이제현(1287~1367)은 원간섭기 성리학을 수용하였던 유학자로서, 그의 정치적 경험은 원과의 관계로부터 비롯된다고 할 수 있겠다. 특히 그는 충선왕을 따라 서촉과 강남지방을 여행하였으며, 이를 통하여 그는 학문적으로, 정치적으로 성장할 수 있는 계기를 만들어나갈 수 있었다. 그는 성리학의 입장에서 권신의 존재와 함께 신분적인 문제가 있는 이들이 권신이 되는 것을 인정하지 않았다. 그러면서도, 그는 공민왕이 주도하는 반원정책에는 참여하지 않았다. 이는 이제현이 원의 지배 하에서 고려의 국정을 정상화하려고 했음을 잘 보여준다고 할 수 있다. 이제현은 天命을 중요하게 생각하였으며, 그는 천명을 역사를 움직이는 중요한 축으로 인식하였다. 그러나, 천명의 방향을 제대로 읽지 못한다든가 거역하는 이들은 결국 징벌을 피할 수 없었으며, 천명에 순응하는 자들은 전쟁에서도 결정적인 승리를 이룰 수 있었다고 하였다. 또한, 그는 당시를 성리학으로 대표되는 보편문화에 의한 태평성대로 인식하였다. 그렇기 때문에 제후국인 고려로서는 명분을 지키기 위해서는 대국과의 직접적인 대결을 피하고 화친을 해야한다고 생각했으며, 이러한 이제현의 인식은 정도전에게도 이어지고 있었다. 그러나 원을 거부할 수 없는 지배자로 인식한 이제현에 대해 정도전은 원명 교체기라는 국제정세의 변화에 따라 원을 개혁의 대상으로 보고 있었다는 점에서 원에 대한 인식의 차이를 보여주고 있었다. 이제현은 ‘文以載道(문장으로써 道를 담는다)’라고 하는 경세적인 문학관을 가지고 있었다. 이를 통하여 그는 자기 가문과 고려의 문예의 수준이 결코 중국에 뒤떨어지지 않고 있으며, 예의지국인 고려의 역사와 전통문화는 오랫동안 유지되어 오고 있는 것으로, 결코 무너질 수 없는 것이라고 하였다. 따라서 이제현은 보편문화인 元의 문화에 대한 고려의 문화적 특수성을 강조한 것이라고 할 수 있겠다. 이러한 점에서 이제현의 역사관은 성리학적 인식과 함께 보편문화에 대한 고려문화의 특수성을 강조하고 있다는 점에서 14세기 전반기 사대부의 일반적인 역사관을 반영하고 있으며, 이후 정도전과 같은 고려말 유학자에게까지 전승․변용되고 있다는 점에서 그 의의를 찾을 수 있겠다.

Yi Je—hyeon (1287～1367) was a neo—Confucian scholar during the Yuan intervention period, and he started building up his political experience on the basis of his relations with the Yuan Dynasty. He accompanied King Chungseonwang on his tour of Xishu and the Jiangnan Region. He thus was able to create a momentum to grow academically and politically. His neo—Confucian position did not allow him to admit the existence of influential vassals and powerful courtiers with problematic social status. Yet, he did not join King Gongminwang in pursuing anti—Yuan policies. This well shows that Yi Je—hyeon tried to normalize the administration of Goryeo under the control of Yuan. Yi Je—hyeon regarded Heaven's will as important. He perceived Heaven's will as a crucial invisible hand to move history forward. He said that those who misread or refute Heaven's will would not avoid punishment eventually, and that those who conform to Heaven's will would win a great victory in wars. He also perceived his days as a time of great peace which was created by the universal culture represented by Neo—Confucianism. Thus, he believed that Goryeo, as a state governed by the feudal lord, should avoid direct confrontation and establish friendly ties with the Great State in order to defend its cause. Yi Je—hyeon's such perception was carried over to Jeong Do—jeon(?～1398). While Yi Je—hyeon recognized Yuan as the irrefutable ruler, however, Jeong Do—jeon perceived Yuan a target of reformation in line with a change in international political situations at a time when Yuan gave way to Ming, thereby differentiating their perception of Yuan. Yi Je—hyeon held a literary view that upheld administering state affairs by encompassing the way through literature. He thus said that the literary arts of his household and Goryeo would never fall behind those of China. He also said that the history and traditional culture of Goryeo, the courteous state, had long been maintained, and would never collapse. Therefore, Yi Je—hyeon emphasized the cultural specificity of Goryeo compared with the universal culture of Yuan. As such, Yi Je—hyeon's view of history, along with his neo—Confucian perception, emphasizes the cultural specificity of Goryeo compared with universal culture, and this reflects the general view of history that was held by high—ranking government officials in the first—half period of the 14th century. Importantly, his view was taken over by Confucian scholars such as Jeong Do—jeon in the late Goryeo period.

Yi Je—hyeon (1287～1367) was a neo—Confucian scholar during the Yuan intervention period, and he started building up his political experience on the basis of his relations with the Yuan Dynasty. He accompanied King Chungseonwang on his tour of Xishu and the Jiangnan Region. He thus was able to create a momentum to grow academically and politically. His neo—Confucian position did not allow him to admit the existence of influential vassals and powerful courtiers with problematic social status. Yet, he did not join King Gongminwang in pursuing anti—Yuan policies. This well shows that Yi Je—hyeon tried to normalize the administration of Goryeo under the control of Yuan. Yi Je—hyeon regarded Heaven's will as important. He perceived Heaven's will as a crucial invisible hand to move history forward. He said that those who misread or refute Heaven's will would not avoid punishment eventually, and that those who conform to Heaven's will would win a great victory in wars. He also perceived his days as a time of great peace which was created by the universal culture represented by Neo—Confucianism. Thus, he believed that Goryeo, as a state governed by the feudal lord, should avoid direct confrontation and establish friendly ties with the Great State in order to defend its cause. Yi Je—hyeon's such perception was carried over to Jeong Do—jeon(?～1398). While Yi Je—hyeon recognized Yuan as the irrefutable ruler, however, Jeong Do—jeon perceived Yuan a target of reformation in line with a change in international political situations at a time when Yuan gave way to Ming, thereby differentiating their perception of Yuan. Yi Je—hyeon held a literary view that upheld administering state affairs by encompassing the way through literature. He thus said that the literary arts of his household and Goryeo would never fall behind those of China. He also said that the history and traditional culture of Goryeo, the courteous state, had long been maintained, and would never collapse. Therefore, Yi Je—hyeon emphasized the cultural specificity of Goryeo compared with the universal culture of Yuan. As such, Yi Je—hyeon's view of history, along with his neo—Confucian perception, emphasizes the cultural specificity of Goryeo compared with universal culture, and this reflects the general view of history that was held by high—ranking government officials in the first—half period of the 14th century. Importantly, his view was taken over by Confucian scholars such as Jeong Do—jeon in the late Goryeo period.

Yi Je—hyeon, Heaven's will, Jeong Do—jeon, universal culture, cultural specificity of Goryeo