• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.34
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• pp.1-26
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• 2020

In Taiwanese Daoism, the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe (九天應元雷聲普化天尊) is the highest deity in the Thunder Ministry. In the the Korean new religion, Daesoon Jinrihoe (大巡真理會), he is the Supreme God. However, since the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe has the same name in these two traditions, it naturally leads people to wonder whether or not they can be considered the same deity. Or failing that, it could still be asked, to what extent are these two deities related? Or it could further be asked what meaning does the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe have in these two religions? Anyhow, all such questions depend on first establishing a greater degree of basic clarity. Religious scripture can serve as a cornerstone in gaining such basic clarity. Scripture almost invariably contains information regarding the divine nature, divine authority, and sacrosanctity of deities reflective of what is understood by the devotees of those religions. Clues on the precise nature of these key attributes of deity-depiction can be drawn out of scriptural accounts, and as such, the research presented in this paper will begin by comparing two relevant scriptures. The representative scriptures highlighted in this paper will be The Canonical Scripture (典經) of Daesoon Jinrihoe and The Scripture of the Jade Pivot (玉樞寶經) of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity, 正一) Daoism. These scriptures will serve as the basis for exploration and analysis of the divine attributes of the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe in terms of his divine nature, divine authority, and sacrosanctity. By comparing these two scriptural accounts of his divine attributes, the similarities and differences that arise can be properly explored. This paper endeavors to clarify the ultimate purpose of 'the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe.' In this paper, the first step will be an exploration of scriptural analysis. The contents of this paper is roughly divided into four sections. The first section is an exploration of the general contents of the two scriptures, including their origin, contents, and value. The second section focuses on the three main divine attributes of the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe: his divine nature, divine authority, and sacrosanctity. The third section will compare the depictions of the deity in the two scriptural accounts in terms of those three attributes. Lastly, the deity's evolutionary history in both religions is shown and compared and final remarks are made on the contemporary value of the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.28
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• pp.267-302
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• 2017

This study aims to understand the concept of God in Daesoon thought through gods, divine beings, and divine Dao as they are featured in the I Ching. This study also explores analysis by dividing the 'one' from the I Ching into personal subject, metaphysical and fundamental marvel, innate divinity and morality of human beings as being among various concepts of god. Among the terms regarding god, divine Dao is especially clear in its depiction of this concept. In this context, the study looks closely at the characteristics of the concept of God. The divine Dao is actually an order that has been spread throughout the world by Sangje's will and the gods are endowed with His mandate. Through such order, the divine Dao leads to the Dao of divinely empowered humans by the Great Dao of mutual beneficence and natural solution. Divinely empowered humans is a concept which corresponds to the idea that 'Divine affairs are akin to those of humans.' Divine beings have human will and feelings in the afterlife, and due to their close relationship to human beings, they exercise an influence over human beings. They have human will and feelings while alive as well. In addition, they also have grievances and grudges. Such grievances and grudges can be resolved by mutual beneficence. And the divine affairs and activities move in accordance with Taegeuk (the Great Ultimate), Sangje's will, and the divine Dao. Therefore, it is a principle that divine beings should obey and an operational law in theonomy. Sangje's divine Dao and heavenly mandate accord with the Great Ultimate and are thereby revealed. Natural solutions can be reached when Divine beings and human beings gain awareness of this truth. To realize the divine Dao, humans and divine beings should practice the dao of benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom, and they should rely on one another. Furthermore, this is done to accomplish the dao of heaven and earth.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.115-132
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• 2022

Caodaism officially came into existence in 1926 in Southern Vietnam and soon became a spiritual phenomenon, in the sense of spiritual and social influence. Despite being sandwiched between political forces and ruling governments, Caodaism steadily grew far beyond its national boundary. After 95 years, Caodaism eventually reached Taiwan when a new small Cao Đài Congregation, approved by top Cao Đài Dignitaries in Vietnam, was established in Zhongli District, Taoyuan City by a group identifying as 'Vietnamese New Immigrants' in Taiwan. This article traced this religious organization's doctrine, philosophy, prophecy and relevant socio-cultural factors and found that (1) Caodaists see the successful spreading of Caodaism to Taiwan as having been prophesied long ago; (2) Caodaists believe that any human efforts by Cao Đài missionaries to spread Caodaism overseas without approval from Divinities could end up in failure; and (3) the similarities in social, cultural, and religious practices between the peoples of Vietnam and Taiwan lay a strong foundation for Caodaism to further develop in Taiwan.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.41-59
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• 2022

