우계 성혼의 삶과 교훈 (The Life and Lessons of Woogye Sung Hon)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국사상문화학회
· 수록지 정보 : 한국사상과 문화 / 84호 / 239 ~ 268페이지
· 저자명 : 박광희

초록

우계 성혼(1535~1598)은 율곡, 구봉과 함께 16세기 조선의 대표적인 유학자로 문묘에 종사된 동국 18현의 한 분이다. 그는 율곡과 학술논쟁을 벌릴 만큼 성리학에 조예가 깊었지만, 특히 그의 인품과 덕행은 동료 친우들이나 제자들에게 많은 칭송을 받고 존경을 받았다. 율곡은 성리의 이론에 있어서는 율곡 자신이 우계보다 나을지 모르지만, 操行 실천에 있어서는 자신보다 우계가 뛰어나다고 고백하였다. 그리고 율곡, 우계, 구봉의 문하를 넘나들었던 조헌의 우계에 대한 존경과 흠모는 남다른 바가 있다. 우계의 학문이 아니라 그의 덕행과 인품을 우러러 보는 그의 찬사는 결코 가볍게 볼 수 없다. 율곡이나 구봉보다도 많은 문인들이 우계 문하에 모여들었고, 한결같이 우계에 대한 존숭의 마음을 나타내고 있다는 점에서 우계의 덕행이나 인품에 대해 주목하게 된다.
율곡, 구봉과의 道義之交는 친우간의 교제를 어떻게 해야 하는가 하는 하나의 전범이 되고 있다. 우계와 율곡, 구봉은 나이도 비슷하고 파주를 중심으로 삶의 무대도 같은 지역으로 어려서부터 친밀하게 지냈다. 그들은 유학에 뜻을 가진 학문적 동지로서 사로 강마했다. 서로 격려하고 비판하고 충고하면서 조선유학의 대 학자로 성장한 것은 의미 깊은 일이다. 특히 우계와 율곡은 ‘동국 18현’으로 추앙되어 사림의 존경을 받고 있으며, 구봉의 불우한 신분에도 불구하고 이 세 분의 우정이 평생 변치 않았음은 배워야 할 교훈이다.
우계는 일상생활에서 모범적 언행으로 존경을 받았다. 평소 거처할 때는 새벽에 일어나 반드시 사당에 배알하고, 저녁에도 이와 같이 하여 날씨가 춥든 덥든, 비가 오든 바람이 불든, 일찍이 그만두지 않았다. 물러나와 서실에 거처함에는 종일토록 엄숙하여 태만한 모습을 몸에 나타내지 않았으며, 사람을 접하고 사물을 대함에 한결같이 겸손하고 온화함을 위주로 하였으나, 사람들이 스스로 존경하고 두려워하여 감히 함부로 나아가지 못하였다. 집안을 다스리는 데에는 법도가 있어서 절약하고 검소함과 사랑하고 용서함을 힘썼고, 집안사람들에게 직책을 나누어 주고 일을 분담시켜 각각 조리가 있었다. 우계는 집안에 거처할 때 매일 아침 사당에 배알한 뒤에 물러 나와 반드시 바깥사랑채에 거처하여, 일이 있지 않으면 안채에 들어가지 않았다. 내외가 엄격하여 閨門이 정돈되고 엄숙하였으므로, 부인과 의상을 접하고 앉지 않았으며, 앉는 자리를 항상 멀리 떨어지게 하였다. 또 평소 근엄하게 지내어 마치 손님을 모시거나 제사를 받드는 것처럼 공손하고 조심스럽게 행동하였다. 때로 기운이 쇠진하여 지탱할 수 없으면, 등을 병풍에 기대고 앉아서 눈을 감고 숨을 고를 뿐이었다. 그러다가 잠시 후 기운이 다소 소생하면 곧 일어나 앉아 책을 보았다. 이러기를 밤낮으로 계속하여 몸에 병이 들어도 육체와 정신이 피곤한 줄을 알지 못하였다. 또한 작은 일에도 대충 지나치지 않고 부지런히 하여 무릇 손님을 접대하고, 제사에 올리는 물건이나 내외의 집안일로부터 농사일에 쓰는 집기 등의 하찮은 것에 이르기까지 반드시 미리 조처하였다. 그리하여 크고 작은 것이 각각 조리가 있어 모두 편의함을 얻었으며, 일을 당하여 군색하고 급박하게 해서 낭패를 보는 경우가 없었다. 사람과 약속을 하면 비록 상대의 신분이 미천하고 일이 또한 하찮더라도 일찍이 신의를 잃지 않았으며, 손님들과 한담하는 것을 좋아하지 않고, 방에 고요히 앉아 책을 보며 스스로 즐겼다. 이러한 것들은 학문의 힘이 축적된 결과일 뿐만 아니라 천성 또한 그러했기 때문이다.
이와 같이 우계는 어려서부터 효행을 실천했고, 율곡, 구봉과의 도의지교를 통해 자아를 성취시켰으며, 가학으로서의 도학에 충실하여 소학적 실천에 부지런했음을 알 수 있다. 즉 부친 성수침의 가르침을 통해 정암의 도학에 닿아있고, 멀리 포은, 야은의 의리를 배웠다. 또한 학문하는 법도나 교육하는 師道에서는 항상 敬을 중심으로 한 마음공부에 치중하였고, 소학적 실천을 중시하였다. 아울러 작게는 소학적 실천으로부터 크게는 출처의리에 모범을 보임으로써 진유의 길, 선비의 길을 보여주었다.

