Methods and Directions of Modern Reconstructions of Confucianism-Focusing on the Case of Korea

“Lapland Manifesto of Confucianism” is a clear rejection of the reconfiguration of Confucianism as an ideological basis for meritocracy and collectivism. In contrast, the manifesto focuses on Confucian theories of nature and cultivation, because these theories are the basis for establishing the self (individual) as the subject of moral practice. Discussions on the reconstruction of Confucianism have also been lively in Korea, mainly by discovering elements compatible with modern values in the Confucian tradition, reconstructing it, and on this basis, asserting its intrinsic potential to reach modern values. The range of their discussions includes not only modern values such as capitalism, individualism, and democracy, but also post-modernist values such as feminism and ecology. However, they have also relied on analyzing the classics to try to reconstruct only the universal values they seek, paying no attention to contemporary behavior and experience. In particular, Koreans, who identify strongly with Confucianism but have characteristics that distinguish them from China, need ways of understanding Classics that can account for their experiences and behaviors. This paper examines how introspective attention allows readers to grasp the meaning of classics as accurately as possible while developing a deeper understanding that is closely related to their own generalizable experience. In this way, readers can become more familiar with the classics in relation to their own experience, and the classics can provide explanations for the readers’ current experience and help them formulate a critical view of reality.