• 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.36
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• pp.299-331
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• 2020

In Daesoon Jinrihoe, the Supreme God descended into the mortal world by incarnating as Kang Jeungsan to save the world from imminent disaster. Daesoon Jinrihoe is regarded by some Chinese scholars as a new Korean Daoism, and Jo Jeong-san, the Lord of the Dao in Daesoon Jinrihoe, revealed the Supreme God's name to "Gucheon Eungwon Noeseong Bohwa Cheonjon Kangseong Sangje." Comparative studies are often conducted to highlight the similarities between this god and the nearly identically named god in Chinese Daoism. However, this Chinese god is only a god of natural phenomena and has no previous connections to descension into the world via human incarnation. My research has determined that the closest basis for comparison would be Emperor Huizong within the context of Northern Song Dynasty Daoism. In the Daoism of that time period, he was understood to be the Supreme God who incarnated as a human to save the world. Borrowing Eliade's Phenomenology of Religion, this paper has discovered that core archetypes of these two godheads are different due to their different soteriological missions. In order to solve the grievances among humans, divine beings, heaven, and the afterworld, Kang Jeungsan actualized the Earthly Paradise of Later World. Drawing on the archetypal notion of an Original Time, he reshaped the world into the beginning of chaos to completely eliminate the past, and to create a fundamentally and qualitatively new era. On the other hand, Emperor Huizong tried to absorb what he viewed as heretical Buddhism into something sacred that could be used to save people from its harm. He established a hierarchy radiating from the archetypal notion of the Center of the Universe, and he cosmosized Buddhism, which he viewed as barbaric, into that order. Their core godheads mainly show differences in terms of time and space. Additionally, their extended sub-godhead symbols are quite different. Emperor Huizong, like the common supreme gods of other religions, established law of order, and then retreated as the symbol of heaven, the abdicated god. His divine power was specialized as Lin Lingsu's symbol of natural phenomena. Kang Jeungsan was completely different. He always proved his power over the three realms through different symbols. The main symbols he used were the moon for healing and resurrection, water for establishing order from chaos, and light for enabling secular individuals to experience sacred profundity.

• 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.1-37
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• 2020

In this paper, we investigated the principle of appropriation by which mythology and literature were accepted in the unique religious context of The Canonical Scripture (Jeongyeong 典經). First, we knew that almost all of the gods that appeared in the discourse of Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山) were related to Eastern Yi (東夷) mythology and deeply rooted in folklore. This is because the cultural tendency and historic consciousness of Kang Jeungsan was influenced by Danhakpa (the Danhak School 丹學派). Secondly, when we investigated the acceptance of literature into The Canonical Scripture, we discovered that Tang Poetry (唐詩), Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguoyanyi 三國演義), and Journey to the West (Xiyouji 西遊記) were widely accepted in Kang Jeungsan's discourse. These works were used in diverse ways such as predictions, healing, and meditation. We knew that popular classical work like these were religiously appropriated in the context of The Canonical Scripture. Lastly, we investigated the mechanisms by which mythical and literary imagination was transformed into the Jeungsanist religious movements. Those mechanisms included the magical power of letter and images, sense-cognition of poetry, and the representational ability of mimesis. In conclusion, mythical and literary imagination helped Jeungsanist religious movements gain popularity and spread Kang Jeungsan's soteriology. This is especially true of how it transformed into unique religious techniques which functioned as key elements of the Reordering Works (公事).

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.46
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• pp.69-122
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• 2023

