Soe-gye(西溪) Pak Tae-Moo(朴泰茂) was one of the famours scholars who lived in the right side of Kyungsang province in the 18th century. After the restoration in 1623 the scoholastic trend in this area was desprited with party strifes. He declined all of the successful career, and concentrated his mind on expounding his scolarship based on the Newcofucianism. He devoted himself to studying and practicing sacred books to cultivate his mind. His scholarship intended to keep his principles to establish firm faith for the spritual culture.
His principles for the spritual culture could be summrized as the diagram and inscription of Jagyungbyung[自警屛]. The diagram and inscription of Jagyungbyung could be seen as the most representative summary of his scholarship, which he focused in two fundamental concepts Sung[誠] and Kyung[敬].
Soe-gye's interest in endeavoring at self-cultivation was succeeded to the scholarstic mentle originated in Namymung[南冥] and his forefather Pak-Min(朴敏) who was one of the followers of Nammyung and one of the friends of Misu[眉叟]. In partcular he attached much importance to Simhakdo[心學圖]. In this point Soe-gye's scholarship for the spritual culture shows a marked trend toward practical ethics[心學] originated in Namymung school.
His discussion for self-cultivation in the rouhly based on the dilatation and interpretation of the typical articals of Sungrijulyo[性理節要], but by the way he successfuly explained the purpose and the prescription for self-cultivation.