A Study on Perception of the Ruling Class in the Late Joseon Period with Respect to an Extraordinary Person

Abstract

with respect to an extraordinary person written in Yujip. Traces of the past of extraordinary persons written in Yujip were different from characteristics of extraordinary persons defined by the ruled class. In social change and chaos the ruled class perceived a person who could solve actual problems, resolve the miseries of human life and stabilize livings as the extraordinary person who could collect and represent situations and consciousness of the ruled class. On the other hand the ruling class perceived a person who could relieve the ruled class, settle the public sentiment and maintain ruling ideology and order as the extraordinary person who could be normative person that could realize an ideal society of confucianism. The one aspect of perception of the ruling class was contained with human universal needs to live socially and economically stable lives, pursuit to realize an ideal society of confucianism by reinforcing ruling ideology, and will to raise value of confucianism by recognizing ideas except confucianism. In other words some people of the ruling class of the time described traces of the past of extraordinary persons in order to ruminate the past, face up to the reality, lead an ideal life and realize an ideal society.