• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.42
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• pp.167-199
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• 2022

A majority of religious orders in Jeungsanism believe in Jeungsan as a spiritual entity or incarnation of Maitreya. However, Daesoon Jinrihoe insists that the destiny of Maitreya lasts for fifty-thousand years and the 'gold (金)' associated with the Maitreya icon (Geumsan-sa Temple) symbolizes the 'Later World.' A different Maitreya icon was produced for Daesoon Jinrihoe's Toseong Training Temple Complex. That icon of Maitreya looks similar to the one at Gwanchok-sa Temple. That is because the icon in Daesoon Jinrihoe has been formed in order to emphasize Maitreya as a symbol different from the one in Geumsan-sa Temple. If the Maitreya icon of Geumsan-sa Temple is a core that symbolizes two figures, Jeungsan and his successor, Jeongsan, who inherited his religious orthodoxy, then the Maitreya icon at Toseong Training Temple Complex is a symbol that suggests faith and religious practice from a more conventional perspective. The Maitreya icon in Geumsan-sa Temple deals with issues of religious orthodoxy whereas the icon at Toseong is related to the prophecies on the redemption of people and the advent of Dao-empowered sages. According to Daesoon Thought, Maitreya is not just the future Buddha. He has already descended on the earth in modern times. Due to Jeungsan's descending on the earth, the incarnation of Maitreya has been accomplished as far as the Daesoon faith is concerned. Henceforth, the true practice of Maitreya reverence in the context of Daesoon Jinrihoe should be focused around a group of devotees who specifically practice Jeungsan's Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth. An attempt to do so will enable the formation of the ideal world aimed upon by Maitreya.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.47
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• pp.241-279
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• 2023

The Scripture of Myriad Laws was first published in 1986 and then reprinted in 1994 and 1995. It gained widespread recognition as a mysterious text or a Buddhist document containing enigmatic content that deemed difficult to comprehend. Through the analysis of the content of The Scripture of Myriad Laws, it was revealed that the book was published by the Dragon Flower Order, a Jeungsanist religion founded by Seo Baek-Il (徐白一). Therefore, the various texts included in The Scripture of Myriad Laws can be classified as 'Songs of Jeungsanism' (Jeungsan-gyo Gasa 甑山敎歌辭). The contents included in The Scripture of Myriad Laws often mention terms unique to the Jeungsanist orders, such as 'the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth' (天地公事), 'presiding over cures' (醫統), 'Degree Number' (度數), 'the West God' (西神), 'the nobility of heaven' (天尊), 'the nobility of earth' (地尊), 'the nobility of humanity' (人尊), 'ruling the world for 50 years' (治天下五十年), and 'the era of Resolving Grievances (解冤時代).' It also discusses the birthplace and birth date of Kang Jeungsan, his family name, and the duration of his existence. The contents directly quote the words spoken by Jeungsan and incorporate them into songs. They also mention unique Jeungsan terms such as 'Five Immortals Playing Baduk' (五仙圍碁), 'open-weight wresting match,' 'birth, growth, harvest, and storage' (生長斂藏), 'the god who listens to words' (言聽神), 'pillar of foundation' (基礎棟樑),' 'Ocean Seal' (海印), and 'the higher gods' (上計神). It is also notable that some verses of Chinese poetry that Jeungsan taught his disciples are directly quoted in this scripture. Furthermore, the scripture shows traces of Buddhist salvational beliefs; particularly those that emphasize faith in Maitreya Bodhisattva (彌勒信仰). However, The Scripture of Myriad Laws differs from traditional Buddhist beliefs in that it anticipates and emphasizes the birth of a specific individual endowed with the power and abilities of Maitreya Buddha. While emphasizing Maitreya Buddha (彌勒世尊) and the Dragon Flower Gathering (龍華會上), the scripture also specifically mentions Geumsan-sa Temple (金山寺) located on Mount Moak (母岳山) in North Jeolla Province, and these details are sung about in a special manner. This positive portrayal serves to affirm the belief of followers that Jeungsan, centered around Geumsan-sa Temple, was an incarnation of Maitreya Buddha. Moreover, The Scripture of Myriad Laws subtly asserts that Seo Baek-il, the leader of the Dragon Flower Order, who is mentioned in the scripture, is the absolute savior who has come to this world in place of Jeungsan. In support of this teaching, his birth date, birthplace, years of imprisonment, release date, and honorific name (號) are all recorded in precise detail.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.47
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• pp.203-239
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• 2023

