본고의 문제 제기는 독서(讀書)라는 용어가 있음에도 불구하고 관서(觀書)라는 용어를 왜 이렇게 빈번하게 사용하였을까 하는 데서 출발을 한다. 만약 관서가 독서의 단순한 대체어가 아니고 독자적인 이론 체계를 지칭하는 용어라면 이를 밝히는 일은 고전 독서이론의 계승과 발전을 위한 일이 되리라 본다. 논의 내용을 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째 900여 개의 자료를 추출하고 ‘책을 보다[관서(觀書)]’의 ‘문장 구조’를 기준으로 하여 이들 자료를 유형화해 본 결과, 관서 단독으로 사용 된 자료들인 관서단독형[이서관아형], ‘관서’에 ‘이서(以書)’가 붙어 ‘관(觀)’을 수식하는 자료인 ‘이서관서형’, ‘관서’에 ‘이아(以我)’가 붙어 ‘관(觀)’을 수식하는 자료들인 ‘이아관서형’ 등으로 분류되었다. 둘째 독서론적 관점에서 볼 때, 관서단독형은 ‘책으로써 나를 보기인 이서관아(以書觀我)’의 독서법으로 책의 정신을 독서인의 마음속으로 수용하고 확장하는 단계이며, 이서관서형은 ‘책으로써 책을 보기인 이서관아(以書觀書)’의 독서법으로 선입견을 세우지 않고 허심(虛心)을 견지한 상태에서 독서를 시작하는 단계이며, 이아관서형은 ‘나로써 책을 보기인 이아관서(以我觀書)’의 독서법으로 독서 과정에서 책의 정신과 독서인의 마음이 합일하는 단계이다. 셋째 독서의 단계로 보면, 이서관아(以書觀我) 독서법은 독서의 목적과 관련된 단계이며, 이서관서(以書觀書) 독서법은 독서인의 독서 관점과 관련된 단계이며, 이아관서(以我觀書) 독서법은 독서 과정에서 이루어지는 독서인의 책 통제성과 관련된 단계이다. 이들 단계의 순차적·계기적 관계를 나타내면 ‘이서관서[1단계] ⇔ 이아관서[2단계] ⇒ 이서관아[3단계] ⇒ 이서관서[1단계]’의 순환체계가 된다. 넷째 이서관서 독서법, 이아관서 독서법, 이서관아 독서법은 현대인들의 독서 병폐에 대한 치유제가 될 수 있다. 자신의 선입견으로만 책을 보려는 현대인의 이기관서(以己觀書) 독서, 책을 놓으면 망연히 책의 내용을 모두 잊어버리는 현대인의 자기 과시형 독서 등의 병폐를 치유할 수 있기 때문이다.
The starting point of this study is the reason why the term ‘Gwanseo’(觀書) was used frequently in old documents instead of the more usual term ‘Dokseo’(讀書). Thus, this study suggests that ‘Gwanseo’(觀書) is a term which refers to an independent theoretic system on reading method. And this study is to identify the system, which will be helpful for deeper understanding on classical reading theory. The results are as follows. Firstly, about 900 ‘Gwanseo’(觀書) materials out of Korean classical literature DB were extracted, which were classified and named into three types by the standard of sentence structure, ‘to see a book’[觀書]. For the materials only related with the Juja's poem Gwanseoyugam(觀書有感), the materials which belong to it are the Gwanseo single type[Iseogwana type, 以書觀我形]. ‘The type of Iseogwanseo’ is materials in which ‘Gwan’(觀) is modified by the addition of ‘Iseo’(以書) to ‘Gwanseo’(觀書). ‘The type of Iagwanseo’ is materials in which ‘Gwan’(觀) is modified by the addition of ‘Ia’(以我) to ‘Gwanseo’(觀書). Secondly, the three types’ meaning is found out in view of reading theory. The Gwanseo single type[Iseogwanseo, 以書觀書形] is a reading method ‘to see myself by a book’ [以書觀我], which is a step of inner acceptance and discovery of Hwalsoo(活水)[Hwali, 活理] in a book. The type of Iseogwanseo is a reading method ‘to see a book by a book’[以書觀書], which is a step to start to read a book in a condition of not having a preconceived idea and holding on to empty-mindness. The type of Iagwanseo is a reading method ‘to see a book by myself’[Iagwanseo, 以我觀書], which is a step of unification of the book’s spirit and the reader’s mind. Thirdly, the sequential and opportune relation of the three reading methods is found out. In view of the reading step, Iseogwana reading method is a step related with the aim of reading. Iseogwanseo reading method is a step related with the standpoint of reader’s reading. And Iagwanseo is a step related with the reader’s control of a book which is realized in the course of reading. Therefore, the sequential and opportune relation of the three reading methods become ‘Iseogwanseo[the first step] ⇔ Iagwanseo[the second step] ⇒ Iseogwana[the third step] ⇒ Iseogwanseo[the first step]’. Fourthly, the three reading methods can be a remedy for the reading malady of contemporary people. Iseogwanseo reading method functions possibly as a remedy for the contemporary reader’s Igigwanseo(以己觀書) reading method which is to see a book by his own preconceived or previous idea only. And also, Iagwanseo reading method which features an unification of the book's spirit and the reader’s mind can be a remedy for the malady of self-displaying reading method by which contemporary readers forget all the contents of the book as soon as they finishes reading a book. Today, readers can not help reading a book for their actual purposes. However, reading for inner introspection and development is also needed. Consequently, Iseogwana reading method can be a remedy for the reading tendency of contemporary readers which focuses on practicality only.