Zhu Xi and Jeong Yak-yong in Comparative Perspective

Is Confucianism a static relic of the past, or a living, breathing diversity of thought? While we often speak of Confucianism in the singular, this course invites you to explore "Confucianisms"—a dynamic and evolving tradition that has taken different shapes across time and geography. This course offers a comparative philosophical exploration of Zhu Xi, the 12th-century Southern Song Neo-Confucian master, and Jeong Yak-yong (Dasan), the prominent 18th-19th century Joseon scholar. The lectures contrast Zhu Xi’s orthodox Neo-Confucian framework, which focuses on universal principle (Li), with D…