강신표의 한국문화 이해와 대대문화문법(待對文化文法)

초록

Kang Shin-pyo started his study on the cognitive structure of Korean traditional culture since the 1970s. The cognitive structure of Korean culture became the main theme of study during most of his academic life. For Kang, the essential objective of cultural studies should be the inquiry to discover the ‘cultural map’ of societies, according to Claude Levi-Strauss’ structural anthropology. Kang mainly explains the cultural logic (map) of Korean traditional culture by employing the concept of Yin-Yang as the basis of his theory of Dae-dae-mun-wha-mun-bop. Kang suggested that three main aspects of Korean traditional culture’s logic are hierarchicalism, collectivism, and theatrical ritualism. I argue that the logic and language of Kang’s interpretations of the cultural logic of Korean traditional culture have several serious defects. Confusion around the boundary of object cultures and the irregularity of logics are typical ones. Nevertheless, Kang Shin-pyo was a sincere academic of Korea’s post-colonial epoch who strove passionately to develop a kind of ‘indigenous academic knowledge’ which ensures a place for indigenous society (Korean society, in his case) in the discovery, interpretation, and benefits from decision making about its’ own culture and heritage. Korean anthropological society, still lacking sufficient diligence for theoretical debates, should learn the lessons from his legacy.

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