일반적인 중국철학사에서는 주희의 형이상학을 우주론에서 본체론으로의 전환으로 이해하고 있으며, 태극을 그 전환의 축으로 이해하고 있다. 그러나 필자는 주희의 태극개념에는 ‘우주론’‘본체론’ 및 ‘筮法論’의 함의가 복합적으로 함축되어 있다고 생각한다. 그는 자신의 학술상의 요청에 따라 각기 다른 함의의 태극개념을 전개하고 있는 것이다. 하지만 우주론 함의에서의 태극은 ‘氣’이고 본체론 함의에서의 태극은 ‘理’이기 때문에 이 둘의 관계를 동시에 인정할 때에 ‘理氣’를 구분해야 한다는 주희 존재론의 전제에 부합하지 않는 것처럼 보인다. 하지만 주희는 氣로서의 태극의 본성이 끊임없는 운동성에 있음을 보여주고, 理로서의 태극 역시 끊임없는 운동과 생성의 원리임을 주장하여 자연스럽게 본체론과 우주론을 소통시키고 있다. 이러한 소통의 귀결은 그의 ‘생명사상’이다. 우주의 끊임없는 운동과 생성의 본성을 ‘生生’ 혹은 ‘生意’라고 규정하여, 인문세계의 가치 역시 이 끊임없는 생명활동과 생명에 대한 의지 이상의 것이 아니라는 것이 주희 생명사상의 최종 메시지이다. 주제어朱熹, 太極, 宇宙論, 本體論, 生命思想

In the history of philosophy, philosophers generally think that Zhuxi’s metaphysics is the transition from cosmology to ontology, and Taiji is the key conception in this transition. This conclusion is of great validity. But I think that there are several meanings mixed in Zhuxi’s conception of Taiji. There are some differences and even contradictions about Taiji in Zhuxi’s articles and in his talking to his students. Zhuxi’s conception of Taiji refers to cosmology, ontology and the theory of the Yi. So his speech in different contexts did cause conflicts of different theories. I think that Zhuxi didn’t avoid these conflicts. He accepted the theory of five philosophers of the northern Sung dynasty, and constructed a general theory that focus on the Life theory. He thought that the theory of the Yi, cosmology and Ontology have the similar structure that could continually make creation and development. He named this characteristic ‘Life’ that the key meaning of both the Way of heaven and the Way of men. In conclusion, the theory of the Yi, cosmology, Ontology and the Life theory are involved in Zhuxi’s conception of Taiji. The Life theory is the factual meaning of the other three. I believe that the Life theory is the ultimate idea of Confucianism. And it is also the essential meaning that Zhuxi try to interpret by his the theory of the Yi, cosmology and ontology.

In the history of philosophy, philosophers generally think that Zhuxi’s metaphysics is the transition from cosmology to ontology, and Taiji is the key conception in this transition. This conclusion is of great validity. But I think that there are several meanings mixed in Zhuxi’s conception of Taiji. There are some differences and even contradictions about Taiji in Zhuxi’s articles and in his talking to his students. Zhuxi’s conception of Taiji refers to cosmology, ontology and the theory of the Yi. So his speech in different contexts did cause conflicts of different theories. I think that Zhuxi didn’t avoid these conflicts. He accepted the theory of five philosophers of the northern Sung dynasty, and constructed a general theory that focus on the Life theory. He thought that the theory of the Yi, cosmology and Ontology have the similar structure that could continually make creation and development. He named this characteristic ‘Life’ that the key meaning of both the Way of heaven and the Way of men. In conclusion, the theory of the Yi, cosmology, Ontology and the Life theory are involved in Zhuxi’s conception of Taiji. The Life theory is the factual meaning of the other three. I believe that the Life theory is the ultimate idea of Confucianism. And it is also the essential meaning that Zhuxi try to interpret by his the theory of the Yi, cosmology and ontology.

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Zhuxi, Taiji, cosmology, ontology, Life theory