Jo Jeongsan's religious activity undertaken to benefit society can be organized into two categories. First, attention can be paid to Jo Jeongsan's religious activity of establishing religious order by enshrining Kang Jeungsan as the God of Ninth Heaven and making the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth the basic idea inspiring the social activity of his order. This was completed through the 50 years of propagation work carried out by Jo Joengsan in accordance with Kang Jeungsa's purpose of saving the world and its inhabitants. Second, his practice of social work in the field of people's lives based on the idea of the Dao can also be observed. This religious activity of Jo Jeongsan which began in 1909 was the sacred manifestation of his will to realize Kang Jeungsan's purpose of saving the world and people, and it was also a practice of spreading virtue throughout the world. In addition, Park Wudang carried out Sihak and Sibeop Gongbu (two varieties of holy work) for the cultivation of Dao trainees, and those methods came from the systematic cultivation practice established by Jo Jeongsan. Regarding this, we can refer to Kang Jeungsan's saying, "As the Dao shall dwell in the 12,000 peaks of Geumgang Mountain, the same number of sages who were enlightened to the Dao will be born into the world." The perfected state of human maturity or the emergence of people who are enlightened to the Dao would be the completion of the idea of saving the world and its inhabitants. Therefore, the holy works of Sihak and Sibeop that are now being carried out can be seen as the continuance of the pursuit of saving the world and humankind, as it was continually upheld by Park Wudang's predecessors, Jo Jeongsan and Kang Jeungsan.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.19
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• pp.47-80
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• 2005

고구려는 지리적인 조건으로 말미암아 삼국 가운데 가장 먼저 불교를 수용할 수 있었으며 5세기부터 7세기사이에 고구려의 불교문화가 백제, 신라와 고대 일본에 전해져 동아시아 전체에 보급되었다. 불교 전래 당시부터 고구려 왕실이 열성적으로 불교를 신봉한 일은 충분히 주목할 가치가 있는데, 왜냐하면 중앙 집권적 국가로 전환을 시도하던 때 마침 불교의 사회적 정치적 가치를 인식하게 되었기 때문이다. 불교와 왕권이 상호 관계를 강화하는 쪽으로 힘을 결집시켰는데, 왕실은 불교에 대해서 후한 지원을 아끼지 않았으며, 불교는 전륜성왕, 혹은 우주를 지배하는 자, 미륵 그리고 보살 등 모티브의 상징적 중요성을 통치자에게까지 확대시킴으로써 통치자의 지위를 신성시하는 이념적 기틀을 제공하였던 것이다. 이런 맥락에서 볼 때 불교를 받아들인 후에 세워진 비문들이 왕명 앞에 성(聖) 자를 붙여 왕의 지위를 신성화하는 의미를 나타내고 있다는 점은 우연의 일치가 아니다. 4세기말 국가 차원에서 불교를 수용한 고구려와 6세기초 법흥왕 당시의 신라는 시대적인 차이가 있으나, 국가 발전의 같은 단계에 서있었기 때문에 이 두 나라의 초기 불교 정책에 많은 유사점을 찾을 수 있다 고구려에서 거칠부와 더불어 신라로 넘어 온 혜량법사가 진흥왕 12년에 처음 개최된 백고좌강회는 《인왕경》에 입각한 것이며, 이 법회가 신라인의 사상적 통합과 진흥왕의 위업을 향상하는 데 기여하였다고 여겨진다. 그리고 진흥왕이 말년에 승복을 입고 법운이라는 법호를 택했는데 여기서 주목할만한 것은 법운(法雲)이 《십지경》에서 말하는 보살의 수행 최종 단계 그것에서 따온 것이며, 《십지경》은 이미 고구려에 익히 알려졌을 것이었다.신라 화랑이 미륵의 현현으로 여겨졌다 함은 일찍부터 지적되어 온 것입니다만 이 논문에서, 그것은 북중국에서 5·6세기경 유행한 그리고 소미륵으로 간주된 월광동자 (月光童子)신앙이 고구려를 통해 남하여 화랑의 사상적인 바탕이 됐다는 것으로 이해하였다. 그 증거로 《수라비구월광동자경》에 나타난 용어와 고대 한반도의 지명을 들 수 있는데 이 경은 고구려의 선인(仙人) 사상 및 신라의 화랑을 간접적으로 직결시킨다는 점도 염두 할 필요가 있다.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.104-121
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• 2018