Caodaism is a new religion from Vietnam which began in late 1925 and spread rapidly across the French colony of Indochina. With a broad syncretic aim, the new faith sought to revivify Vietnamese religious traditions whilst also incorporating religious, literary, and spiritist influences from France. Like Catholicism, Caodaism kept a strong focus on its monotheistic nature and today Caodaists are eager to label their religion a monotheism. It will be argued here, however, that the syncretic nature of this new faith complicates this claim to a significant degree. To make this argument, we will consider here the nature of God in Caodaism through two central texts from two important stages in the life of the religion. The first is the canonized Compilation of Divine Messages which collects a range of spirit messages from God and some other divine voices. These were received in the early years of the faith. The second is a collection of sermons from 1948/9 that takes Caodaist believers on a tour of heaven, and which is entitled The Divine Path to Eternal Life. It will be shown that in the first text, God speaks in the mode of a fully omnipotent and omniscient supreme being. In the second text, however, we are given a view of paradise that is much more akin to the court of a Jade Emperor within an East Asian milieu. In these realms, the personalities of other beings and redemptive mechanisms claim much of our attention, and seem to be a competing center of power to that of God. Furthermore, God's consort, the Divine Mother, takes on a range of sacred creative prerogatives that do something similar. Additionally, cadres of celestial administrators; buddhas, immortals, and saints help with the operation of a cosmos which spins on with guidance from its own laws. These laws form sacred mechanisms, such as cycles of reincarnation and judgement. These operate not in the purview of God, but as part of the very nature of the cosmos itself. In this context, the dualistic, polytheistic, and even automatic nature of Caodaism's cosmos will be considered in terms of the way in which they complicate this religion's monotheistic claims. To conclude, this article seeks to demonstrate the precise relevance of the term 'monotheism' for this religion.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2024

Artworks inspired by birds have consistently enjoyed popularity, both in the past and present. Designs featuring birds from mythology have particularly garnered significant admiration. Therefore, this study aims to develop into the jewelry design with bird motifs from "Sanhaegyeong", a representative work of Chinese mythology. The research analyzes the characteristics of birds depicted in "Sanhaegyeong" and investigates design cases inspired by these birds. Birds in "Sanhaegyeong" are broadly categorized into divine birds and monstrous birds. Divine birds are predominantly represented with diverse color combinations and unified tones, while monstrous birds are primarily expressed in contrasting colors such as red, green, and white. The study further scrutinizes the forms, colors, and symbolism of jewelry inspired by birds in "Sanhaegyeong". These works predominantly utilize various colors, green, and red. By integrating shapes and patterns relevant to the era associated with the origin of "Sanhaegyeong", designers applied them in the designs, taking into consideration the contextual background and the relevance of design forms. It is anticipated that these research findings will be valuable to designers intrigued by mythical bird designs.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.33
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• pp.257-286
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• 2019

This study aims to explain theodicy in Daesoon Jinrihoe using established theodicies. Theodicy in Daesoon Jinrihoe can be described as follows: within the worldview of Daesoon Jinrihoe, the problems of evil and suffering are better addressed by analyzing the problem of mutual contention. Accordingly, theodicy in Daesoon Jinrihoe is a matter which should be discussed only in regards to the time period known as the Former World and the transition period after the Reordering Works that leads up to the Later World. The Later World does not operate under patterns of mutual contention. Consequently, there will be no suffering. Therefore, issues of theodicy are irrelevant in the Later World. Theodicy should be dealt differently as it pertains to the Former World and the previously mentioned transition period. Daesoon Thought posits that there is an underlying principle presides over the cosmos, and the divine beings act in accordance with it and perform specific duties in their own subdivisions. The cosmic principle is able to contain cycles of both Sanggeuk ('mutual destruction' in general usage, but 'mutual contention' in Daesoon Thought related to the Former World) and sangsaeng ('mutual generation' in general usage and 'mutual beneficence' in Daesoon Thought related to the Later World). Suffering came into being due to mutual contention. However, mutual contention was not set into motion maliciously, but was arranged instead to facilitate the realization of greater values such as growth and development. In other words, mutual contention are not products of a moral value the nature of which is bad or wrong. Yet, since the world has operated under mutual contention from time immemorial, a nearly incalculably vast multitude of grievances have accumulated. In addition, the divine beings who had operated under mutual contention often made mistakes and spread confusion. This extreme situation resulted in tremendous disasters breaking out all over the world. Perhaps this particular theodicy could be named "Dualistic Sanggeuk Theology (Dualistic Theodicy of Mutual Contention)." After the divine beings reported to the Supreme God that the world had fallen into a serious crisis, the Supreme God penetratingly examined the circumstances of the world and then descended to Earth as a human being named Jeungsan. As Jeungsan practiced the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth, the Great Opening was preordained by Him. As a result, the transition period started, and from that point onward, theodicy should be described differently. It is presumed that all creatures will be judged at the time of the Great Opening. This will result in the annihilation of all wicked beings including both divine beings and humans. There will also be the establishment of an earthly paradise as well as grievance resolution for all beings prior the Great Opening. This can also be called "The Eschatological Theodicy of the Resolution of Grievances." Theodicy in Daesoon Jinrihoe adopts the two theodicies mentioned above. In addition to that, various theodicies from other traditions such as Irenaean ("soul-making") Theodicy, Free Will Theodicy, Recompense Theodicy, Afterlife Theodicy, Karma Samsara Theodicy, theodicy of participation, and Communion Theodicy can all potentially be applied on a case by case basis.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.33
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• pp.219-255
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• 2019

