The History And Culture Of Buddhism In Korea

A collection of articles dealing with the introduction of Buddhism in Korea and its subsequent spread from there to Japan. The studies contained in this volume cover the Three Kingdom period.

Korean Buddhism by Frederick Starr is about Tongbulgyo ("interpenetrated Buddhism"), a form that sought to harmonize previously arising disputes among scholars (a principle called hwajaeng 和諍). Excerpt: "I found much interest in the country. I studied the people and their daily life; I visited many of the famous points of interest and beauty; I have studied somewhat into Korean history. Nothing, however, has more interested me than the study of Korean religions, particularly Buddhism. When asked to give some public lectures this summer, I consented gladly to speak for three evenings on the subject of Korean Buddhism. My three lectures will deal with History—Condition—Art."

In "Korean Buddhism: History—Condition—Art" by Frederick Starr, readers embark on a journey through the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Korea. Starr's expertise shines as he explores the history, conditions, and art associated with Korean Buddhism. The book provides valuable insights into the profound impact of Buddhism on Korean society and its artistic expressions. It's an enlightening read for those interested in Asian culture, spirituality, and art.

The emergence of a nation from Pre-History to 668.

Since 1911 it has been my privilege to make four journeys into Korea, so long known as “The Hermit Kingdom.” To-day Korea has ceased to be an independent nation; she has been completely absorbed by Japan and forms part of the Japanese Empire. I found much of interest in the country. I studied the people and their daily life; I visited many of the famous points of interest and beauty; I have studied somewhat into Korean history. Nothing, however, has more interested me than the study of Korean religions, particularly Buddhism. When asked to give some public lectures this summer, I consented gladly to speak for three evenings on the subject of Korean Buddhism. My three lectures will deal with History—Condition—Art. The history of Korea falls into three sharply marked periods. The first is known as the era of the Three Kingdoms—it ended with the year 918, a year easy to remember because exactly one thousand years ago. The second is the period of the Koryu Dynasty; it began with the year 918 and ended in 1392, a date easy for us to remember because precisely a century before the discovery of America by Columbus. The third period, known as the period of the Yi Dynasty, began with 1392 and continued until 1910, when the independent history of Korea ended with its absorption by Japan. The history of Buddhism in Korea is divided into the same three periods, as the things which caused breaks in the national history were related to the religion. We shall then speak of the Buddhism of the Three Kingdoms, of the Koryu Dynasty and of the Yi Dynasty.

A Collection of Modern Korean Buddhist Discourses consists of twelve articles which were carefully selected from Buddhist journals of the modern period. These articles critically discuss the past and the present of Korean Buddhism and offer the prospect for the future by dealing with various topics in different fields, such as history, religion, literature, politics, society, and culture. The authors include not only renowned scholars of Buddhist studies, such as Gim Beomnin 金法麟 (1899–1964), Kim Yeongsu 金映遂 (1884–1967), Gim Taeheup 金泰洽 (1899–1989), and Baek Seonguk 白性郁(1897–1981), as well as prominent figures in Korean studies and Korean literature, such as Choe Namseon 崔南善 (1890–1957) and Yi Gwangsu 李光洙 (1892–1950). The twelve selected articles are as follows: ① Choe Namseon, “Overview of Korean Buddhism: A Diachronic Approach to Korean Buddhism” (1918) ② Yi Gwangsu, “Buddhism and Korean Literature” (1925) ③ Baek Seonguk, “To Establish a Modern Buddhism” (1926) ④ Gim Taeheup, “Research on Religion and the Development of Social Work” (1926–1928) ⑤ Gim Byeokong, “A Concern for Korean Buddhism: The Words Addressed to All Korean Buddhist Clerics” (1927) ⑥ Choe Namseon, “Korean Buddhism: Its Position in the Cultural History of the East” (1930) ⑦ Yu Yeop, “Buddhism and the Trend of Social Thought” (1931) ⑧ Kang Yumun, “Overview of Korean Buddhism for the Last Hundred Years” (1932) ⑨ Gim Beomnin, “On the Separation of Religion and Politics” (1932) ⑩ Heo Yeongho, “Foundations and Errors of Anti-Religion Movement” (1932) ⑪ Mong Jeongsaeng, “Examining the Causes of Korean Buddhism Facing a Crisis” (1932) ⑫ Gim Yeongsu, “On the Principle Teachings of Korean Buddhism” (1933)