| Hangul: | 선비 |
| Rr: | Seonbi |
| Mr: | Sŏnbi |
Seonbi were scholars during the Goryeo and Joseon periods of Korean history. They were generally seen as non-governmental servants of the public,[1] who chose to pass on the benefits and authority of official power in order to develop and share knowledge.[2] However, some former bureaucrats were seen as seonbi, as they moved to the countryside after retirement and adopted the seonbi lifestyle.[3]
Seonbis in the traditional sense do not exist today, although the term is sometimes used metaphorically to describe people. When applied to a person, the meaning can be complimentary, highlighting a person's intelligence, morality, and composure.[4] However, it can also be used negatively, similarly to the English term "geezer", or to highlight a perceived anachronistic value system.[5] Also, it also sometimes is used with a connotation with hypocrisy, especially due to the rampant corruption of the Joseon dynasty.
The seonbi followed a strict code of conduct and believed they had the moral duty to lead society in the right direction.[6] Seonbi were to live life in modesty and perpetual learning in order to attain perfection of character, not only through knowledge but also by adhering to the rightful path. The goal of the seonbi was to achieve social justice.
Seonbi were expected to possess the Confucian virtues of filial piety and loyalty to the king, disdain power, wealth and private interest, and be ready to lay down their life in order to remain faithful to their principles and maintain their integrity. They venerated scholars such as Chŏng Mong-ju (who died for his fidelity to Goryeo), the six martyred ministers (who refused to accept Sejo's usurpation of the throne), and Jo Gwang-jo (a reformer who died trying to transform Joseon into an ideal Confucian society) as embodiments of the seonbi spirit and as examples to follow.
Education was of great importance and referred to as "enlightenment", and seonbi gathered and studied at seowon institutions.[7] Seonbi masculinity denotes mental attainment rather than physical performance, and is still valued by many South Koreans and considered by some scholars to be the ideal model of Korean masculinity.[8]
The seonbi had deep sympathy for the hardships of the common class. In their pursuit of social justice, the seonbi submitted blunt petitions to the king despite the dangerous consequences and suffered many purges as a result. Due to their reputation for integrity and incorruptibility, the seonbi were idealized and romanticized in popular imagination as men of honor in contrast to the ruling yangban class, even though seonbi came from the same class. The seonbi was a common figure in traditional Korean depictions of the Joseon period. For instance, a seonbi appears as one of the characters in the traditional mask dance preserved at the Hahoe Folk Village, where he competes with a yangban character, often depicted as corrupt and greedy.[9]
Since archery was a liberal arts subject for seonbis in the Joseon Dynasty, there were many scholars who learned archery. Therefore,a seonbi, that is, a scholar, is a person with a specialized education to become a bureaucrat. In addition, almost all of the numerous righteous armies that actually took place in Joseon were led by seonbis. Even in ordinary villages, seonbis, who were closely associated with yangban, were in the same position as local leaders, therefore, seonbis were able to properly unite ordinary people. Which means most of senbis who were trained in combat and command. Representatively, there are seonbis such as Gwak Jae-u, Go Gyeong-myeong, and Jo Heon, who led righteous army in battlefields.[10] [11]
Righteous army 의병 were mainly organized and led by seonbis. As a dictionary definition, righteous army refers to an army that arose for righteousness, but this can be defined differently depending on the times and peoples. meaning the army of justice. In other words, it was called righteousness to prohibit mobs and seek chaos.[12]
See main article: Political factions in Joseon dynasty. During the Joseon Dynasty, Sarim faction was a political faction in Joseon dynasty that actively sought to realize the political ideology of Neo-Confucianism. Sarim was the ruling class in charge of political and social functions in close contact with the king's sovereignty. They were responsible for the political ideas of Neo-Confucianism not only at the ideological level but also at the practical level in the political system of the Joseon Dynasty.
Sarim's political ideology was found in emphasizing royal politics based on Neo-Confucian Deokhwa-gyo-min 덕화교민(to enlighten the people) and realistically implementing it, while removing and eradicating the principle of wisdom and prestige at the ethical level.
Sarim's political ideology was practicality that it was courageous to seek justice and not to do it. Sarim's political ideology was expressed as a spirit of resistance to the challenges of death, consolation, injustice, and injustice from home and abroad.
It appeared as a spirit of purity to reveal the degree of dispute over internal political contradictions and to defend the national pride and security against external challenges. The fact that the Joseon Dynasty, which adopted Neo-Confucianism as a political ideology, responded to the national crisis in the face of the invasion of the immigrants and showed an active resistance attitude was connected to this ideological foundation.
In the 16th century, the Sarim faction participated in politics, emphasizing Taoism, a practical study of Neo-Confucianism. From the perspective of Sarim, the practice of righteousness was identified as the practice of righteousness.
Through the temporary decline of the Sarim faction, Neo-Confucianism was systematized, and as academic diversity emerged, practical academic style was emphasized. The representative figure was Jo Sik. He emphasized practicality in Neo-Confucianism, and his practice was expressed as loyalty. For him, righteousness appeared as an emphasis on extroverted practice. As for the cry, he insisted on active subjugation from the perspective of the theory of painting, and emphasized the guideline of loyalty, "Chunchu."[13]
Modern depictions of seonbi in popular media are ubiquitous, with some examples being: