Mencius Study Goes on the Internet

A newly-launched Internet site (www.docuyoo.co.kr) allows people to see the handwriting of some of the most well-known people of contemporary Korea with the click of a mouse.
This homepage, which was produced by Yoo Production, holds actual handwriting samples of 80 prominent people in the fields of politics, economics, and the arts.
Under the heading of politics are the handwritings of former presidents Yun Po-son and Park Chung-hee, as well as those of current president Kim Dae-jung. Personal observations of political figures such as Paek Nam-jun (former minister of Education) and Yu Jin-oh (former president of Korea University) can also be viewed directly via the Internet. The site has written insights into the thoughts of Ham Suk-hun (publisher of the leftist socio-political periodical 'Shialae-sori'), Kim Yong-gi (founder of the controversial 'Canaan Farmer's School'), and poets Pak Jong-hwa, Yi Eun-sang, and Su Jung-ju as well.
Als o to be viewed are former president Yun Po-son's (1960-62) 'Yubimuhan'(ancient Korean for "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"), poet Suh Jung-ju's penned original of his poem 'Gukhwa yopaeso'(By a Chrysanthemum), and Ham Suk-hun's thoughts on the core of his 'Seed' philosophy 'Shialun Waeropji Anta (seeds are never lonely).
"I put these handwritten documents on view, though they were gathered during the producing of another project, to create a 'promiment figures in history' type of documentary since I joined the TBC (Tongyang Broadcasting Co). I'll continue to add to the site's collection," said Yu Ho-suk, head of Yoo Productions.
Similarly, Seoul-based Yeosan-sodang, a society promoting the traditional study of Chinese Classics and founded in 1987, has created their own website featuring Mencius and his writings (myhome.shinbiro.com/_yeosan).
Yeosan-sudang has placed on display scannings of some original works of Mencius and accompanying explanations of each page. They plan to increase the site every week starting with the first collection of Mencius' works.
Interested websurfers can also post questions on the site's bulletin board.
"Mencius' writings are still meaningful in the 21st century. I chose the Internet as a means for people who don't have access to formal instruction to access Mencius but who want to learn," said Yeosan-sudang's schoolmaster Song Bok-ju.

by Shin Yong-ho