퇴계(1501-1570)와 율곡(1536-1584)의 현실정치에 대한 태도는 사뭇 다르게 나타난다. 퇴계가 황폐되어진 당시의 정치현실을 피해 주자의 학문세계에 침잠하였다면, 율곡은 당시의 정치현실 문제에 정면으로 맞서기 위해 노력하였고, 이 과정에서 퇴계와는 달리 지나간 역사 속에서 그 해결책을 찾았다. 결국 퇴계와 율곡의 가장 큰 차이점이 두 사람간 이(理)와 기(氣)에 대한 이해의 거리에 있기보다는, 정치에 대한 이해의 차이에서 더욱 두드러지게 나타나고 있다.율곡은 퇴계가 학문 일변도로 군주의 길[君道]을 제시한데 대하여 군주의 길은 학문뿐만 아니라 바로 정치에도 있음을 강조한다. 퇴계는 철저하게 군주 1인의 수신(修身)이란 측면에 경도되어 있었다. 퇴계는 학문의 본말에 대해서만 언급하였지 위정의 선후에 대해서는 등한시하였다. 성학십도의 그 어디에도 위정의 선후에 대한 언급이 없다는 사실은 우리를 당혹하게 만들기에 족하다. 하지만 율곡은 항상 학문의 본말과 위정의 선후를 강조하였다. 퇴계와 율곡에게 군주의 수신이란 측면은 공통적이다. 하지만 율곡은 한 걸음 더 나아가 공동체를 지향하였다. 즉 율곡의 군도론의 특징은 바로 위정을 위한 수신이란 점이 중요한 특징이다. 결국 율곡의「성학집요」는 퇴계의「성학십도」가 학문의 본말(本末)만을 서술한 것에 정치의 선후(先後)문제를 더하여 완성한 것이다. 율곡에게는 두 개의 근본이 있었다. 나라의 근본은 백성이지만 정치의 근본은 임금이라는 인식이 그것이다. 율곡의 이기론(理氣論), 심성론(心性論) 등은 모두 율곡자신의 위정관(爲政觀)을 설명하기 위한 하나의 방편이 었을 뿐이지, 결코 관념적인 철학이론이 아니었다.

The political orientation toward real politics of both Toegye(退溪 李滉, 1501-1570) and Yulgok(栗谷李珥, l. 1536-1584) had appeared very differently. Toegye had retired from the desolate real politics and then absorbed in Zhuxi(朱子)’s academic world ; otherwise Yulgok had faced with the all-over problems and then found the solutions, discernning the history. The main differnce between them is not on the understanding of li(理) and ki(氣), but on the understanding of what politics is. Yulgok had focused on the fact that Kundo(君道, the righteous way of politics) could be found both in academic world and in real politics itself. Toegye had concentrated on the self-discipline of King. Toegye had focused only on the orderly sequence in the pursuit of learning, but not on the important and the trivial in doing politics. No mentionning the important and the trivial in doing politics in Seonghaksipdo(聖學十圖) makes us very perplexed. Otherwise Yulgok had focused on the important and the trivial in doing politics and on the orderly sequence in the pusuit of learning. Toegye had concentrated on the self-discipline of King; otherwise Yulgok had aimed at the reestablishment of public community, although fully recgnizing the importance of the self-discipline of King. The key point in Yulgok’s Kundo(君道, the righteous way of politics) is self-discipline of King aims at politics. Finally Yulgok’s Seonghakjipyo(聖學輯要) was completed by adding the important and the tivial in doing politics to Seonghaksipdo’s(聖學十圖) description of the orderly sequence in the pursuit of learning. According to Yulgok, there are two foundations in Joseon Dynasty; one, the people as the foundation of Nation, the other, the King as the fundation of politics. As for Yulgok, the theory of liki(理氣) was only methodological instrument to explain his view on politics. That is why Yulgok’s thought should not be regarded as purely academic, idealism as philosophical term.

The political orientation toward real politics of both Toegye(退溪 李滉, 1501-1570) and Yulgok(栗谷李珥, l. 1536-1584) had appeared very differently. Toegye had retired from the desolate real politics and then absorbed in Zhuxi(朱子)’s academic world ; otherwise Yulgok had faced with the all-over problems and then found the solutions, discernning the history. The main differnce between them is not on the understanding of li(理) and ki(氣), but on the understanding of what politics is. Yulgok had focused on the fact that Kundo(君道, the righteous way of politics) could be found both in academic world and in real politics itself. Toegye had concentrated on the self-discipline of King. Toegye had focused only on the orderly sequence in the pursuit of learning, but not on the important and the trivial in doing politics. No mentionning the important and the trivial in doing politics in Seonghaksipdo(聖學十圖) makes us very perplexed. Otherwise Yulgok had focused on the important and the trivial in doing politics and on the orderly sequence in the pusuit of learning. Toegye had concentrated on the self-discipline of King; otherwise Yulgok had aimed at the reestablishment of public community, although fully recgnizing the importance of the self-discipline of King. The key point in Yulgok’s Kundo(君道, the righteous way of politics) is self-discipline of King aims at politics. Finally Yulgok’s Seonghakjipyo(聖學輯要) was completed by adding the important and the tivial in doing politics to Seonghaksipdo’s(聖學十圖) description of the orderly sequence in the pursuit of learning. According to Yulgok, there are two foundations in Joseon Dynasty; one, the people as the foundation of Nation, the other, the King as the fundation of politics. As for Yulgok, the theory of liki(理氣) was only methodological instrument to explain his view on politics. That is why Yulgok’s thought should not be regarded as purely academic, idealism as philosophical term.

Yulgok, Toegye, Daoxue(道學), Sotong(疏通)