'Dao' is an important research subject as it is the main term for 'ultimate reality' in East Asian religious thought. Understanding the concept of 'Dao' is essential to reach the state of 'Perfected Unification with Dao,' the ultimate aspiration in Daesoon Thought. The meaning of 'Dao' can vary such as 'Dao' meaning 'way', which was first introduced in Jinwen. There is also the 'Dao' of yin and yang, and Dao used to mean human obligation, or Dao meaning the way of Heaven. These can also be classified into five categories: Constant Dao, Heavenly Dao, Divine Dao, Human Dao, and the Dao of Sangsaeng. Every natural phenomenon of birth, growth, and death in the universe operates under the patterns of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, Constant Dao in Daesoon Thought is the ultimate pattern underlying human action and the operations of Heaven and Earth. These apply not only to the natural and the divine world but also to the human world. It can be said that 'Rather than natural law or moral symbol of the world, 'Heavenly Dao' means the great Dao that saves the world through the Daesoon Truth of Sangje, Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven. Divine Dao can be said to be 'the Dao by which man must complete his work according to the law and the will of God,' that is, 'the Dao by which God and man are united together by Sangje's heavenly order and teaching, which aims for humanity, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom.' When the world is in a state of calamity and crisis, the request for the saint's Dao can symbolized by the kings, Yao and Shun, in The Canonical Scripture (Jeon-gyeong). The saint's Dao saves the dying world and people's lives and is called 'saving lives by curing the world (濟生醫世)'. It can be regarded as a characteristic of Human Dao in Daesoon Thought, which is the human obligation to follow Sangje's order, the great Dao to save the world. The Dao of Sangsaeng is the true dharma that rectifies the world full of mutual conflict through the ethics of the Later World, which is to promote the betterment of others and to practice the human Dao that saves the world and rebuilds the Constant Dao. Thus, The concept of Dao in Daesoon Thought is Daesoon Truth which applies to and operates throughout all realms of Heaven, Earth, Humanity, and the Divine world. Dao in Daesoon Thought was influenced by the historical background in which it emerged and this can be seen in its ideological features. It embraces the traditional concept of Dao, which refers to the Chinese classics and represents the main schools of thought in East Asia: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. And it is unique in that it implies the will of Sangje as a religious object, a supreme being. It can be seen that Daesoon Thought has developed through the process of defining the concept of Dao by harmonizing both the universality and specificity of modern Korean religious thought.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.25
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• pp.391-420
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• 2011

