Since Japanese version in 2006 and Chinese version in 2011, translated version in Korean published this year
First academic book of 'Jung Byung-gyu Edition' established by Korea's first North Korean Designer Jung Byung-gyu
Plans to author trilogy including <Modern Doctrines of Wang Yangming of East Asia> and <Contemporary Doctrines of Wang Yangming of East Asia>
[May 20, 2016]
YU Professor Choi Jae-mok (55, photo below), an authority in Doctrines of Wang Yangming in Korea, published a book in Korea since writing <Doctrines of Wang Yangming of East Asia> (Jung Byeong-gyu edition, translated by Lee Woo-jin) after 25 years.
'Doctrines of Wang Yangming of East Asia' was the PhD thesis written by Professor Choi in 1991 at the University of Tsukuba, and it was published in Japan by the famous Japanese publisher Pelican Press in 2006. In 2011, the Chinese version was published by the Taiwan University Press. This book was recognized as an essential book to read for experts in the field. It was recommended in the past by Professor Tu Weiming of Harvard University, Professor Kojima Yasunori of the International Christian University in Japan and Chien Ming, the chief of the International Wang Yangming Research Center in Zhejiang, China. After publishing the Korean version, it will also be translated into English.
This book was published in March after three years of translation by Dr. Lee Woo-jin (Academy of Korean Studies), a young scholar majoring in the Doctrines of Wang Yangming in Korea. It is a 730 page book that shows the progression of the Doctrines of Wang Yangming in the three East Asian regions such as China, Korea and Japan, and includes over 2,000 footnotes to help readers understand the contents. It can be called a 'Study on Modern Philosophy History of East Asia Seen from the Perception of the Doctrines of Wang Yangming' as it compares the development and processes of the Doctringes of Wang Yangming for the three countries.
The Doctrines of Wang Yangming are a system of thoughts that share common traits in the three areas of East Asia, and studies on this were carried out by region. Professor Choi chose a new method to understand the 'universality of the Doctrines of Wang Yangming' and 'peculiarities of each region' to overcome the limitations of past studies through his book. Professor Choi is planning to make three editions following <The Doctrines of Wang Yangmin of East Asia> followed by <Modern Doctrines of Wang Yangmin of East Asia> and <Contemporary Doctrines of Wang Yangmin of East Asia>.
This book is receiving even more attention as it is the first academic book for 'Jung Byeong-gyu Edition', which is a publishing company established by Jung Byung-gyu, who is called Korea's first book designer.
Professor Choi majored in East Asian Philosophy and Philosophy History (Doctrines of Wang Yangming) at the University of Tsukuba in Japan where he earned his master's and PhD, and is currently serving as a professor at the YU Department of Philosophy since 1991. He also conducted researcher as a visiting scholar or guest researcher at Harvard, Tokyo University, Leiden University of the Netherlands, and is the chairman of the Korean Association of Japanese Thought. His major works include <Doctrines of Wang Yangming of East Asia>, <My Heart is the Lamp: The Life and Philosophy of Wang Yangming>, <Toegye Shimhak and Wang Yangming>, <Lao-tzu>, and <Eastern Philosopher Visits Europe>.