A Study on Lee Byeong-heon’s Perception of Confucianism as a Religion : Focusing on his Petitions Regarding Japanese Colonial Policies

This study investigates Jinam Lee Byeong-heon’s (李炳憲, 1870-1940) perception of Confucianism as a religion, focusing on his petitions (1917-1920) submitted to the Japanese Government-General of Korea concerning its colonial policies. Compiled in the Lee Byeong-heon Jeonjip, these petitions offer crucial insights into his Confucian reform ideology. Lee Byeong-heon dispatched these proposals to both the Joseon Governor-General and the Japanese Prime Minister, articulating his views on the necessity of “Confucianism as a religion” and its policy implementation methods. The Joseon Government-General tended to categorize Confucianism as “non-religious,” limiting its function to “social enlightenment” and seeking to bring institutions such as the Gyeonghakwon (經學院) and Hyanggyo (鄕校) under central control. While Lee Byeong-heon largely concurred with the Government-General’s direction toward modernizing governance, he proactively proposed specific improvements by advocating for Confucianism’s religious status. The core point of contention was the Japanese authorities’ perception that Confucianism was “not a religion,” a view that directly challenged Lee Byeong-heon’s stance and led to detailed, policy-centric discussions in his petitions. He believed that the resolution of all issues concerning Confucianism hinged on its official recognition as a religion. His proposals centered on three key areas: 1) expanding Confucianism’s role beyond mere social enlightenment to encompass national governance, 2) contemplating a religious system capable of uniting the Korean populace, and 3) seeking to ameliorate the restrictions placed on Hyanggyo activities due to excessive social reforms. Although this study does not include a comparative analysis with Lee Byeong-heon’s other related works, it also can be seen as an essential preliminary inquiry for understanding the developmental process of his Confucian reform thought.