earticle

영어

At the time when Chinese traditional Gezhi(格致) met western science, the statements of Bowu(博物) and Gewu(格物), which were commonly used along with Gezhi, appeared during the transition of thinking towards Wu(物). These statements were not merely synonyms of Gezhi. They were in the middle of the epistemological conversion that happened in the process of conceptual differentiation, such as Wu for a Ren(人) and Wu for Ziran(自然). One of the most distinctive contributions of Gezhi to modern China might be the differentiation of Xue(學). The passion for enlightenment made it possible - The enlightenment for national salvation continuously facilitated tensions between the old and the new. Despite of the positive effects of the differentiation, however, the severance caused by the differentiation might be inevitable. This was because science, also known as the study of differentiation(Kexue, 科学), then again, ironically, tried to integrate the whole knowledge system under another concept. Maybe, these two conflicting phenomena represent a modern-day desire that pursues individuality and, at the same time, totality. In this sense, Kexue itself in modern China was a symbol of differentiation and integration. In addition, interestingly enough, these concepts had made not only such chronological history, but also the space for discussions. Museums and exhibitions, the terms of which had been used without any difference, started to show their own features along with the transition of awareness towards Wu. Also, Shuyuan(书院) adopting Gezhi began to define knowledges of modern education. From this time when Kexue replaced Bowu, Gewu and Gezhi, Wu has been engraving its concept on the space, attempting to converse its concept from the natural philosophy into knowledge and property of things.