• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.49
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• pp.127-156
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the village gut (shamanic ritual) Dangsanje and Nong-ak (agricultural musical ritual) in the Jeong-eup Province on the formation of the ideology of the Jeungsan (甑山), Kang Il-sun (姜一淳 1871~1909), a thinker from Jeong-eup. As a result, this article has reached the following conclusions: first, the ideas of a certain thinker are influenced by the local culture in which they were born and raised. Second, the central area where Kang Jeungsan was born, grew up, and later developed his system of philosophical thought was the Jeong-eup Province. Third, in Jeong-eup, Nong-ak is traditionally accompanied as a necessary requirement. Fourth, the Nong-ak that Kang Jeungsan witnessed in his hometown during his lifetime had those qualities. Fifth, Kang Jeungsan empirically identified the close interrelationship between Village Gut Dangsanje, Nong-ak, and Mudanggut from an early age. Sixth, this aspect of influence is tangibly reflected in the words and actions he left behind. Seventh, Kang Jeungsan's experience of Jeong-eup Nong-ak was recreated in the religious music of Bocheonism, where his ideas were formulated into an organized religion for the first time. Eighth, this process of religionizing Nong-ak in Bocheonism greatly influenced later Jeong-eup Nong-ak and also Honam Nong-ak more generally.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.39
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• pp.99-136
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• 2021

Grievance-resolution pursues reconciliation, mutual beneficence, and consolidation. Accordingly, the concept of grievance-resolution is a norm, a principle, as well as an ideology that aims to realize an ideal society and satisfy human desires. Such ideological thought transcended into religious doctrine and was systemized by Jeungsan, Kang Il-sun. He focused on grudges that represented the intrinsic sentiment of Korea and apprehended that grudges are the grounds and reason for the devastation of the world. Furthermore, Jeungsan was a figure who reinterpreted the concept of grievance-resolution via a religious perspective through an in-depth study which transformed into a doctrinal system. He practiced the Reordering Works of grievance-resolution on a universal dimension to religiously redeem all things. Jeungsan completely resolved all the grudges and grievances that filled up the Three Realms (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity) through the concept of grievance-resolution and emphasized that he would establish an ideal society on earth to complete the redemption of human beings. Jeungsan apprehended that the essential characteristics of grudges and grievances were the fundamental reason for the destruction of the world. In this regard, he insisted that the redemption of the world should be achieved through the grievance-resolution. Grievance-resolution is an essential aspect and principle of Jeungsan's system of thought. In addition, it is a concrete approach to establish the earthly paradise of the Later World. Jeungsan implemented a method to redeem humankind by systemizing the intrinsic sentiments common in Korea - namely, the concept of grievance-resolution- and he suggested it as a religious practice which was the principle behind the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth. Jeungsan defined that his own era was a time of grievance-resolution. In addition, he insisted that grievances and grudges had existed from the beginning of humankind. Jeungsan also said that there were grievances and grudges in heavenly planes, human planes, and underworldly planes. It was thereby necessary to do beneficial deeds for others and reciprocate beneficence in order to resolve grievances. He emphasized that a process wherein all human desires could be satisfied was essential. Furthermore, Jeungsan stressed that this present time should focus on the process of grievance-resolution on a practical level.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.57-85
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• 2023

The politico-economic waives of Western imperialism and colonialism, along with Christianity, affected East Asia's geopolitical landscape in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While the Korean people (of the Joseon Dynasty) witnessed the incompetence of Buddhism, Confucianism, and folk religions in maintaining social cohesion with a sense of frustration, the new religious movements (NRMs) emerged to provide altrnative teachings of hope through historical figures like Choe Je-u, Kang Il-sun (or Kang Jeungsan), Na Cheol, and Pak Chungbin. In terms of popularity, colonial Korea (1910-1940) was impressed by the native groups of Cheondogyo (=Donghak), Bocheongyo, and Mugeukdo. Son Byong-hee (1861-1922) was the third leader of the first Korean NRM, but both Cha Gyeong-seok (1880-1936) and Jo Cheol-Je (= Jo Jeongsan) (1895-1958) participated in the post-Jeungsan grassroots movements. How, then, did both of these new religions originate? How did they conceptualise their deities and interpret their teachings differently? What was their policy for national independence? The article explores the socio-religious leaders, historical origin, organizational structure, deities, teaching and doctrines, patriotism, and conflicts of both NRMs in a comparative context. As such, this article argues that they both maintained patriotic characteristics, but that Cha's Bocheongyo community with its ' 60-executives' system (60 bang) failed to manage their internal conflicts effectively. Meanwhile, Jo Cheol-Je of Mugeukdo had the charismatic leadership needed to maintain Mugeukdo, despite being seen as a pseudoreligion under the colonial pressure of Shintoism.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.35
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• pp.109-145
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• 2020

