유가는 성인됨의 배움, 즉 성학을 시설한다. 그러면서 인간의 본(연지)성과 기(질지)성의 교차지점을 본성의 보존과 유지, 기성의 가공과 연마라는 기획으로 성학을 유가 공부의 설계도에 편입시켰다. 이러한 편입의 의도를 해석해 보자면, 성의 질성을 언표하는 격과 화해하면서 인성의 수준차를 가늠케 하는 척도로 성학이 쓰임을 알 수 있다. 물론, 성학은 인성의 질성을 논의하는 마당에서 필연적으로 파생하는 산물이기 때문에 성품의 문제를 통하여 그 존재의 기반을 정초한다. 이 때, 품질의 질차를 드러내는 메타포, 즉 ‘어떤 현상을 설명하기 위한 비유적 장치’로 유가는 물을 상정한다. 이 물의 깨끗함과 더러움은 결국, 인성의 질성을 비유적으로 보여주려는 유가공부 설계 도면의 밑그림인 셈이다. 이를 토대로 인간의 성, 그 중 질성을 면밀하게 따져보는 가운데 구성된 성학의 패러다임은 과거에 살았던 유자들만의 낭만적 전유물이 아니라 현세 우리들에게 유가를 다시 들여다보게 만드는 해석적 세계관으로 우리 앞에 이미 당도해 있다 할 것이다.

Confucians said: “Human nature is good.” But something is problem: it is called quality of psychophysical stuff[氣質之性]. Because this Confucians designed re-building of mind-and-heart in their paradigm. They thought that it deals with personal self-cultivation, the learning of mind-and-heart, or the system of mind-and-heart through Kung Fu[功夫]. It deals almost exclusively with the inward cultivation of spiritual life. We call it learning to become a sage[聖學]. Confucianism holds romantic viewpoint of human being. Every one can become a sage! Because we have quality of authentic mind-and-heart[本然之性]. Without it learning to become a sage will be idea of fiction about human nature. This idea clearly appeared metaphor of water. Water is clear. Not-clearness of it is not water. In spite of this point water easily pollutes in down going. In this metaphoric explication polluting water is because of quality of psychophysical stuff. Chou tun-i[周敦頤] put the question, “Can one learn to become a sage?” He answered with a resounding “Yes.” This reflects a important watershed. Traditionally Confucians had affirmed that any one could become a sage, but had let it remain a theoretical ideal. By this hopeful understanding of human being Confucians connote and denote that we can correct quality of psychophysical stuff[矯氣質]. On correcting this we approach to the sagehood someday. But this process is very difficult road. Therefore Toegye[退溪] said about it: “The Tao is without form and Heaven does not employ speech.” The inborn good nature of man is possible foundation of Sage Learning. Here Confucian Kung Fu is divided two ways, recover his errant mind and heart and foster the good qualities of his nature. The goodness of human nature is transcendently grounded study of becoming a sage. But this meaning is complex one. Differences in quality of psychophysical stuff give rise to different levels of creatures in proportion as the quality of their endowment. We are not sage now. But if we practice Kung Fu, we can become sage. This general explanation can be pursued on a more precise level of purification of psychophysical stuff. Through this activities quality of human being progresses toward ultimate level or sage stage. There is really a continuum between the sage and the ordinary man. Sagehood becomes an ideal at which one might actually hope to arrive if one approaches the task with correcting their psychophysical stuff. In this context the mind is rectified, one’s person is cultivated. This changes are proof that leveling up of man is enhancement of human nature focusing on quality of mind-and-heart. In conclusion, post-Confucianism can be to interpret the problems on personal quality of human being and human nature. The essential thing of this is self-transformation in human nature. Always on going to the Sage!

Confucians said: “Human nature is good.” But something is problem: it is called quality of psychophysical stuff[氣質之性]. Because this Confucians designed re-building of mind-and-heart in their paradigm. They thought that it deals with personal self-cultivation, the learning of mind-and-heart, or the system of mind-and-heart through Kung Fu[功夫]. It deals almost exclusively with the inward cultivation of spiritual life. We call it learning to become a sage[聖學]. Confucianism holds romantic viewpoint of human being. Every one can become a sage! Because we have quality of authentic mind-and-heart[本然之性]. Without it learning to become a sage will be idea of fiction about human nature. This idea clearly appeared metaphor of water. Water is clear. Not-clearness of it is not water. In spite of this point water easily pollutes in down going. In this metaphoric explication polluting water is because of quality of psychophysical stuff. Chou tun-i[周敦頤] put the question, “Can one learn to become a sage?” He answered with a resounding “Yes.” This reflects a important watershed. Traditionally Confucians had affirmed that any one could become a sage, but had let it remain a theoretical ideal. By this hopeful understanding of human being Confucians connote and denote that we can correct quality of psychophysical stuff[矯氣質]. On correcting this we approach to the sagehood someday. But this process is very difficult road. Therefore Toegye[退溪] said about it: “The Tao is without form and Heaven does not employ speech.” The inborn good nature of man is possible foundation of Sage Learning. Here Confucian Kung Fu is divided two ways, recover his errant mind and heart and foster the good qualities of his nature. The goodness of human nature is transcendently grounded study of becoming a sage. But this meaning is complex one. Differences in quality of psychophysical stuff give rise to different levels of creatures in proportion as the quality of their endowment. We are not sage now. But if we practice Kung Fu, we can become sage. This general explanation can be pursued on a more precise level of purification of psychophysical stuff. Through this activities quality of human being progresses toward ultimate level or sage stage. There is really a continuum between the sage and the ordinary man. Sagehood becomes an ideal at which one might actually hope to arrive if one approaches the task with correcting their psychophysical stuff. In this context the mind is rectified, one’s person is cultivated. This changes are proof that leveling up of man is enhancement of human nature focusing on quality of mind-and-heart. In conclusion, post-Confucianism can be to interpret the problems on personal quality of human being and human nature. The essential thing of this is self-transformation in human nature. Always on going to the Sage!

quality of psychophysical stuff, quality of authentic mind-and-heart, quality of human nature, learning to become a sage, personal quality of human being