The purpose of this thesis is to examine the recognition of Yi Eui- hyeon, a renowned scholar belonging to Nakron school during the early 18th century, toward Ching civilization through his writing Gyeongja Yeonhaeng Japji. Yi Eui-hyeon was a core personality of Noron Faction who has served as the prime minister during the reign of King Yeongjo, and Gyeongja Yeonhaeng Japji is the record of his Yenching (Beijing) journey that took place in 1720. This book is an important historical material to glimpse Yi Eui-hyeon's recognition of Ching civilization as it recorded the Ching civilization he witnessed rather concretely. Nakron school, headed by Kim Chang-hyeop, held a view that the fundamental of human mind is the same regardless of whether one is a Chinese or a 'barbarian' according to the Illi or universal principle of Simhak (Learning of Mind) and Sangsuhak (Learning of image and number). Accordingly, advocates of Nakron school held more positive view of Ching and Ching civilization than the advocates of Horon school. Dogokjib, the book of Yi Eui-hyeon's literary collections, also contains his view on Ching Chinese poets of the mid-Ching period and their discourse on poetry, showing that he was not only much interested in Ching literature and art but was also positive in accommodating them. Yi Eui-hyeon's appreciation of Ching civilization was not limited to literature and art but was extended to other aspects like architectural technology that utilized bricks and lime, heating facility, prosperous streets, and agricultural technology that used fertilizers. His view of these technologies was quite positive as he praised them as more advanced than the technologies of Joseon. In contrast, Yi Eui-hyeon's perception of socio-cultural aspects of Ching civilization was not as favorable, as he viewed various aspects of Ching custom somewhat negatively. In view of his admiration for Ming culture and the pride that he took in Jeseon as small China, this is not really surprising. In the same vein, he despised the Manchus who established the Ching dynasty. However, judging from the records that he left, his recognition was not all that negative since he praised political discipline of the Ching and the writing skill of the Ching emperor very highly. This view of Yi Eui-hyeon toward Ching civilization was somewhat open in comparison to the view of other ruling elite of the 17th century Joseon who firmly denied Ching civilization mo matter what. However, scholars of Bukhak school during the second half of the 18th century recorded the Ching civilization in more detail. Not only that, these scholars praised the Ching civilization highly, and advocated that Joseon should learn from it positively. With regard to socio-cultural aspects as well, these scholars were more forthcoming than Yi Eui-hyeon in their positive appreciation of the Ching civilization as revealed by the political system of the Ching and the frugality of the Ching emperors. In view of the absolute denial of Ching that prevailed during the 17th century, the very fact that Bukhak school emerged during the second half of the 18th century cannot be explained unless there was a certain change in intellectual millieu of Joseon elite which served as a link for the transition. This role was played by the open recognition of the Neo-Confucian scholars of Nakron school toward Ching culture. In other words, the opinion of Bukhak scholars that was epochal at the time did not appear suddenly out of nowhere but had its root in the recognition of Yi Eui-hyeon during the early 18th century.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the recognition of Yi Eui- hyeon, a renowned scholar belonging to Nakron school during the early 18th century, toward Ching civilization through his writing Gyeongja Yeonhaeng Japji. Yi Eui-hyeon was a core personality of Noron Faction who has served as the prime minister during the reign of King Yeongjo, and Gyeongja Yeonhaeng Japji is the record of his Yenching (Beijing) journey that took place in 1720. This book is an important historical material to glimpse Yi Eui-hyeon's recognition of Ching civilization as it recorded the Ching civilization he witnessed rather concretely. Nakron school, headed by Kim Chang-hyeop, held a view that the fundamental of human mind is the same regardless of whether one is a Chinese or a 'barbarian' according to the Illi or universal principle of Simhak (Learning of Mind) and Sangsuhak (Learning of image and number). Accordingly, advocates of Nakron school held more positive view of Ching and Ching civilization than the advocates of Horon school. Dogokjib, the book of Yi Eui-hyeon's literary collections, also contains his view on Ching Chinese poets of the mid-Ching period and their discourse on poetry, showing that he was not only much interested in Ching literature and art but was also positive in accommodating them. Yi Eui-hyeon's appreciation of Ching civilization was not limited to literature and art but was extended to other aspects like architectural technology that utilized bricks and lime, heating facility, prosperous streets, and agricultural technology that used fertilizers. His view of these technologies was quite positive as he praised them as more advanced than the technologies of Joseon. In contrast, Yi Eui-hyeon's perception of socio-cultural aspects of Ching civilization was not as favorable, as he viewed various aspects of Ching custom somewhat negatively. In view of his admiration for Ming culture and the pride that he took in Jeseon as small China, this is not really surprising. In the same vein, he despised the Manchus who established the Ching dynasty. However, judging from the records that he left, his recognition was not all that negative since he praised political discipline of the Ching and the writing skill of the Ching emperor very highly. This view of Yi Eui-hyeon toward Ching civilization was somewhat open in comparison to the view of other ruling elite of the 17th century Joseon who firmly denied Ching civilization mo matter what. However, scholars of Bukhak school during the second half of the 18th century recorded the Ching civilization in more detail. Not only that, these scholars praised the Ching civilization highly, and advocated that Joseon should learn from it positively. With regard to socio-cultural aspects as well, these scholars were more forthcoming than Yi Eui-hyeon in their positive appreciation of the Ching civilization as revealed by the political system of the Ching and the frugality of the Ching emperors. In view of the absolute denial of Ching that prevailed during the 17th century, the very fact that Bukhak school emerged during the second half of the 18th century cannot be explained unless there was a certain change in intellectual millieu of Joseon elite which served as a link for the transition. This role was played by the open recognition of the Neo-Confucian scholars of Nakron school toward Ching culture. In other words, the opinion of Bukhak scholars that was epochal at the time did not appear suddenly out of nowhere but had its root in the recognition of Yi Eui-hyeon during the early 18th century.