Jeungsan, Kang Il-Sun (hereafter, Jeungsan)'s perspective on divine beings can be characterized by the philosophical notion of divinity, which recognizes a variety of divine entities. Jeungsan insisted that all things embrace divine entities. Furthermore, he claimed that the backgrounds of all incidents were influenced by these gods. Jeungsan thought that the universe consists of the heavenly realm, the earthly realm and the underground realm. He insisted that there were many gods in each realm. And Jeungsan defined his times as the era of divine beings, which meant that the age was a time for divine beings to actively interact with one another and take the lead in world affairs. Divine beings were briskly involved in human affairs and could either reciprocate gratitude or attain revenge. They were also divine beings that could change the acts and perception of humans as well as judge human acts. However, Jeungsan predicted that by the time the paradisiacal land of immortals was established in the Later World, divine beings would instead run errands for humans. In addition, he forecast that divine beings would be entities likely to harbor grievances just like humans, yet they would ultimately become perfected beings in the Later World. Jeungsan further suggested a multitude of various concepts such as the mutual relationship wherein the realm of divine beings and the realm of humanity interrelate with each other, the mutual responses and functions between them, mutual itineration, co-existence, and the homogeneity of divine beings and humans, which described how both have the same innate characteristics. Jeungsan proposed the concept that 'Divinity is an existential state experienced after one's death." In this regard, he is the one who formulated a new perspective of divinity. Moreover, Jeunsan stressed the immortality of humans (continuity or eternality) and the co-existence of divine beings and humans. He emphasized that divinity is intrinsically immanent and the realm of divine beings has a hierarchical system that maintains order and is akin to that of the human realm. Jeungsan recognized a revolutionary change and perspective based on humanity by suggesting a unique view of humanity. In other words, he was a religious figure who introduced an ingenious view of divinity and dramatically transformed this pattern of reasoning. In conclusion, Jeungsan re-interpreted traditional views of divinity in Korea and systemized them into a new concept of divinity in an ingenious way.

• 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.40
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• pp.187-242
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• 2022

This article was conducted with the purpose of finding the religious meaning of Jeongeup (井邑) by paying attention to two areas of inquiry. The first examines religious interpretations of the place names of peaks, mountains, and villages that have already existed have existed since ancient times. The second area of inquiry looks into religious narratives about Jeongeup that appear in scriptural records of the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth (1901~1909) as performed by Kang Jeungsan. Looking at these to areas of inquiry together, the place names and topography inherent in Jeongeup and Kang Jeungsan's various Jeongeup-related Reordering Works, can be summarized as embodying characteristics of 'beginning (始)' and 'origin (本)' which can be further likened to the meaning of 'water (水)' in a 'well (井).' First, Jeongeup equates to the heavenly origin of the Gucheon Sangje (Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven) faith in Jeungsan Thought. Mangje (Emperor-awaiting) Peak is a peak that represent the wish for the Lord's descent to earth. Seonmang (Immortal-awaiting) Village is a village that was waiting for an immortal. Jeung (Steamer-on-Cauldron) Mountain (Jeungsan 甑山) is a mountain on the earth and also the honorific name later taken by Kang Il-Sun. In relation to Jeungsan, it is interpreted that Jeungsan was born and incarnated in the village as a human in response to a plea from all divine sages, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, who had existed since the dawn of time and came to wish for salvation of humankind. This is because both Mangje Peak and Seonmang Village are connected to the meaning of 'mang (望 to await).' Second, the Reordering Works of Jeungsan which related to Jeongeup show that Jeongeup has carries the meaning of 'beginning (始源)' and 'origin (本源).' The character, Jeong (井), in Jeongeup is seen as a place that contains water energy, and symbols and allusions referring to this can be found in various Reordering Works. As a symbol or allusion, the well can be seen as a new start, the lives of all people of the world, the purification of the world, and returning to the original root everything. These symbolic images can be found in the life of Kang Jeungsan from his incarnation to his passing into Heaven. This is because Jeong can allude to the origin by the Ninth Heaven, the beginning of the Later World's paradisiacal land of immortals, and the end of the Former World (Seoncheon 先天).