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the Buddhist art in Jeju which has rarely been in the mainstream discussions about the Korean art by focusing on the statues of Jabok Mireuk, or Maitreya of Wealth and Fortune. The Buddhist art in Jeju reached its heyday during the late phase of the Goryeo period (918-1392). The imperial court of Yuan (1271-1368) established Beophwasa, one of its guardian temples which was also a "complementary temple" of Goryeo (918-1392). In 1296, the community of monks based in Myoryeonsa Temple published the Jeju edition of the Buddhist canon granted by the royal court of Goryeo, contributing to the foundation of the island's academic culture. Other items representing the heyday of the Buddhist art of Jeju include the Vajra Guardian carved on the greenschist pagoda of Sujeongsa Temple built during the late Goryeo period and the Five-story Stone Pagoda of Bultapsa Temple made from the locally obtained basalt rock during the early $14^{th}$ century. The Buddhist art of Jeju during the Joseon period (1392-1910) is represented by Jabok Mireuk, or Maitreya of Wealth and Fortune, a pair of stone statues of Maitreya Buddha carved to feature three aspects of the Maitreya worship spread among the local folks in the period. Each of the statues is in a peaked cap and official's robe and characterized by bulging eyes comparable to those of the Buddhist guardian deities such as the Vajra guardian who were designed to protect a sacred area against evil forces. The Maitreya statues provide valuable sources of knowledge about the types of Maitreya adopted by the worshippers of local folk religion in the Joseon period. The Jabok Mireuk statues in Jeju can be easily compared with the Two Rock-carved Standing Buddhas in Yongmi-ri, Paju (1471), and the two standing stone Buddhas in Daeseongsa Temple in Okcheon (ca 1491) and on the Sipsinsa Temple site in Gwangju in that they all wear peaked caps in the "treasure canopy" style which gained popularity during the early Joseon period. One may conclude then that these statues are related with the Neo-Confucian elites who wanted the Joseon dynasty they established to prosper under the auspices of the Buddha of the Future. Interestingly, the enshrinement of the stone Buddha of Daeseongsa Temple is presumed to have been participated by Yuk Han who had served as the Governor (Moksa) of Jeju, suggesting its connection with the Jabok Mireuk despite the regional difference in their style.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.36
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• pp.201-225
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• 2020

In the late Joseon Dynasty, ideas in folk religions were closely related to Daoist themes. There were, for instance, folk ideas centered on Prophecies of Jeong Gam (鄭鑑錄 jeonggamrok) that developed into 'raising island-armies (海島起兵說 hado gibyeongseol),' the future utopian movement known as the 'South Joseon Faith (南朝鮮信仰 namjoseon sinang),' and faith around 'Maitreya's Descensionist-Birth (彌勒下生 mireuk hasaeng).' People aimed to transform their country based on these ideas. Associated folklore tended to come from fengshui (風水) and books on prophecies and divination (圖讖 docham), and both of these drew heavily upon Daoist concepts. On the other hand, Daoist texts began being translated as national projects under King Cheoljong (哲宗), and many more were translated and published later under King Gojong (高宗). The nature of these Daoist texts mostly consisted of either morality books (善書 seonseo) or precious scrolls (寶卷 bogeon). The problem was that these ordinances and the Daoist texts of regents were among the main causes of civil war during the Qing Dynasty. In this regard, the translation of the Daoist texts conducted as a national project provided a theoretical basis for the people wishing to foment civil war or transformation. This raises the question of why King Gojong implemented a Daoist translation project in his nation. In an effort to answer this question, this article summarizes the popular ideas of the late Joseon Dynasty and explains how they were closely related to Daoism. In addition, this article summarizes the facts about how Daoism has emerged from a national crisis but developed a function of protecting the state (鎭護) in Korean history. Further described is the situation under which Daoism was summoned during the Japanese Invasion of Joseon (壬辰倭亂). Analysis is provided to show that King Gojong's intention was to translate Daoism due to Daoism's role in protecting the state. In addition, the relationship between current Daoist rites and customs in Korea and King Gojong's dissemination of Daoist oaths and vouchers is confirmed.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.126-147
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• 2018

The compositions and iconographies of the three Illustrations of the Sixteen Contemplations produced in the early Joseon Dynasty effectively manifest the transitional period of Joseon society as well as the Joseon people's perception of the Pure Land. In particular, the painting at titled Chionji (知恩寺) dated 1435 and another painting at titled Chion' in (知恩院) from 1465, which were commissioned by the Joseon royal family and high-ranking monk, embody the Pure Land faith of the Tiantai School of Buddhism (天台宗) which thrived during the late Goryeo period. This indicates that the Joseon royal court continued to favor the Pure Land faith that emphasized salvation through "self-power" (自力), which was popular among both the royal family and the nobility of Goryeo. On the other hand, in the painting at titled $H{\bar{o}}rinji$ (法輪寺), which is presumed to have been made in the sixteenth century, the compositions and iconographies shown in late Goryeo examples of the Illustrations of the Sixteen Contemplations are disassembled. Moreover, a new iconographical motif, i.e. "welcoming the dragon boat" (龍船接引), emerged with this painting. This motif symbolizes the idea that the souls of the deceased are guided by Amitabha Buddha to rebirth in the Pure Land of Extreme Bliss, which is based on the "other-power" of the Pure Land faith that emphasizes the power of Amitabha Buddha in attaining salvation rather than the educational "self-power" of the Pure Land faith. The emergence of this motif demonstrates the transformation of the Pure Land belief into a faith that relied on the "other-power" of Amitabha in Joseon's Confucian society.