On Seo Hosu's 『Yulha giyu; the Envoy's Progress to Yenching』 - Western Studies and the Visions of 18th Century Joseon Intellectuals - Jo, Chang-roc* This paper examines the Western Studies(西學) of Seo Hosu, an 18th century scholar, based on his Yulha giyu. Seo Hosu was particularly expert in astronomy and mathematics, and was a figure who educated his descendents in the sirhak("practical learning") traditions of Seo Myeongeung and Seo Yugu. In Yulha giyu, a report of an envoy's progress to Yenching China in 1790, he evaluates the standard of Chinese calendrical methods and visits the tomb of Matteo Ricci, especially to underscore his faith in Western science and technology. From this persective, Seo Hosu, as an expert on calendrical studies and mathematic principles was more than anyone interested in Western Studies. The persecution of Catholics after 1801 suggests that perhaps Seo was forced to hide his scholarly activities which prevented his work from being widely disseminated at the time. In this respect, Seo Hosu is a figure who requires greater examination if we are to understand the history of Western Studies in Joseon or even more broadly the development of intellectual history.

On Seo Hosu's 『Yulha giyu; the Envoy's Progress to Yenching』 - Western Studies and the Visions of 18th Century Joseon Intellectuals - Jo, Chang-roc* This paper examines the Western Studies(西學) of Seo Hosu, an 18th century scholar, based on his Yulha giyu. Seo Hosu was particularly expert in astronomy and mathematics, and was a figure who educated his descendents in the sirhak("practical learning") traditions of Seo Myeongeung and Seo Yugu. In Yulha giyu, a report of an envoy's progress to Yenching China in 1790, he evaluates the standard of Chinese calendrical methods and visits the tomb of Matteo Ricci, especially to underscore his faith in Western science and technology. From this persective, Seo Hosu, as an expert on calendrical studies and mathematic principles was more than anyone interested in Western Studies. The persecution of Catholics after 1801 suggests that perhaps Seo was forced to hide his scholarly activities which prevented his work from being widely disseminated at the time. In this respect, Seo Hosu is a figure who requires greater examination if we are to understand the history of Western Studies in Joseon or even more broadly the development of intellectual history.

Seo Hosu, 『Yulha giyu; the Envoy's Progress to Yenching』, Western Studies Matteo Ricci.