Overview

This lecture series aims to explore our emotional landscape through the lens of the renowned Korean Confucian scholar, Seongho Yi Ik(星湖李瀷, 1683- 1761) who lived through Joseon Dynasty, Korea. The Confucian project can be summarized as “Learning to be Human,” which involves not just biological development but also cultural and moral cultivation. Seongho emphasized the importance of emotional education as a crucial aspect of the Confucian cultivation program. Emotions play a significant role in understanding others and being understood, making them essential for navigating complex relationships and engaging with the world meaningfully. This series will delve into Seongho’s short yet profoundly insightful work on emotions, the New Compilation of the Four-Seven Debate (Sachil sinpyeon). His approach challenges us to think critically about our own emotional lives, how our emotions guide our moral choices, shape our relationships, and ultimately define who we become. By engaging with these lectures with curiosity and reflection, Seongho’s insights will not only enrich your understanding of Confucian moral psychology but also offer practical wisdom for leading a better life.

Syllabus

An Introduction to Seongho Yi Ik and the Four-Seven Debate

This week, we’re going to learn about Seongho Yi Ik’s early life and how his childhood experiences shaped his later thinking. We’ll also look at his contributions to Neo-Confucianism and Practical Learning, as well as the historical background of the Four-Seven Debate.

Zhu Xi’s Moral Psychology

This week, we’re going to look at Zhu Xi’s theories of moral psychology, especially how he understood human nature, emotions, and the heartmind. We’ll also be exploring how these ideas help explain moral motivation and the cultivation of ethical behavior.

Seongho Yi Ik’s Moral Emotions in Lived Experience: Focusing on Comparison with Zhu Xi

This week, we’re going to look at how Seongho Yi Ik reinterpreted Zhu Xi's theory of emotions by grounding it in everyday life and personal practice. We’ll also explore his unique view of emotions, especially how everyday emotions can grow into moral emotions through reflection and social resonance.

Seongho Yi Ik’s Typology of Emotions

This week, we’re going to look at Seongho Yi Ik’s perspectives on human emotions and how they relate to Confucian self-cultivation. We’ll also examine how the Four Beginnings and the Seven Emotions work together in his framework to guide moral life.

Seongho Yi Ik on Compassion and Commiseration: The Dongche Model for Benevolence

This week, we’re going to look at Seongho Yi Ik’s perspectives on compassion and commiseration and how they shape Confucian moral cultivation. We’ll also explore his “Dongche” model and how it connects emotions like compassion and grief to moral action and community.

Seongho Yi Ik’s on Shame and Disdain: The Mua Model for Righteousness

This week, we’re going to look at Seongho Yi Ik’s perspectives on shame and disdain, and how they function in Confucian moral cultivation. We’ll also explore his “Mua” model and how these emotions help maintain moral integrity and a sense of righteousness.

Yi Ik’s Presentation of Wisdom in the New Compilation of the Four-Seven Debate

This week, we’re going to explore Seongho Yi Ik’s views on the Fourth Beginnings, especially shi-fei (affirming/denying), and their place in Confucian emotion theory. We’ll also consider Seongho’s interpretation of affirming/denying and its role in moral psychology. Lastly, we’ll think about how wisdom works in his framework as a meta-cognitive process that completes and stores moral experiences.

Seongho Yi Ik on the Role of the Four Beginnings

This week, we’re going to examine Seongho Yi Ik’s perspectives on the Four Beginnings and how they contribute to Confucian moral cultivation. We’ll explore the differences between the Four Beginnings and the Seven Emotions, especially in terms of their public (gong) and private (sa) characteristics. We’ll also look at Seongho’s argument that the Four Beginnings guide and control the Seven Emotions to prevent harmful or immoral behavior.