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.30
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• pp.235-270
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• 2018

The term, Degree Number, was religiously re-interpreted by Jeungsan (甑山) Kang Il-Sun (姜一淳, 1871~1909) and used by him to imply 'the principle of ruling the world.' It was especially the case that his usage of Degree Number referred to the new law that will rule during the Later World, and the significance of this was promoted during Jeungsan's Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth. And Jeongsan (鼎山) Jo Cheol-Je (趙哲濟, 1895~1958), who received a revelation from Jeungsan, established new religious movements including Mugeuk-do and Taegeuk-do and gave a broader meaning to the term Degree Number which he adopted from Jeungsan. He endowed it with the additional meaning of 'all the religious activities performed to achieve an ideal world.' In the history of Korean religions, Degree Number was newly interpreted by the religiously-gifted Jeungsan, who appeared at the end of the Joseon Dynasty. The lineage of religious thought related to Degree Numbers was constantly transmitted through Mugeuk-do and Taegeuk-do both of which were founded by Jeongsan Jo Cheol-Je. Later, Park Han-Gyeong (朴漢慶, 1917~1996) succeeded this lineage when he established Daesoon Jinrihoe in 1969. Religious thought related to Degree Numbers came from Jeungsan's self-realization that he was 'Sangje (the Supreme God).' The thought was also formed by his religious declaration wherein he changed the Degree Number of mutual contention in the Former World to that of mutual beneficence in the Later World. What Jeungsan emphasized was the fluidity of Degree Numbers. Just like human beings are never able to escape from the bonds of their destiny, in Jeungsan's thought, forced or ordained cosmic orders do not exist. In the outworn world of the past, which has been defined as the Former World, the Degree Number was recognized as the ordained law and norm, but as the Later World was coming, Jeungsan recalibrated the Degree Number and defined it anew through his own authority and power as the Supreme God. Jeongsan recalibrated many Degree Numbers throughout his life. The number of Degree Numbers which Jeungsan recalibrated is relatively fewer than that of Jeongsan, who inherited the thought of Jeungsan, and then went on to categorize almost every major religious activity he performed a Degree Number. In this context, Jeungsan's 'Degree Number' became expanded and broadened in terms of its scope.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.37
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• pp.141-190
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• 2021

In early modern Korea, the founders of three main-stream indigenous new religions, Choi Je-woo (崔濟愚), Kang Il-sun (姜一淳), and Park Jungbin (朴重彬), were all ruined yangban, who could no longer maintain the social dignity of yangban. Prior to their regular religious activities, they earned livings as rural teachers, peasants, merchants, and fortune-tellers. They were marginalized for having declined from upper-class nobles to lower-class people. Due to their subalternal status, they religiously represented the inexpressible aspirations and resentments held by various subalterns. The millennial movements of marginal religions in the late Joseon Dynasty exposed and deviated from the fetters of the established order, but they did not propose a new alternative order to replace it. Unlike these millennial movements, Choi Je-woo, Kang Il-sun, and Park Jungbin all proposed utopian visions of post-subalternal alternative religions that systematically presented and practiced new alternative worldviews characterized by the "Great Opening of the Later World (後天開闢)." The world they longed for was one wherein anti-subalternal social regulation were overthrown, the oppression of various subalterns end, and the established social order was replaced. In this article, I have argued that three main-stream indigenous Korean new religions, Donghak (Eastern Learning), the Jeungsan-inspired religious movements, and Wonbulgyo (Won Buddhism) are utopian alternative religions. I made this argument by analyzing some aspects by which they represented subalterns and offered subalterns a new religio-social status.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.34
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• pp.49-74
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• 2020

