A Study on the Meteorological Interpretation of Yulgok’s Cheondochaek and Its Educational Implications

This study aims to analyze Yulgok’s interpretations of meteorological disaster presented in Cheondochaek, written for the special state examination in the 13th year of King Myeongjong’s reign(1558), by comparing them with perspectives from modern meteorology, and to derive implications for science education. To this end, a literature review and qualitative content analysis were conducted using the original text of Cheondochaek and its Korean translation provided by the Institute for the Translation of Korean Classics. Yulgok’s explanations of major meteorological phenomena—such as wind, clouds, fog, thunder, lightning, frost, dew, rain, snow, and hail—were examined in comparison with the conceptual framework of modern meteorology. The results show that the meteorological interpretations in Cheondochaek are grounded in Neo-Confucian theories of Li and Qi, particularly the harmony of yin and yang, and reflect an integrated epistemic structure that links natural phenomena with moral values and political order in human society. Although this approach differs from modern meteorology, which explains phenomena primarily through meteorological elements such as air pressure, temperature, and humidity, it can be regarded as a rational explanatory system that seeks to understand natural phenomena as orderly and rule-governed rather than as chaotic events. Based on this analysis, the study argues that Cheondochaek can serve as an educational resource that supports the goals of Integrated Science in the 2022 revised science curriculum, particularly in fostering reflection on the tentativeness and contextual nature of scientific knowledge, the diversity and limitations of scientific explanations, and the relationship between nature and human society.