예(禮)와 관용에 대한 일고찰: [순자(荀子)]를 중심으로

This article aims to rethink toleration in East Asian philosophy. Toleration has been stressed as a fundamental value for a democratic society. However, the concept of toleration is confusing and controversial in Korean society. Some argue that the widespread toleration found in Western democratic societies is especially lacking in Korean society. Others claim that toleration is one of the most deeply-rooted traditional values in Korean society and further, that the East Asian tradition of toleration is even better version than the Western version. For the purpose of settling this dispute, research at both the theoretical and practical levels on toleration should be carried out from diverse perspectives. This article focuses on toleration and li, or propriety, in the context of Xunzi, a collection of classical philosophical texts from East Asia. Previous studies on toleration in East Asian philosophy are mostly from a Neo-Confucian perspective approaching it through the understanding others with ren (benevolence), zhongyong (balance avoiding extremes), or the openness of Confucius among other topics - all of which have been idealistic interpretations of toleration. As opposed to previous research approaches, this article reinterprets toleration in the context of Xunzi. In Xunzi, the human instinct of pursuing interest and avoiding loss is approved, toleration is necessary to protect individual interest, and the social system based on li guarantees toleration among individuals. Jing(respect) is the attitude to realize toleration in the form of action between individuals, groups, and countries. Although toleration does not appear as an independent concept in Xunzi, its main logic lies within human instinct, namely li(propriety), fen(division) and wei(intentional action), which indicates toleration in its own sense.