tribe groups. This point is evident not only in Uisanmundab(醫山問答) but also in the discussion with scholars of Nak school after a travel to Beijing. In particular, it[人物均] is not only an academic achievement beyond the scope of claiming that the nature of people and animals is the same, but from this, the diversity and equality of people and animals are explained by suggesting that they are all the same from Observing all things from the perspective of nature[自天而視之]. In addition, Hong Dae-yong does not distinguish between civilization and barbarism, and dismantles the structure of civilization and barbarism by using Confucius' story of Jiuyi[九夷] to interpret that restoring the Royal Doctrine and Expelling the Minor Nationality[尊王攘夷] of Chunqiudayi[春秋大義] as the history, region, and environmental elements of each nation, not just as the region, tribe, and culture. Therefore, it is significant that Hong Dae-yong insisted on diversity and equality beyond the universality and hierarchy of the previous theory of Spring and Autumn' Sinocentrism.