Dasan Jeong, Yak-yong (1762~1836) was active in the late Joseon Dynasty, a period of sharp ideological confusion among Sung Confucianism, Silhak, Catholicism, and socio-political confrontation between reform and conservatism. Completing the Silhak tho...
Dasan Jeong, Yak-yong (1762~1836) was active in the late Joseon Dynasty, a period of sharp ideological confusion among Sung Confucianism, Silhak, Catholicism, and socio-political confrontation between reform and conservatism. Completing the Silhak thought in the late Joseon Dynasty, he handed down voluminous writings by collecting his previous research results. In terms of Yeokhak(science of divination), he emphasized the Sangsuyeok in Han Dynasty seeing that the archetype of Gogyeong of Yeokhak remained in it rather than in the Yeokhak of Sung Confucianism.
Dasan reorganized the Yeokjeon by thoroughly dividing the full text in the JuyeokSajeon and inserting it into the scriptures. He insisted on the use of Mansuchek 11,520 Jukchek in the Sigwaejeon. In order to alleviate the inconvenience of making and storing Mansuchek, the writer presented a method to replace it with Keonkonchek 360 Jukchek. Dasan might fail to make the balance between Sangsu Yeokhak and Uiri Yeokhak by discarding some phrases of Kyesajeon. It might make it inconvenient to comprehend a trigram as a whole that regards Daesangjeon as Hakyeok or Uiri Yeokhak of Gunja(a man of virtue), separating it from Sangjeon and organizing it as an independent full text. The advantage of Dasan is that he dismantled Muneonjeon and assigned it to the scriptures, and it quickened the interpretation of individual scriptures. The reason Dasan reorganized Yeokjeon is that the first purpose of Juyeok is in fortune-telling, and to give legitimacy to his own YeongniSabeop.
The core of Dasan's Yeokhak is YeongniSabeop, that is, Chui, Hyobyeon, Hoche and Mulsang. Dasan's Chui theory is broken down into three as following. First, it is the transition from the Byeokgwae to the Byeokgwae (JintoeSojang). Secondly, it is the HwagwaeJakyeokJibonji. Thirdly, it is the transition from the two Mogwae (SeunggangWangnae). Dasan called the Gwaes such as Bu(䷗), Lim(䷒), Tae(䷊), Daejang(䷡), Kwae(䷪), and Geon(䷀), and the Gwaes such as Gu(䷫), Dun(䷠), Bu(䷋), Gwan(䷓), Bak(䷖) and Gon(䷁) SasiJigwae, and the Gwaes such as Jungbu(䷼) and Sogwa(䷽) JaeyunJigwae. His ByeokGwae include a total of 14. Excluding these 14 Byeokgwaes from 64 Gwaes, it becomes 50 Yeongwaes. In addition, these 50 Yeongwaes are the same as the DaeyeonJisuOsip that appears in the process of Seolsi. Dasan upgraded Jungbu and Sogwa to Byeokgwae, but Byeokgwae violated the principle of the Chui theory by being changed from Yeongwae.
In the Hyobyeon theory, Dasan maintained that Hyo bears the meaning of transition. It is to interpret the Sang(phase), and to see Yang as transformed Yin and Yin as transformed Yang by reversing the Yin and Yang of the corresponding Hyo. It is Dasan's most original interpretational method of Juyeok that he applied this Hyobyeon to all kinds of Hyo.
In Hoche theory, Dasan applied Daeho, Gyeomho, Doho, Bokho, Banhap, and Lyangho in various forms. He was able to apply the interpretation of the Juyeok more freely with various ways of Hogwae.
In the Mulsang theory, Dasan emphasized the importance of Mulsang. Since the list of Mulsang in 『Seolgwaejeon』 is limited, the Mulsang of 『Seolgwaejeon』 has been expanded by selecting examples of fortune-telling of Jwajeon and Kugeo and Mulsang theory of Sunguga to make 『Geumbo』. He also denied the DoseoYeokhak in Hado & Nakseo, and SeoncheonChaseodo & SeoncheonBangwido.
Dasan's Chui theory, Hyobyeon theory, and Hoche theory are, in the end, a way to find Mulsang and the ultimate goal of the YeongniSabeop. In addition, the expansion of the Mulsang made it easier to apply the limited interpretation of Jeomsa in many ways. Dasan's interpretation of the Juyeok using the YeongniSabeop ends up in providing an excuse to say that his Juyeok is close to Sangsuyeok.
Zhu Xi maintained that the Tao of Yeok encompasses both the nature of heaven and earth, and the humanistic principles. However, Dasan saw that the Yeok could never be accepted as the same ground for natural science and human science. The heaven and earth and Yin and Yang are the symbolic concepts of GwaeHoek in Yeongni. Dasan's understanding of heaven and earth and Yin and Yang as such is based on his view of nature.
The core reason that Dasan's philosophy contradicts the Sung Confucianism of Zhu Xi lies in the different attitude in recognizing the heaven. Dasan, under the influence of the western learning, saw the Lord as an absolute and transcendent entity that presides over and creates all things, and re-recognized Sangje(the King of Heaven) in Confucian tradition as the center of the world. In other words, he tried to restore religious transcendence with the concept of Sangje that appeared in the primitive Confucian scholars. It is possible by following the heaven's decree.
Dasan maintained that the 50 Sicheks already contain the factors of 64 gwaes since the Taegeuk is in a state where 64 gwaes are clustered together. Yangui is what imitates the two gwaes of Geon and Gon, and Sasang is the same as the phase that assigns 12 Byeokgwaes to Sasi, or that assigns CheonjiSuhwa(heaven, earth, water and fire) to Sasi. Palgwae means that Jin(☳) and Gam(☵) form Dungwae(䷂), and Gam(☵) and Gan(☶) form Monggwae(䷃). So it was said that the Palgwae decides the good or ill luck. Dasan explains this as TaegeukOkgeuk Theory.
In addition, Dasan maintained that the reality must exist before the symbol does.
In other words, it signifies that Li must precede Sa which must precede Sang. From the perspective of definition of ‘Sang(image) = Sang(divinatory sign) = simulated symbol’, it means the order of generation that the law must precede the phenomenon which must precede the symbol. In addition, Dasan argued that the Gwaehyosa in Juyeok must be interpreted corresponding to Gwaesang.
Dasan said that the DaeyeonjisuOsip means 50, which is the Yeongwae, excluding 14 Byeokgwaes, from 64 Gwaes by his own Chui method. Dasan explained that the calligraphy is related to the numbers that are related to changes in Gwaesang and Hyosang through 『Sigwaejeon』. He established a theoretical system of the Chui theory, in which the concept and meaning of Daeyeonjisu is changed from Byeokgwae to Yeongwae.
The ‘Chamcheonryangji’ and ‘9・6・7・8’ are interpretations of numbers formed by Seolsi Method. The interpretation of ‘Samcheonyangji’ is that Samcheon takes 3 as Cheonsu, while Yangji takes 2 as Jisu, towards each of Yeongsu that was obtained through Seolsi. The numbers obtained by the method of 'Samcheonyangji' are applied to ‘9・6・7・8’. When the Yeongsu of a Hyo obtains ‘3・3・3’ and ‘2・2・2’, each one becomes 9 of Noyang and 6 of Noeum, resulting in a change in the Yin and Yang of Hyo. On the other hand, when the Yeongsu of a Hyo obtains ‘3・2・2’ and ‘2・3・3’, each one becomes 7 of Soyang and 8 of Soeum, resulting in no change in the Yin and Yang of Hyo.