Silhak

Infobox Korean name
hangul=실학
hanja=實學
rr=silhak
mr=sirhak|

Silhak was a Confucian social reform movement in late Joseon Dynasty Korea. "Sil" means "actual" or "practical," and "hak" means "studies" or "learning." It developed in response to the increasingly metaphysical nature of Neo-Confucianism (성리학) that seemed disconnected from the rapid agricultural, industrial, and political changes occurring in Korea between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. Silhak was designed to counter the "uncritical" following of Confucian teachings and the strict adherence to "formalism" and "ritual." [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790442&id=ZP_f9icf2roC&pg=PA864&lpg=PA864&dq=silhak&sig=qu-XlnIyExDnT1yg1jzQdW8zvMk] . Most of the Silhak scholars were from factions excluded from power and other disaffected scholars calling for reform. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0765614286&id=hkRbZQogLA4C&pg=PA47&lpg=PA48&printsec=8&dq=silhak&sig=DXept7ZHm0jE8lmggzLSV3TTGac] .

In a broad sense, the beginning of Silhak can be traced to the aftermath of the Seven Year War, the devastating 16th century invasion by Japan. After the Manchu invasions in the 17th century, Korean art and science continued under the Silhak scholars. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN3110147971&id=VZ8zdt5d3ugC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&printsec=8&dq=silhak&sig=-29rAgv0BKSQ8CWRqPYzNfRF4t4] . Additionally, the discontent of the people was expressed in writings and dramas of the period made by these scholars. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN3110147971&id=VZ8zdt5d3ugC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&printsec=8&dq=silhak&sig=-29rAgv0BKSQ8CWRqPYzNfRF4t4] . Generally, the term "Silhak" refers to the reform-minded scholarship within the Confucian framework, rather than the more nationalistic peasant movements or the later non- or anti-Confucian modernization schools.

Its proponents generally argued for reforming the rigid Confucian social structure, land reforms to relieve the plight of peasant farmers, redefining the traditionally submissive relationship with China, promoting Korea's independent national identity and culture, and adapting Western commerce, industry and technologies. Silhak scholars wanted to use realistic and experimental approaches to social problems with the consideration of the welfare of the people. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1840649712&id=Ik4nJ8oTn9YC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&q=silhak&vq=silhak&dq=silhak&sig=JQxY3qcDv-h7HMyFA44Jsov4XeE] . Silhak scholars encouraged human equality and moved toward a more Korean-centric view of Korean history. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN3110147971&id=VZ8zdt5d3ugC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&printsec=8&dq=silhak&sig=-29rAgv0BKSQ8CWRqPYzNfRF4t4] . The Silhak school is credited with helping to create a modern Korea.

Prominent scholars

* Kim Yuk, 1580–1658, postwar reformer
* Yi Su-gwang, 1563–1627, scholar-official who introduced Western thought to Korea.
* Yu Hyeong-won, 1622-1673, representing what is sometimes considered the first generation of Silhak scholars and advocated a "public land system" where the state would hold title and allocate the land for the farmer to use. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0765614286&id=hkRbZQogLA4C&pg=PA48&lpg=PA48&dq=silhak&sig=vEYmJBOeu5EGcu5EBoGrwdPIF3A] .
* Yi Ik, 1681–1764, of the second generation of Silhak scholars, founder of the "Gyeongsechiyongpa" ( _ko. 경세치용파/經世致用派), advocating reforms of land ownership, economic infrastructure, and government administration. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790442&id=ZP_f9icf2roC&pg=PA864&lpg=PA864&dq=silhak&sig=qu-XlnIyExDnT1yg1jzQdW8zvMk] . This is known as the "equal field system" and was suppose to guarantee enough land for each farmer to provide for his livelihood. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0765614286&id=hkRbZQogLA4C&pg=PA48&lpg=PA48&dq=silhak&sig=vEYmJBOeu5EGcu5EBoGrwdPIF3A] .
* An Jeong-bok, 1712–1791, student of Yi Ik.
* Yun Hyu, 1617–1680
* Pak Se-dang, 1629–1703
* Pak Jiwon, 1737–1805, center of the "Iyonghusaengpa" ( _ko. 이용후생파/利用厚生派), promoting industrialization, technological reforms. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790442&id=ZP_f9icf2roC&pg=PA864&lpg=PA864&dq=silhak&sig=qu-XlnIyExDnT1yg1jzQdW8zvMk] .
* Sin Gyeong-jun, 1712–1781
* Wi Baek-gyu, 1727–1798
* Hong Dae-yong, 1731–1783
* Yi Deok-mu, 1741–1793
* Pak Je-ga, 1750–1815, was a part of the Northern School of Silhak and was particularly critical of the civil service examinations ("kwago"), which was designed to select the most intelligent men for high governmental service but had become corrupt and allowed incompetent men into government. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1840649712&id=Ik4nJ8oTn9YC&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=silhak&sig=yoT-OPbwp4SjSAzsbt8Tjrlthww] .
* Kim Jeonghui, 1786–1856, representing the "Silsagusipa" ( _ko. 실사구시파/實事求是派)
* Jeong Yak-yong, 1762–1836 (informally known as "Tasan"), leading the third wave of Silhak. He was the author of the "Mongmin Shimsu", written while he was in exile (1801-1818). Like a number of other Silhak scholars, he was interested in some Christian ideas. However, he renounced these deviations from Confucianism and thus (unlike his older brother) escaped the headsman's axe in the Catholic persecution of 1801 [(Baker, 1999)] . He was an advocate for the right of the people {"min kwon"). He believed that rigid class boundaries should be broken; and, at one time, advocated something oddly like a Maoist commune system. Specifically, he suggested a "village land system," in which the village would hold its land in common and farm the land as a whole, while the products of the land would be divided based on the amount of labor contributed. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0765614286&id=hkRbZQogLA4C&pg=PA48&lpg=PA48&dq=silhak&sig=vEYmJBOeu5EGcu5EBoGrwdPIF3A] .He seems to have stopped expressing these radical notions at some point, but continued to believe that the common people should be able to participate in the government, to criticize the government, and have a voice in selecting their leaders. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN3110147971&id=VZ8zdt5d3ugC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&printsec=8&dq=silhak&sig=-29rAgv0BKSQ8CWRqPYzNfRF4t4] . He wrote "The Mind Governing the People" and argued that a rigid social class order with the king at the top was necessary for the government to maintain order but also favored experimentation for the social good. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1840649712&id=Ik4nJ8oTn9YC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&printsec=8&vq=silhak&dq=silhak&sig=KLmDRzhA2Uxjrrn7EfAbNmeNX0Y] .

ee also

* Confucianism
* Korean Confucianism
* List of Korea-related topics

Baker D (1999), A different thread: Orthodoxy, heterodoxy and Catholicism in a Confucian world, in JHK Haboush & M Deuchler (eds.), Culture and State in Late Chosŏn Korea. Harv. Univ. Press, pp. 199-230.