This study is an integral exploration of Feng Shui associated with the area around the birthplace of Kang Jeungsan, a sacred site of Daesoon Jinrihoe which holds that the Supreme God descended in human form at that location (through Kang Jeungsan). Through an on-site Feng Shui survey, the main focus of the research method was to explore the Feng Shui configurations around Kang Jeungsan's birthplace especially as it pertains to the connections among geomagnetic veins which lead to the Mount Shiru area. As a method of investigation, this study explored the Feng Shui of Gaekmang-ri Village and the geomantic veins leading up to Mount Shiru. This involved examining the landforms, topography, water flow, and geomantic veins of the area to reveal the overall Feng Shui configurations. Throughout the course of that on-site survey, this study first examined Mount Duseung and Mount Bangjang, also known as Mount Yeongju (sometimes collectively known as Mount Samshin), Mount Dongjuk, Mount Mangje-bong, Mount Maebong, and Mount Shiru. Then, this study stated some of the underlying issues through a scholarly approach based on various theories such as traditional geographical texts and theories on mountain-growth and water-flow from the perspective of Feng Shui. In particular, attention was paid to theoretical aspects of the uninterrupted and undulating flow of the terrain leading to Shiru Mountain. As a result, from a Feng Shui point of view, the connected network geomantic veins in the area of Kang Jeungsan's birthplace and the feng shui features and conditions were all examined through an on-site survey. The survey results revealed that the area forms a large Feng Shui site due to the vast interconnectivity among all the mountains that extend from the Honam vein and form organic relationships with one another. This even includes Mount Samshin in Honam. Considering the geographical conditions that formed a site that enabled harmony between divine beings and humankind, the surrounding place names also provide allusions to the understanding of the birth of Kang Jeungsan as the descent of Supreme God into the human world through the historical figure, Kang Jeungsan. This area is an ideal spot with a propitious spatial arrangement in terms of its Feng Shui. Feng Shui analysis reveals the site to be a place that holds an earth energy-hub transmitting a great energy of nature that cannot be measured by human power alone.

• 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.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.34
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• pp.141-169
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• 2020

This study focuses on the interpretation and transformation of "The Great Learning" within the Korean new religion, Daesoon Jinrihoe. Joseon Dynasty Korea was a member of the Chinese Character Cultural Sphere in East Asia. The examination and recruitment system of the Yuan Dynasty influenced the Joseon Dynasty for a long historical period. Zhu Xi's (朱熹) version of The Four Books were accepted and applied in imperial examinations during the Joseon Dynasty. The 18th century Confucian thinker, Jeong Yak-Yong (丁若鏞), overturned and rebuilt his own system for studying and interpreting The Four Books (四書學). Zhu Xi and Jeong Yak-Yong's systems of thought influenced Confucianism knowledge in that era. The historical figure deified as the Supreme God by Daesoon Jinrihoe, Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山), was trained in the study of The Four Books within that cultural and philosophical context, and this is especially evident in his interpretation and transmission of "The Great Learning." Kang Jeungsan regarding The Great Learning as deeply important. That text combined Confucian discourse on Principle, Mind, and Practice. In his interpretation, The Great Learning was also a medical and religious book that had holy and mysterious powers. In Mugeuk-do and Taegeuk-do (direct predecessors to Daesoon Jinrihoe), Jo Jeongsan interpreted the concept of Sincerity and Regularizing the Mind and incorporated them into doctrine as 'Sincerity, Respectfulness, and Faithfulness' and 'Guarding against Self-deception.' Park Wudang practiced and spread those doctrines to Korea, and Daesoon Jinrihoe devotees continue to follow those doctrines in present times.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.41
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• pp.1-25
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• 2022

