Korean philosophy
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Korean philosophy focuses on a totality of
Three Kingdoms of Korea, Northern and Southern States period, and Goryeo
Korean shamanism
Taoism
Buddhism
Korean Buddhist thinkers refined ideas originally introduced from China into a distinct form. The Three Kingdoms of Korea introduced Buddhism to Japan, from where it was popularized in the West. Today, Korean Buddhism consists mostly of the Seon lineage, which is derivative of the Chan (Zen) Buddhism of China and precursor to Zen Buddhism known in the West through Japan.
Confucianism
One of the most substantial influences in Korean
Joseon
Neo-Confucianism
This dynasty arose out of the military dictatorships and chaos of the preceding era. Transition in this era was from Buddhism to a soldierly approach to Neo-Confucianism. Much work was done, especially on commentaries, and the
In the Four–Seven Debate with Ki Daesung, Toegye ( Yi Hwang, 1501 – 70 ), while being still dualistic, broke away from Chu Hsi by espousing the reciprocal emanation (hobal) of i and ki: with the Four, ki follows i when i becomes emanant; with the Seven, when ki becomes emanant, i ‘rides’ ki. Though he was critical of Toegye's idea that ki follows i as being dualistic, Yulgok (Yi I, 1536 – 84 ) nevertheless embraced his notion that i ‘rides’ ki: only ki is emanant and i moves its emanation; i and ki are ‘neither two things nor one thing’, as evidenced by ‘wondrous fusion’ (myohap). For Yulgok, original nature (i) and physical nature (ki) coalesce into one human nature. Toegye and Yulgok, whose thoughts culminated in an irenic fusionism, constituted the crowning phase of East Asian neo-Confucianism by exhibiting dialectical dexterity in articulating the concepts of i and ki, left unclarified by the Chinese.
Toegye also developed the neo-Confucianist concept of single-mindedness (kyung), which was a manifestation of his unequivocal humanism, as shown by his total rejection of the Mandate of Heaven (chunmyung), which still had a hold on the Chinese, including Chu Hsi. Toegye's kyung synthesized the primeval Korean sense of supreme-efforts-come-earnest-devotion (chisung) with the Confucianist notion of holding fast to mind (jik-yung); he advocated self-efforts for creating a meaningful life. In particular, his concept of single-mindedness had a lasting influence on the Japanese neo-Confucianists of the Tokugawa period.
Every major Korean neo-Confucianist shared Toegye's preoccupation with single-mindedness, which signalled new stress on praxis in the development of Korean neo-Confucianism: the fusion of the metaphysical and the physical is better brought about through action than speculation, important as theory might be. That was the point of Yulgok's integration of sincerity (sung) with single-mindedness. In this respect Korean neo-Confucianism made a break with the Cheng-Chu school of Chinese neo-Confucianism, which was overly speculative.
Silhak
During the later
Seohak
Donghak
Korea in 1890–1945
Western philosophy
Those who were sent to be educated in Japan, returned with limited knowledge of Western philosophy as a whole, although the German educational influence in Japan led to the beginning of interest in German idealists in Korea through indirect knowledge, with the exception of
Christianity
The strong influence of
North Korea
South Korea
Western philosophy
South Korea was mostly under the influence of the mixture of
Eastern philosophy
Mostly, Hundred Schools of Thought, Neo-Confucianism and Taoism in East Asia and Buddhist philosophy have been studied by academic philosophers and Buddhists. General Indian philosophy and Japanese philosophy are limitedly studied. South Korean outside of academia tend to accept Eastern philosophy as a source of life lessons.
Korean shamanism and Donghak tend to be studied in the relation with Korean nationality.
List of philosophers
Buddhist philosophers
- Seungnang (circa 6th century)
- Wonch'uk(613–696)
- Wonhyo (617–686)
- Uisang (625–702)
- Kyunyeo (923–973)
- Uicheon (1055–1101)
- Jinul (1158–1210)
Neo-Confucian philosophers
- Jeong Mong-ju (1338–1392)
- Jeong Do-jeon (1342–1398)
- Seo Gyeong-deok (1489–1546)
- Yi Eon-jeok(1491–1553)
- Jo Sik (1501–1572)
- Yi Hwang (1501–1570)
- Yi I (1536–1584)
- Jeong Je-du (1649–1736)
- Jeong Yak-yong (1762–1836)
- Kim Jeong-hui (1786–1856)
Taoist philosophers
- Kim Si-seup (1435–1493)
- Seo Gyeong-deok (1489–1546)
- Heo Gyun (1569–1618)
- Im Yunjidang (1721–1793)
- Jeon Byeong Hun (1857–1927)
Joseon period
These are listed by their most commonly used pen name, followed by their birth name.
- Sambong Jeong Do-jeon(1337–1398)
- Yangchon Gwon Geun (1352–1409)
- Maewoldang Kim Si-seup (1435–1493)
- Hwadam Seo Gyeong-deok (1489–1546)
- Toegye Yi Hwang (1501–1570)
- Haseo Kim In-hu (1511–1560)
- Gobong Gi Dae-seung (1527–1572)
- Ugye Seong Hon (1535–1598)
- Yulgok Yi I (1536–1584)
- Yeoheon Jang Hyeon-gwang(1554–1637)
- Uam Song Si-yeol(1607–1689)
- Baek-ho Yun Hyu (1617–1680)
- Ban-gye Yu Hyeong-won (1622–1673)
- Udam Jeong Si-han (1625–1707)
- Seogye Bak Se-dang (1629–1703)
- Hagok Jeong Je-du (1649–1736)
- Seongho Yi Ik(1681–1763)
- Namdang Han Won-jin (1682–1750)
- Damheon Hong Tae-yong (1731–1783)
- Yeonam Bak Ji-won (1737–1805)
- Dasan Jeong Yag-yong(1762–1836)
- Hwaseo Yi Hang-no (1792–1868)
- Nosa Gi Jeong-jin (1798–1876)
- Hanju Yi Jin-sang (1818–1885)
Contemporary Korean philosophers
- Jaegwon Kim (1934-2019)
- Do-ol Kim Yong-ok (1948–)
- Byung Chul-Han (1959–)
See also
- Silhak
- Seohak
- Tonghak
- Minjok
- Juche
- Songun
- Essence-Function (體用)
- Korean Taoism
- Korean Buddhism
- Korean Confucianism
- List of Korean philosophers
- Contemporary culture of South Korea
- Religion in Korea
- Seonbi
References
- Choi, Min Hong, A Modern History of Korean Philosophy, Seoul: Seong Moon Sa, 1978..
- DeBary, Theodore (ed.), The Rise of Neo-Confucianism in Korea, New York: Columbia University Press, 1985.
- Ro, Young-chan (ed.), Dao Companion to Korean Confucian Philosophy, Dordrecht: Springer, 2019.
External links
- Halla Kim. "Korean Philosophy". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.