식민지기 유교 고등교육과 명륜전문학교

초록

In the 1920s, the Confucian ancestral rites undertaken by Kyonghagwon(經學院) were on their way to becoming a propaganda tool for Japan’s colonial rule of Korea, and the Hyanggyo(鄕校) or Confucian schools(明倫學院), of rural provinces found themselves ill equipped to build modern institutions of Confucian education due to lacking finances and conflicts surrounding the course of study. On the other hand, there were growing signs of a revival of Confucianism in Japan, most notably led by the Shibunkai(斯文會), as in the restoration of Confucian ancestral rites at Yushima Seido(湯道聖堂) and the establishment of Daito Bunka Gakuin(大東文化學院), an institution for Confucian higher education. It was against this background that Myeongryunhagwon(明倫學院) was opened in colonial Korea, with the purpose of promoting Confucianism and fostering Confucian officers. Established in 1930 as a higher education level miscellaneous school(專門程度 各種學校), Myeongryunhagwon(明倫學院) was the first specialized institution of Confucian education in colonial Korea. In the beginning, the curriculum of Myeongryunhagwon(明倫學院) was made up of a two-year regular course(正科) and one-year supplementary course(補習科), but was restructured in 1936 into a three-year main course(本科) and a research course(硏究科). Contrary to Japan’s educational institutions of Confucianism such as Nishogakusha(二松學舍) or Daito Bunka Gakuin in which Chinese letters were the core subject of study, Confucian scriptures were the main focus of study at Myeongryunhagwon. Kyonghagwon(經學院)’s administrative staff took care of the school’s administrative affairs, overseen by the Japanese Government General(朝鮮總督府)‘s officer in charge. There were full time and part time lecturers, and the names of six full time lecturers are shown in existing data. There were three types of part time lecturers: professors or assistant instructors of Keijo Imperial University(京城帝國大學), Korean scholars of Chinese classics working at Kyonghagwon(經學院) or Jungchuwon(中樞院), and bureaucrats of the Japanese Government General such as editorial or guidance officers. However, there were actually two Keijo Imperial University professors who played a key role in teaching the courses. Most of the routine expenses of Myeongryunhagwon(明倫學院) were covered through donations from the Hyanggyo(鄕校) in rural areas. Accordingly, the Hyanggyo held the right to nominate new students to Myeongryunhagwon. In the initial phase, only about half of the students enrolled were middle school graduates. Many of them were older in age and had difficulty finding employment after graduating from Myeongryunhagwon. There were openings for town clerks(郡主事) and officers of the county(面書記), but they were reserved for the ones with a middle school diploma. In 1936, qualifications for entering Myeongryunhagwon were reinforced to include middle school graduation, but it did little to solve the problem of unemployment after Myeongryunhagwon. At this point, demands for a specialized Confucian higher education institution were growing, fueled by the emergence of Japanese Imperial Confucianism(皇道儒學) and the need to establish a state of war. In 1942, Myeongryunhagwon was elevated to a higher status(Myeongryun Professional School, 明倫專門學校) and reorganized to offer three year advanced courses in three disciplines: Confucianism, law, and economy. But with the war intensifying, the school ended up being closed down in 1944, to be replaced by Myeongryun Training Center(明倫鍊成所). As such, Myeongryun Professional School finished its short run as a Confucian higher education institution of colonial Korea without turning out even one graduate. After the liberation of Korea, the unresolved problems from the colonial period regarding the Kyonghagwon(經學院) and Munmyo(文廟, Confucian Shrine), and Myeongryunhagwon, Myeongryun Professional School, and the Hyanggyo were all still existent throughout the establishment and identity formation of Sungkyunkwan University(成均館大學校) and became the focal point of conflict.

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