This paper examines whether the dynamic and practical nature of Daoism has a significant relationship with the messianic figure Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山) via Honam (湖南) Daoism's Jinindaemangron (眞人待望論, discourse on awaiting an immortal). To this end, the historical implementation of Daoism's social transformation of consciousness in China and Korea is explored, and then the circumstances of Honam Daoism, in particular, are considered. Following that, analysis turns to the 'Jinindaemangron' in the late Joseon Dynasty that developed in Honam. As a result of the discussion, Daoism's social transformation of consciousness was expressed in China through the anti-establishment activities of the early Daoist groups such as Wudoumidao (五斗米道) and Taipingdao (太平道), movements that sought to build utopias. Throughout this process, the term, zhenren (眞人, 'jinin' in Korean), that originally meant 'master,' was transformed into the idea of a future savior. In the case of Korea, the dynamic and practical nature of Daoism can be found in the preface of Nanrang tombstone (鸞郎碑序) written by Choi Chi-won (崔致遠) which was later inherited by the Danhak sect (丹學派) practitioners who struggled against Buddhist monastics. Additionally, examined is the Docham theory of geomancy (圖讖說) that rose after Goryeo, the prophecy of 'Mokjadeuksul (木子得國說 a Lee clansman shall attain the kingdom)' that appeared thereafter, and the Prophecies of Jeong Gam (鄭鑑錄)'s 'Jinindaemangron' in the Joseon Dynasty. Next, the circumstances of Honam Daoism can be considered with regards ti Choi Chi-won and Doseon (道詵) in ancient times, and it can be confirmed that Nam Gung-du (南宮斗) and Kwon Geuk-jung (權克中) were entangled behind Kang Jeungsan. The close relationship among the Daoist Jeong family of Onyang (溫陽鄭氏), the Koh family of Jangheung (長興 高氏), and Kwon Geuk-jung was also confirmed in this study. Finally, in dealing with the 'Jinindaemangron' of Honam in the late Joseon Dynasty and the birth of Kang Jeungsan, Honam Daoism's intense consciousness of social transformation receives first focus, and this is expressed through Prophecies of Jeong Gam, and the religious ideologies of Donghak (東學) and Namhak (南學). These expressions are analyzed through Song of Gungeul (弓乙歌), composed by Jeongryeom (鄭磏), and through Daesoon Jinrihoe's The Canonical Scripture (典經). As a result, it can be confirmed that the messianic significance of the Kang Jeungsan's advent lay on the basis of the people's desire for an ideal future, which is a notion that had been ripening for several centuries.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.22
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• pp.387-432
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• 2014

In this paper, I want to compare the mantra of Korean Buddhism with the jumun(呪文) of Daesoonjinrihoe in rites and cultivation. Regarding the mantra of Buddhism there are some researches, but there are few studies with regard to the jumun of Daesoonjinrihoe. The mantra of Buddhism and jumun of Daesoonjinrihoe look similar in pronouncing Hangul characters, but the religious and historical context around these seems to be different. The mantra of Korean Buddhism is associated with the introduction and diffusion process of esoteric Buddhism. In the early period of Buddhism some mantras were allowed by Buddha and the mantras were certified as a educational teaching in the period of Early Buddhist schools. In Mahayana school, the dharani that was abstracted from the vast Mahayana scriptures was developed. As Mahayana Buddhism develops, esoteric Buddhism was born in India. Esoteric Buddhism was introduced into China and was imported into Korea in Silla dynasty. In Koryo dynasty various rituals of esoteric Buddhism flourished and Jineunjong(眞言宗) and Chongjijong(總持宗) school were formed. In Chosun dynasty Buddhism was suppressed by government and the esoteric school was discontinued. But in rituals and cultivation the mantra and dharani were flourished in the latter part of Chosun dynasty. In modern period several esoteric schools were formed and developed. In present context the mantra was recited by many people in Korea. Main mantras are 'Om mani padme hum', 'Dharani of Avalokitesvara(神妙章句大陀羅尼)', 'neungumju(楞嚴呪)', 'Gwangmyung mantra(光明眞言) etc. The jumun of Daesoonjinrihoe was started by Kang Jeungsan(姜甑山) who was believed to be a God by Daesoonjinrihoe believers. Jeungsan used several existed mantras in creating new heaven and earth and made new jumuns by himself and taught them to his followers. Cho Jungsan(趙鼎山) who succeeded to the doctrines has received the jumuns by Jeungsan. He selected the jumuns to recite and determined the method how to spell these. Park Hankyung(朴漢慶) who opened Daesoonjinrihoe succeeded the rituals and doctrines. Every day ritual of Daesoonjinrihoe is chanting the jumun and the cultivation and gongbu(工夫) is practiced through jumun. Important jumuns of Daesoonjinrihoe are Taeulju(太乙呪) and Kidoju(祈禱呪). In the aspects of ritual, the mantra of Buddhism and the jumun of Daesoonjinrihoe perform a similar function. The mantra of Buddhism has the context of the doctrines of Buddhism and the method of Buddhistic practicing but the jumun of Daesoonjinrihoe is related to Jeungsan's teaching and the doctrines of Daesoonjinrihoe. But it is same that the mantra and jumun are used in communicating or uniting with ultimate reality. So the mantra and jumun are important vehicles for homo religius to meet the sacred and unite with the sacred and is regarded as the sacred word by the faithful which has a lot of symbols and meanings.