영어초록

Woogye Sung Hon (1535~1598), a representative Confucian scholar of 16th century Joseon, was one of the 18 hyuen of Donggook who studied in the Munmyou Confucian temple with Yulgok and Gubong. Woogye Sung Hon had profound knowledge of Confucian values to the extent that he could have academic discussions with Yulgok. In particular, his personality and virtues were greatly respected and admired by many colleagues and students. The purpose of this paper is to reveal Woogye's personality, virtues, and daily life, and use this information to make modern educational lessons. Yulgok acknowledged that he might know more about the Confucian theory of human nature, but Woogye was superior in the practice of manners. Choheon who studied under Yulgok, Woogye, and Gubong, had exceptional respect and admiration for Woogye. Just like Woogye's study, Choheon's respect for Woogye's virtues and personality cannot be taken lightly. Many writers wanted to study under Woogye, rather than Yulgok and Gubong, and Woogye's virtues and personality were responsible for gaining the students' constant respect and admiration. Do Ui Ji Gyo (道義之交), along with Yulgok and Gubong, has given us one of the best examples of how to foster a good relationship. Woogye, Yulgok, and Gubong were about the same age and spent their childhood together around Paju. They studied together and competed with each other as academic colleagues who had the same zeal for studying Confucianism. Through encouraging, critiquing, and advising each other, they grew into the great Joseon Confucian scholars re remember and respect today. In particular, Woogye and Yulgok have long been revered as the “Donggook 18 Hyuen” and are highly respected by the people. Despite the disadvantaged status of Gubong, the three men's enduring friendship is a lesson to be learned.
As Woogye's father fell into in a critical condition, he tried to donate his blood by cutting his finger, but he hesitated when he thought that people may mistake this act as one meant simply to curry respect through the display of filial duty. Thus, he cut and devoted parts of his thigh twice to save his father. However, few of his children knew the story because he tried to hide completely from people. Moreover, his father, Sung Soo Chim, suffered from nervous disorders for several years, so Woogye took care of his father day and night, never even stopping to change his clothes. He did not leave his father's side. As his father lay in critical condition, Woogye cut his thigh and laid it in ashes. He mixed the ashes with medicine and gave them to his father. Fortunately, his father got better quickly. Thus, Woogye' story was widely praised as one of the best examples of filial piety.
Furthermore, Woogye's exemplary manners and behaviors in daily life were very respectable. Regardless of the weather, he always bowed towards the shrine when he woke up in the early morning and at night. He was solemn and never neglected his studies in his library. He was gentle and modest when dealing with people or objects, but people feared and respected him such that they could not be friendly with him.
He followed the customs for managing a household and he lived simply, loving and forgiving the people around him. Also he distributed to and shared duties with the people who worked in his house. When he stayed at home, unless he needed to retire, he always stayed at the Sarangchae after bowing to the shrine. Because Gyumun was very organized and calm due to strict adherence to norms dictating behavior both inside and outside the home, he always met his wife while wearing proper clothing, and he always sat at a distance from his wife. He also behaved politely and carefully, as if he had a special guest or was practicing ancestral rites. He did not lie down during the day time. Whenever he wanted to be lazy, he organized and calmed himself down. If he could not control his body because of illness, he sat leaning on a folding screen and caught his breath while closing his eyes. After recovering for a while, he would read a book while sitting up. Even though he spent his days very busily and sometimes got sick, his body and mind were not wearied. He worked faithfully to do his best at every small detail in his life, even while he entertained guests. He perfectly arranged and prepared everything for ancestral rites, housework, and farming. Because of his diligence, every trivial and important thing was well organized, so everyone in his house felt peaceful. There was no case of urgency or poverty. Even though his social status was low, when Woogye made a promise to someone, he never broke his word. Woogye did not like to have small talk with his guests, but enjoyed sitting down alone and reading a book. His behavior and personality were the result of the accumulation of his wisdom and his nature. Therefore, Woogye practiced filial piety from an early age, attaining self-fulfillment through Do Ui Ji Gyo(道義之交) with Yulgok and Gubong. Also, He tried hard to practice the Sohak commitment to moral philosophy, as Gahak did. Through Woogye's father’s teaching, he practiced the moral philosophy of JungAm and learned the fidelity of Poeun and Yaeun. Furthermore, while he studied the law of academic education in Gahak, he focused on the study of mind and emphasized the practice of Sohak. In addition, he exemplified the practice of Sohak, the path of Jinyu, and the life of the scholar by becoming a great example of Chul Cheo Ui Ri.

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