정(程)이(이) 철학에서 성(性)과 기질(氣質)의 문제 = The Problem of Xing and Qizhi in Cheng Yi`s Philosophy

국문 초록 (Abstract)

Cheng Yi(程이, 1033~1107) understood that nature is full of changes(易). And he noted that human being as part of nature also exists only in a series of changes, i.e. birth, growth, extinction and death. All things including human being arise from the same principle, or Heavenly Principle. Hence human being can fundamentally be one with all other beings, or nature. It is called Unity of all things(萬物一體) and Unity of heaven and human(天人合一). This philosophical perspective cannot be regarded as being unique to Cheng only; neo-Confucian predecessors called the five masters of the Northern Song(北宋五子) anticipated Cheng`s vision already. Nevertheless, Cheng elaborated on the shared vision, revealing his philosophical uniqueness. Cheng maintains that only human being receives the principle in the unstained form, and thereby is capable of being one with nature. The one who realizes her/his potential to be one with nature is a sage(聖人); for Cheng, the order and pattern found in nature is nothing other than moral principle that human beings have to live up to and vice versa. Cheng`s idea on the principle which human being receives from Heaven no doubt relates to Mencian notion of the innate goodness of human nature(性善); the innate goodness of human nature is no other than Heavenly Principle, and to become a sage depends on whether one can realize her/his potential - human nature, i.e. Heavenly Principle in her/himself. For Cheng, human nature tantamount to Heavenly Principle has no evil quality; all the evil in the world comes from imperfect physical endowment(氣質), or capacity(才) which is various from person to person, making various personalities. Accordingly, the task of moral cultivation in Cheng`s theory can translate into the matter of rectification of one`s physical endowment.