이 논문은 위백규의 「原事物」편을 대상으로 그 구성과 작법, 사변의 원리와 지향, 의미와 목적에 대해 차례로 고찰해 본 것이다. 「원사물」은, 위백규가 청년 시절 고향에서 勉學에 겸하여 문중 자제들을 계도할 당시 士習을 일신시키기 위해 지은 글이다. 哲理적 속성을 지닌 ‘原’체 형식의 산문에, 단편 연작의 형식적 변용을 꾀하였고, ‘觀物察理’라는 성리학의 사변 원리를 기반으로 작성하였다. 성리학에서 ‘관물’의 구체적 실천 방안은 ‘居敬窮理’로 대표된다. ‘거경’은 도덕적 심신수양을 위주로 하는 것이고, ‘궁리’는 ‘格物致知’에 기반 한 지식 추구 방법을 이르는 바, 위백규도 「원사물」을 통해 이를 강조하고 추구하였다. 위백규가 추구하는 이상적인 ‘知’의 형태는, ‘博學’과 ‘明辨’에 기반 하는 것이라 정의할 수 있다. 경전과 제가백서의 장점을 두루 섭렵하는 박학적 지식, 군자와 소인의 인식과 실천과 행위가 차별적인 것임을 인식하는 明辨적 지식은, 고문 숭상 위주의 科文을 지양하고, 경전과 더불어 일체가 되는, 깊이 있는 독서에 기반 하지 않는 것이 없다.위백규에게 있어 관물적 사변의 방식은 그의 전 생애동안 견지되면서 다양한 방면에서 효용을 발휘한다. 자신의 지적성과를 집대성하고, 세계 인식의 틀을 넓히며, 사회의 제 문제에 대한 진단과 처방적 노력을 꾀한 것 등이 그것이다. 실제로 그는 ‘無契’와 같은 동족 사회의 회합을 창설하여 향촌사회의 화합과 안정을 도모하기도 하였다. 위백규의 「원사물」은 사변적 성격이 강한 ‘原’이라는 산문 형식에, ‘觀物察理’라는 성리학적 인식론에 기반 한 다양한 사변의 결과들을 표현하고 있다. 士習의 일신을 위해 작성된 글이고, 여기 보이는 사변의 단편들이 46세 때의「 觀物說」, 65세 때의 「格物說」에 대폭 확장·수렴되고 있다는 면에서, 원체산문 본래의 합목적적인 성격과 철학담론의 萌芽로서의 속성을 다시 한 번 맥 짚을 수 있다.

The presents study examined Jonjae Wi Baek gyu’s(1727-1798) 「Wonsamul」, focused on its composition writing method, principles and orientation of thinking, meanings and purposes. 「Wonsamul」 was what Wi Baek gyu wrote in order to reform Confucianists’ practices when he as a youth pursued knowledge himself and educated children in his family at his hometown. The writing, which was Won style prose with philosophical nature, tried formative changes of short piece series and was based on ‘Gwanmulchalri’ (realize cosmetic rules through observing phenomena and things), which was the Sung Confucian way of thinking. In Sung Confucianism, the specific practice of ‘Gwanmul’ (observing things) is represented by ‘Geogyeong-gungri’ (deliberate on principles in a humble attitude). ‘Geogyeong’ is the moral training of body and mind, and ‘Gungri’ is the pursuit of knowledge based on ‘Gyeokmulchiji’ (reach the highest knowledge through penetrating phenomena and things), which was also emphasized and pursued by Wi Baek-gyu through 「Wonsamul」. The ideal form of ‘knowledge’ pursued by Wi Baek gyu can be defined by ‘Bakhak’ (extensive learning) and ‘Myeongbyeon’ (bright discernment). Broad knowledge ranging over the merits of scriptures and all famous scholars’ writings and erudite knowledge perceiving differences in understanding, practices and deeds between men of virtue and others come all from thorough reading until the reader becomes one with the scriptures rather than respecting and studying old literature for the civil service examination. For Wi Baek gyu, the way of observational speculation had been maintained through his whole life, and displayed its usefulness in various areas including the compilation of his intellectual achievements, the expansion of the world view, and efforts to diagnose and solve social problems. In reality, he organized clan meetings such as ‘Mugigye’ (a society of people without envy and jealousy) and contributed to the unity and stability of the rural community. Wi Baek gyu’s 「Wonsamul」expresses various results of speculation in the form of ‘Won’ style prose, which is strongly speculative, and based on Sung Confucian epistemology ‘Gwanmulchalri.’ As it was written for reforming Confucian scholars’ practices and the short pieces of speculation in it were considerably expanded and reflected in 「Gwanmulseol」 written at the age of 46 and 「Gyeokmulseol」at 65, we can review the original purposive nature of Won style prose as well as the nature as the germ of philosophical discourses.

The presents study examined Jonjae Wi Baek gyu’s(1727-1798) 「Wonsamul」, focused on its composition writing method, principles and orientation of thinking, meanings and purposes. 「Wonsamul」 was what Wi Baek gyu wrote in order to reform Confucianists’ practices when he as a youth pursued knowledge himself and educated children in his family at his hometown. The writing, which was Won style prose with philosophical nature, tried formative changes of short piece series and was based on ‘Gwanmulchalri’ (realize cosmetic rules through observing phenomena and things), which was the Sung Confucian way of thinking. In Sung Confucianism, the specific practice of ‘Gwanmul’ (observing things) is represented by ‘Geogyeong-gungri’ (deliberate on principles in a humble attitude). ‘Geogyeong’ is the moral training of body and mind, and ‘Gungri’ is the pursuit of knowledge based on ‘Gyeokmulchiji’ (reach the highest knowledge through penetrating phenomena and things), which was also emphasized and pursued by Wi Baek-gyu through 「Wonsamul」. The ideal form of ‘knowledge’ pursued by Wi Baek gyu can be defined by ‘Bakhak’ (extensive learning) and ‘Myeongbyeon’ (bright discernment). Broad knowledge ranging over the merits of scriptures and all famous scholars’ writings and erudite knowledge perceiving differences in understanding, practices and deeds between men of virtue and others come all from thorough reading until the reader becomes one with the scriptures rather than respecting and studying old literature for the civil service examination. For Wi Baek gyu, the way of observational speculation had been maintained through his whole life, and displayed its usefulness in various areas including the compilation of his intellectual achievements, the expansion of the world view, and efforts to diagnose and solve social problems. In reality, he organized clan meetings such as ‘Mugigye’ (a society of people without envy and jealousy) and contributed to the unity and stability of the rural community. Wi Baek gyu’s 「Wonsamul」expresses various results of speculation in the form of ‘Won’ style prose, which is strongly speculative, and based on Sung Confucian epistemology ‘Gwanmulchalri.’ As it was written for reforming Confucian scholars’ practices and the short pieces of speculation in it were considerably expanded and reflected in 「Gwanmulseol」 written at the age of 46 and 「Gyeokmulseol」at 65, we can review the original purposive nature of Won style prose as well as the nature as the germ of philosophical discourses.

Jonjae Wi Baekgyu, Won style prose, Wonsamul, Observing things, Gwanmulchalri, Geogyeonggungri, Gyeokmulchiji