Daesoon Thought (大巡思想) emerged from indigenous Korean religion during the Joseon Dynasty. Thinkers within this tradition took Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山 secular name Kang Il-Sun 姜一淳 1871~1909) as their Highest God (上帝) and The Canonical Scripture (典經) as their main scripture. The Tenets, Four Cardinal Mottoes, Three Essential Attitudes, and Aims of Daesoon Thought are related to the concepts, categorical thought, and structure found in Confucianism. In particular, terms such as The Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang (陰陽合德), gods and humans^* (神人 ^*also 'divine humans' in some contexts), Dao Governance (道統), Quieting the Mind and Quieting the Body (安心安身), and Sincerity, Respectfulness, and Faithfulness (誠敬信) are all widely used in Confucianism. This paper will examine Daesoon Thought from the perspective of the Confucian Thinker, Yulgok (栗谷), and more specifically, his Theory of Reason and Energy (理氣論) and its key concepts: The Wondrousness of Reason and Energy (理氣之妙), Triggered Energy Transports Reason (氣發理乘), and Reason Pervades and Energy Delimits (理通氣局). It will be shown that Daesoon Thought shares essentially the same thinking and reasoning, and as such, the two systems are organically connected. Furthermore, both schools of thought pursue harmonious adjustment and emphasize practice. Although this study may contain suggestions which seem far-fetched when compared to previous studies, it investigates Daesoon Thought from the perspective of Neo-Confucian discourse on Nature and Principle (性理), which had great value in the mainstream culture of Korea's Joseon Dynasty. Given that Daesoon Thought and Neo-Confucianism both are forms of traditional thought, there is bound to be some connection between them.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.34
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• pp.107-139
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• 2020

This paper primarily focuses on the highest deity, the Upper Thearch of the Nine Heavens (officially translated as 'The Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven'), in the Korean new religious movement (NRM) Daesoon Jinrihoe and the true minister of the myriad spirits in the Taiwanese NRM, Yiguan Dao, the Upper Thearch of Manifest Luminosity. As the two both serve as highly representative "Upper Thearch" beliefs in emerging NRMs, I attempt a comparative analysis of the source of these beliefs, their characteristics, and the links that exist between them. On the basis of ancient Chinese classics and Daoist texts, along with Daesoon Jinrihoe's scriptures and works from Yiguan Dao's Canon, I try to understand the distinguishing features of cosmological ideas from both religious movements. For example, because the Upper Thearch of the Nine Heavens could not bear to see the human realm growing ever more disordered and in order to improve worldly conditions, he traveled to the harmonized realm of deities, and therefore descended into the world to make a great itineration and enlighten the people through his teachings. In the end, he came to Korea and was reborn as Kang Jeungsan (secular name: Kang Il-Sun) in Gaekmang Village. In the Human Realm, he spread his transformative teachings to the people which were later became the doctrines of the Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang, Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings, the Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence, and Perfected Unification (jingyeong 真境) with the Dao. Yiguan Dao; however, explains that the source of humanity is the "Heaven of Principle" (Litian 理天), and people are "Buddha's Children of the Original Embryo" (Yuantai Fozi 原胎佛子), created by the Upper Thearch of Manifest Luminosity, who came to world to govern and impart spiritual refinement, before returning to his native place in the Heaven of Principle. Yet, because he became infatuated with the world of mortals, he forgot the path of his return. Therefore, the Eternal Mother sent Maitreya Buddha, the Living Buddha Jigong 濟公, and the Bodhisattva of Moon Wisdom (Yuehui pusa 月慧菩薩) to descend to the human world and teach the people, so that they may acknowledge the Eternal Mother as the root of return, achieve their return to the origin, and go back to the home of the Eternal Mother in the Heaven of Principle. Both Daesoon Jinrihoe and Yiguan Dao refer to their highest deity, the true ministers of the myriad spirits, with the simple title "Upper Thearch." This phenomenon also has some ties to God in the western Biblical tradition but also has some key differences. In investigating the sources of these two deities, we find that they likely took shape during the Yinshang (殷商) period and have some relationship to the Upper Thearch of Chinese antiquity. The questions raised in this research are quite interesting and deserving of deeper comparative study.