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Religious Wonder in Pre-Modern Korea: Its Social, Cultural, Political Aspects
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Religious Wonder in Pre-Modern Korea: Its Social, Cultural, Political Aspects

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 1320

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Seong Uk Kim

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
Interests: Korean Buddhism and religions; East Asian Buddhism and religions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Just as in China and Japan, there were phenomena of wonder that took place beyond the purview of people’s knowledge of nature in pre-modern times in Korea, often described using the term “yŏnghŏm” (Ch. lingyan, lit. numinous verification). These were religious and spiritual phenomena or events in which the power of the sacred, including buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities, immortals, and scriptures, was (perceived to be) revealed in an incomprehensible way, often as a response to wholesome or unwholesome human actions. These phenomena of wonder or mystery not only belonged to the realm of the subjective personal experience and interpretation but also frequently went over to the communal and social areas, shaping and enforcing or undermining community values and royal sovereignty. Although there are many records in Korea of yŏnghŏm, associated with Buddhism, Confucianism, folk beliefs, and even Catholicism, few academic studies have been conducted on these events or phenomena, unlike their Chinese and Japanese counterparts, especially beyond the personal realm. We invite papers that explore yŏnghŏm in pre-modern Korea in regard to its communal, social, or national meaning, implication, or influence, examining, for example, how these phenomena of wonder were made (fabricated), used, or emphasized in order to maintain and justify or challenge the established social, religious, and/or political order.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, Dr. Seong Uk Kim ([email protected]), or to the Assistant Editor of Religions, Ms. Margaret Liu ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

Deadline for abstract submission: 8 December 2023

Deadline for full manuscript submission: 31 May 2024

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Seong Uk Kim
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wonder
  • yŏnghŏm
  • lingyan
  • Korea
  • Korean religion
  • Korean Buddhism
  • Korean Confucianism
  • Korean folk religion
  • Korean Catholicism

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 428 KiB  
Article
Monks’ Militia and the Spread of the Buddhist Yŏnghŏm (Wonder) during the Japanese Invasion in the Sixteenth Century
by Yong Tae Kim
Religions 2024, 15(6), 707; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15060707 - 6 Jun 2024
Viewed by 317
Abstract
This paper explores the influence and significance of the activities of the monks’ militia during the Japanese invasion of Chosŏn, from the perspective of the religious efficacy of Buddhism and the spread of the Buddhist concept of wonder. After examining the concept that [...] Read more.
This paper explores the influence and significance of the activities of the monks’ militia during the Japanese invasion of Chosŏn, from the perspective of the religious efficacy of Buddhism and the spread of the Buddhist concept of wonder. After examining the concept that the monks’ militia played an important part in the war, fighting against enemies in major battles and constructing and defending fortresses, this paper proposes that the religious efficacy of Buddhism was revealed through the performance of burial and guiding ceremonies. Restoring the religious wonder of Buddhism, which had been criticized by the Confucian literati, Buddhist rituals for consoling the bereaved and praying for the welfare of the dead came to thrive. A dilemma existed between the principle of keeping the Buddhist precepts and the reality of fulfilling the demands of loyalty since the activities of the monks’ militia greatly damaged the Buddhist community. While killing was a direct infringement of the values of the sangha, the monks violated this precept in the cause of protecting the state and practicing loyalty. In this situation, where there was such a dilemma between the Buddhist and secular worlds, these monks’ prioritization of loyalty not only indicated the desperate national situation of the time but also reflected the social, cultural, and political context of the Confucian society of Chosŏn. This paper also explores how renowned generals of the monks’ militia, including Samyŏng Yujŏng, emerged as heroes among the people, and memories of their deeds were transmitted through wonder stories. Yujŏng was highly praised as a symbol of Buddhist loyalty, and his heroic story was expanded and reproduced among the population through folk tales and novels. While the intellectuals of Chosŏn who followed Confucian values did not believe those wonder stories, the trauma that the war left behind demanded the appearance of wondrous heroes who helped people overcome that trauma, and this demand enabled Yujŏng to emerge as one of these heroic figures. The activities of the monks’ militia, the religious efficacy of Buddhism, and the creation of the heroic narratives of the monks’ militia generals prove that Buddhism had a firm foundation in late Chosŏn society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Wonder in Pre-Modern Korea: Its Social, Cultural, Political Aspects)
15 pages, 383 KiB  
Article
The Efforts of Government-Driven Reform of Both State and Personal Rites in Early Chosŏn: A Historical Shift from Spiritual Efficacy to Meritorious Practice
by Ch’oe Chongsŏk
Religions 2024, 15(4), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040418 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 685
Abstract
In the fifteenth century, the government of Chosŏn, Korea, influenced by the new religious understandings from early Ming China, strived to reform state and personal rites by eliminating elements of spiritual efficacy to align with contemporary religious perspectives. This series of ritual reforms [...] Read more.
In the fifteenth century, the government of Chosŏn, Korea, influenced by the new religious understandings from early Ming China, strived to reform state and personal rites by eliminating elements of spiritual efficacy to align with contemporary religious perspectives. This series of ritual reforms mirrored various Ming policies that, despite being appealing theoretically, struggled with implementation due to a mismatch with local and personal realities. This suggests that Chosŏn’s government-led reforms, diverging from traditional beliefs, faced similar challenges in Korea, leading to various problems. This study delves into the ritual transformations prompted by the reforms in the early Chosŏn era. It highlights the government’s partial success in reforming state rites by removing elements of spiritual efficacy despite potential hindrances and deviations from traditional practices. However, this study also notes the failure of reforms concerning personal rites, which did not yield significant results. It reflects on the complexities and implications of these reforms, considering the socio-religious context of the time and the influence of contemporary Ming China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Wonder in Pre-Modern Korea: Its Social, Cultural, Political Aspects)
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