Christina Rossetti's novella Maude displays Tractarian influences in terms of Holy Eucharist, Puseyism, and the doctrine of Reserve. Tractarianism is High Church revival movement of nineteenth century. In the story a teenage girl, Maude went through hard time receiving Holy Eucharist due to self-consciousness and internal guilt according to Puseyism. She felt guilty when she enjoyed worldly things and outward beauty. Due to guilt Maude refused to receive Holy Communion, which is complete connection to God. Her cousin, Agnes suggested that in refusing Holy Communion Maude is following her own will not God's will. Later Maude overcame Puseyite thought of self-hatred and reconciled with her identity as a poet and a woman. Maude oscillates between concealing and revealing, secrecy and truth, sincerity and affectation, and modesty and display. Her marvelous poetic talent makes people praise her but she withholds private feelings and attempts to divert attention from herself. Like Maude herself, the meaning of her poems is at times reserved and withheld. This tendency goes with the doctrine of Reserve in Tractarianism. The doctrine of Reserve utilizes indirect methods to reveal divine attributes because finite human being can not accept infinite God. The doctrine of Reserve sees to it that the expression will be veiled, indirect, subdued and self-effacing. Rossetti adapts a poetic method of Reserve when Maude has anxiety over 'display and poetry' and generates the reticence, secrecy, mystery, renunciation, modesty and detachment. According to Mary Arseneau, by veiling and expressing herself through symbols she can rise above the self and employ the phenomenal to suggest a noumenal reality. Thus the poetry becomes an expression of longing for the divine. The poem "Three Nuns" exemplifies Maude's maturity and gradual progress in the relationship with God. Rossetti suggests the vision full of hopes and promises of reuniting with God. In conclusion, in some sense, authoritative and conservative Tractarianism affects Rossetti both ways. On the one hand, it makes Rossetti abnegate herself and leads her to asceticism, on the other hand, it makes Rossetti express her faith in God and write amazing devotional poems such as "Three Nuns". A poem within the poem has three voices that are in perfect harmony. In the poem the first and second nun show hesitation to fully commit to God's will and the desire for the world prevents them from having heavenly joy. Third nun reveals spiritual maturity and sings new life in God where their hopes and joys begin. Rossetti expresses the procedure of spiritual growth through the poem "Three Nuns". For Rossetti, self-abnegation and self-expression both are involved in the doctrine of Reserve, Puseyism and Holy Communion.

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-60
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• 2018

The paper was inspired by Jung's words in the Red Book "just as Christ tormented the flesh through the spirit, the God of this time will torment the spirit through the flesh." I propose that the new form of torment in this era could be eroticism as a way of the individuation process because it seems to be one of a very few ways left to modern men to grasp the sense of permanence, the essence of the divine, without religion because of its peculiar nature of transcendence. I suppose that it is not only a man who is tortured but also god is in torment since the divine needs a man as a womb for his incarnation. Therefore I suggest that man and god are fated to seduce each other to be redeemed by each other. I imagine that Eros with numinous sexuality seduces a man who has potentials for the god's incarnation and who would be willing to give in to the god's demand. This god needs a man who desires his essence of perpetuity, the eternal water of life, in ecstasy. Thus the purpose of the divine's seduction is to make a man awake from unconsciousness to pursue god himself, namely the individuation process. I call such divine seduction "eroticism of god" There seem to be a certain type of people who are destined to live eroticism as a way of individuation process. Through investigations, a melancholic tendency appears to be suitable for this type of individuation. Melancholia is deeply related to the poignant awareness of impermanence as the existential condition, which is a precondition for seeking permanence through eroticism. Melancholia essentially causes deep longing for eternity that bears fulfillment, which exists in eroticism, so melancholic agony seems inevitable for eroticism as the path for individuation in that, without knowing about deficiency, we never seek what is lacking in us. It can also be viewed that while a lover is driven to seduce lost love, what actually waits to become seduced for redemption is the god of love itself behind the human beloved. Man and god are fated to seduce each other for redemption. I suppose that the initiation to Eros implies how to seduce Eros. In a woman's psyche, psychological virginity is one of the essential qualities that her ego needs to attain. To the male it is vital to live his sensuality thoroughly and to experience his own and his lover's emotions to their limit. It cannot be an easy task because it demands us to give up our egotism entirely. Through eroticism, unconsciousness seduces us to make us live life as a whole. The god of love brings powerful sexuality as a means of "spiritual crisis" to redeem our lukewarm soul. Only a few can withstand the experience since it requires a strong will to bear the brunt of the sword despite the keen awareness that it may leave us bleeding in pain.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2024

The novel literature of the Romantic era was characterized by emotionally charged and imaginatively rich works. During this period, authors brought a new flow to the literary scene by exploring romantic themes in their unique styles. Various themes and genres emerged, diversifying the novel's target audience. It was during this era that Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights" was published. In this paper, we aim to explore the theme of alleviating internal turmoil within this novel, focusing on one enigmatic character, Heathcliff, among the main protagonists. We will illuminate Heathcliff's tumultuous past, analyzing the intricate connections of events that led to profound psychological anguish. By scrutinizing his actions and outward expressions, this paper seeks to understand the manifestation of his internal pain in interactions with other characters. We present a more comprehensive understanding of "Wuthering Heights," transcending the conventional boundaries of literary analysis. It not only proposes practical methods for alleviating internal turmoil but also sheds light on the timeless theme of divine love, offering readers a profound framework for interpreting the complexities of human relationships and the pursuit of inner peace.