This study has made attempts to focus on the concept of ‘Shengxue’
which is one of the representative term of the Toegye and Jishan who
are evaluated as great Confucionists in the Neo-Confucianism of Joseon
Dynasty and Ming Dynasty of China and to conduct a comparative
analysis based on the evidence of discussions of Toegye and Jishan. This
‘Shengxue’ in the “Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning” of Toegye refers to
the core of Neo-Confucianism expressed in 10 pictures. However the
‘Shengxue’ in the “Shengxue-Zongyao” referred by Jishan signifies the
core of Song-Ming Era of Neo-Confucianism as in a compromised
meaning of Neo-Confucianism and the doctrines of Wang Yangming.
The ‘Zongyao’ refereed to the greatest summary or the core of tradition.
Thus, at the beginning of the writing, to compare the two authors, the
purpose and structural characteristics of the Toegye’s “Ten Diagrams on
Sage Learning” will be reviewed. Then, the Shengxue-Zongyao’s
significance and structural characteristics are reviewed. The result shows
that although the Toegye’s case depends on the views of China’s
Neo-Confucianism, it also has restructured a new unique academic
system for the Neo-Confucianism. Also, in the case of Jishan, despite the
fact it is based on the Neo-Confucianistic views, it is brought into the
‘Shengxue’ of Wang-Shouren, the founder of Wang Yangming to create a
compromised academic system. Here, too, it has been pointed out that
the ‘Shengxue’ of Toegye has been used as a Neo-Confucianistic
meaning which puts importance on the respect.