Absolutism Vs Neo Confucianism

In late 1700s, Sin Hudam asserted, as ethical guidelines, Neo-Confucian moral obligations to the five hierarchal relationships are the basis for the nation in proper order. In the late 1800s, the Neo-Confucian cardinal virtues still remained as a source of innovation, self-definition, and structuring organization in Korea, based on which the elites and non-elites designed the reform agendas. In particular, Yi Hangno in 1866, Pak Yŏnghyo in 1888, and Chŏn Pongjun in 1895, identify the corruption of a relationship on trust between the ruler and the ruled as the evidence of the national decline. All three individuals believe prosperity, confidence, and peace of the nation depend on how the mutual relationships are reinforced in the political system. Therefore, Yi Hangno, Pak Yŏnghyo, and Chŏn Pongjun assert the replacement of the depraved officials with those who are qualified, in order to protect and strengthen Korea at a dangerous time of imperialist encroachments; although each agenda differs in degree of

To illustrate, Yi Hangno in 1866, as junior assistant secretary affiliated to the Royal Secretariat, realized the necessity of building military force and the support from the people to depend the national physical and economic boundaries from the Western invasion because the nation realized China’s incapability to protect Korea from Western invasion. Thus, Yi wanted qualified officials who can promote and recruit “a militia of loyal and dependable men to assist the government forces” and who can “enrich the people and cause them to look up to the king” (238). In order to do so, Yi called upon Confucian principle, “a rule by moral principle as in the past” (237). The officials should be “respected and trusted”, in order to maintain “hierarchical order of the political system” to depend the foreign invasion