Yu Kil-chun’s Moral Idea of Civilization and Project to Make All People Gentlemen

Abstract

Yu Kil-chun (1856–1914) was a pioneering theorist in Korea’s Patriotic Enlightenment Movement. Through works such as Sŏyu kyŏnmun, he proposed a new path for the development of Korean civilization. Yu’s encounter with Pak Kyu-su in his early years prompted his interest in Western civilization. He soon decided to study abroad and experience the Japanese and American civilizations first-hand. Based on his experiences, Yu proposed a general blueprint for political reform during the Kabo Reform of 1894. In 1908, he initiated a political reform movement at the provincial level by organizing two groups named Hŭngsadan and Hansŏng Puminhoe. Subsequently, Yu Kil-chun’s enlightenment theory and writings on reform were regarded as a classical model that helped to initiate the modernization of Korea. However, the existing literature concerning Yu’s work exaggerates the progressive role he played and overlooks the logical contradictions and limitations inherent in his ideas. In this article, I conclude that the contradictions in Yu Kil-chun’s enlightenment theory stem from his moral understanding of civilization and the rights of the people. As a result, the project he envisioned ‘to make all people gentlemen’ ultimately focused on how to raise Confucian subjects of an empire rather than how to cultivate modern citizens.