• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
• /
• v.49
• /
• pp.53-92
• /
• 2024

The abbot of Gobulseonwon Monastery (古佛禪院) in Chungju has disclosed his monastery's possession of materials such as an allegedly handwritten copy of Daesoon Jeongyeong (The Canonical Scripture of the Great Itineration) and Cheonsimgyeong (The Scripture of the Heavenly Mind), gasa (Lyric) collection books, and old letters, and subsequently, investigative research reports and monographs were also published. According to Gobulseonwon Monastery, their copy of Daesoon Jeongyeong was reported to have been written in 1910. In addition, they consider their copies of Cheonsimgyeong, gasa collection books, and old letters to be closely related to Jeungsan (甑山), with the possibility that their copy of Cheonsimgyeong was directly written by Jeungsan. For context, the object of faith in the gasa collection books is Jeungsan, and the old letters describe situation that were contemporary during Jeungsan's time. However, the gasa collection book, To be Learned with True Spirit, is a collection of nearly 20 songs that encourage enlightenment, and Cheonsimgyeong is likely to have come from the Jeondoju (Transmitted Dao-Incantations) used in ritual practices, rather than having been handwritten by Jeungsan. The 36 examples of old letters contain ordinary events in daily life. As such, these materials are not specifically related to Jeungsan. The copy of Daesoon Jeongyeong kept by the monastery was transcribed by Lee Yang-Seop, who resided in Jangseong, Jeonnam, in 1957, and it is significant as it includes various religious gasa such as Chaeyakga and Jeseshinyakga. The materials of unknown origin are especially worthy of attention. The materials preserved in Gobulseonwon Monastery are valuable materials related to various Korean new religions such as Gyeongjeongyudo and various Jeungsan-inspired religions. It is necessary to find the true nature of these materials, and this line of research will contribute to the study of Korean new religions.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
• /
• v.48
• /
• pp.199-237
• /
• 2024

Donghak-gyo, the Teaching of Eastern Learning, is a new religious order founded by Kim Ju-hee, centered around the Donghak (Eastern Learning) lineage. The core thought conveyed in the lyrics of Donghak-gyo songs (gasa) can be identified as the concept of 'Return to the Former World (先天),' considering the frequency of the term and the content of the recited verses. The view of time and destiny (時運觀) held by Eastern Learning emphasizes the concept of 'Another Great Opening.' Donghak-gyo's perspective on time and destiny is further rooted in the concept of 'Return to the Former World.' Donghak-gyo particularly emphasizes the term 'Former World,' and incorporates the Study of Changes (易學) into their songs. They recite verses that depict the situation of the Great Opening as an interaction between yin and yang. In Donghak-gyo, it is emphatically asserted that the completion of the Later World's destiny leads to the achievement of the 'Return to the Former World.' It is sung that with the restoration of destiny associated with the 'Return to the Former World,' the symbolic 'Spring (春)' represented by the virtue of Wood (木德) will return. Donghak-gyo describes the unfolding of a new cycle of destiny (運數) as the 'restoration of Changes (易).' When this occurs, they refer to the emerging new world, characterized by a new order and norms, as the 'Return to the Former World,' asserting that a 'moral world' will be established, leading to the development of a moral civilization. It is also sung that the restoration of the destiny associated with the Return to the Former World is akin to the restoration of the Heavenly Dao (天道). The characteristics of the concept of the Return to the Former World are threefold: firstly, it advocates a nostalgic system; secondly, it is a backward-looking thought; and thirdly, the idea of 'cyclical repetition' encourages tangible actions such as 'returning to the origin' or 'restoring fundamentals.' The concept of Return to the Former World in Donghak-gyo, unlike many new religions of those days, provided a unique conceptualization and understanding of the Former World and presented a new framework for interpretation. It moved away from the notion of discarding the Former World as a relic of an outdated era, and instead interpreted it as a new era to be embraced. Therefore, the concept of 'Return to the Former World' in Donghak-gyo should be re-assessed as one of the ideologies that inherits the pursuit of returning to and restoring the past in Eastern traditions. However, it can be criticized for lacking a concrete methodology with regards to the 'Return to the Former World.' Additionally, it is noted for deficiencies in ethical consciousness and moral virtues. Furthermore, its explanation about the Former World come across as insufficient. Thus, the concept of the 'Return to the Former World' in Donghak-gyo seems to be characterized more by declarative slogans than substantive content.