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The Mystic Universality and Ethicality of Donghak (東東東學學學, Eastern Learning)

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The Mystic Universality and Ethicality of Donghak (東東東學學學, Eastern Learning) religions Article The Basis for Coexistence Found from within: The Mystic Universality and Ethicality of Donghak (qqqxxx, Eastern Learning) Haeyoung Seong College of Humanities, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; [email protected] Received: 31 March 2020; Accepted: 21 May 2020; Published: 23 May 2020 Abstract: The rush of Western civilization, headed by Christianity, caused a considerable identity crisis in the 19th century Joseon dynasty. The founder of Donghak qx, Suun Choe Je-u 4雲 崔濟愚, sought a way out of the crisis through religion. Suun contended that the religions of both east and west are grounded in the same Way of Heaven, and that it can be ascertained through an experience of mystical union induced by chanting a 21-character incantation. He also emphasized the importance of practicing this Way of Heaven in real life. According to him, the Western invasion is an act of selfishness, and goes against the Heavenly Way. The Heavenly Way is considered a foundation that enables communication and coexistence in a religiously diverse society. Despite the fact that his belief in the universality of the Heavenly Way is based on a personal experience—which is problematic to all mysticisms—Donghak provided a powerful discourse to deal with a variety of challenges of his time. In this age of religious pluralism, Suun’s universalism is significant in exploring the intellectual and spiritual foundation of the modern pluralistic thoughts of Korea. Keywords: Suun Choe Je-u; Joseon dynasty; Donghak; religious pluralism; mysticism; universalism; ethics; perennial philosophy 1. Suun Choe Je-u 444雲雲雲 崔崔崔濟濟濟愚愚愚 and Donghak qqqxxx or Eastern Learning During the 19th century, the Joseon dynasty was going through a number of problems both domestic and foreign.1 From within, it was suffering from political chaos; from without, stronger nations such as Russia, China and Japan were out to exploit it. The introduction of Christianity and other western civilizations to what will later be called the hermit nation caused disruptions that shook the traditional world view to its very core. Suun Choe Je-u (1824–1864) is a figure that sought a way out of this chaos through religion.2 Based on his own unique religious experience, he founded Donghak, a new religion whose name means “Eastern Learnings” as opposed to the “Western Learnings 西x,” which was the name for Christianity at the time. Suun was executed in 1864 for his radical belief that all humans are equal. His successor, Haewol Choi Si-hyong (w月 崔B¨, 1827–1898), used the phrase ‘Serve others as you would Hanullim (事人 如天)’ to proselyte Donghak. The Donghak Peasant Revolution developed later into an uprising using force in the name of equality and resistance against foreign invasions. However, they were soon 1 Joseon is the name of the ruling dynasty in Korea from 1392 to 1910. 2 Suun Choe Je-u was born in 1824, into a ruined but aristocratic family. He wandered all across Joseon, practicing religious asceticism until he was thirty. In 1859, when he was thirty-five, he settled in his hometown Yongdam 龍m to continue asceticism, then had an encounter with the Sangje 上帝 in a religious experience the following year in 1860. After that, he founded Donghak qx and spread the teaching, but was arrested under the charge of “deluding the world and deceiving the people,” and was executed in 1864 at the age of 40 (Pyo 2004). Religions 2020, 11, 265; doi:10.3390/rel11050265 www.mdpi.com/journal/religions Religions 2020, 11, 265 2 of 13 Religions 2020, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 13 overcome by forces from the Joseon and Japanese governments, and Haewol was arrested and executed. executed. TheThe third third religious religious leader, leader, Uiam Uiam Son Son Byeong-hui Byeong-hui (義菴 (© 菴孫秉熙k秉,熙 1861–1922),, 1861–1922), changed changed the thename name of their of their religionreligion to toChondogyo Chondogyo (天道 ()S 敎 TeachingTeachingof of the the Heavenly Heavenly Way) Way) in 1905,in 1905, and and strove strove for modernizationfor modernizationof the of organizationthe organization and an religiousd religious doctrines. doctrines. In In the the spirit spirit of of Donghak’s Donghak’s anti-invasion anti-invasionsentiments, sentiments, ChondogyoChondogyo played played its partits part in Joseon’s in Joseon fight’s againstfight against Japan during Japan colonial during times. colonial Chondogyo times. still has a Chondogyostrong still has presence a strong in presence Korean religion.in Korean religion. This paper focusesThis paper on Suun‘s focuses religious on Suun‘s solution religious—Donghak—to solution—Donghak—to the social problems the social of Joseon. problems The of Joseon. paper consistsThe largely paper consistsof two largelyparts. The of two first parts. deals The with first what deals kind with of what religious kind solutions of religious Suun solutions was Suun was seeking whileseeking being while faced beingwith such faced heterogeneous with such heterogeneous worldviews worldviews as Christianity, as Christianity, while the second while part the second part examines criticallyexamines how critically those solutions how those also solutions functioned also functionedas the basis asfor the interreligious basis for interreligious communication communication and co-existenceand co-existence of cultures in of his cultures philosophy. in his philosophy. Most of the Mostprevious of the research previous on researchSuun and on Donghak Suun and in Donghak in Korea haveKorea focused have on focusedhistorical on themes historical (Yim themes 2015, (pp.Yim 61–92). 2015, pp.There 61–92). is not There much is research not much done research on done on this topic inthis the topicdiscipline in the of discipline religious ofstudies, religious and studies, even less and from even a religiously less from a pluralistic religiously point pluralistic of view. point of view. Research onResearch the religiosity on the of religiosity Donghak ofhas, Donghak in general, has, taken in general, two different taken twopaths. di ffTheerent first paths. is an The first is analysis onan the analysis relationship on the between relationship Donghak between and Donghakother preexisting and other Asian preexisting religions—namely, Asian religions—namely, the effects Confucianism,the effects Confucianism,Buddhism and BuddhismDaoism had and on DaoismDonghak. had Sinc one Donghak.Confucianism Since was Confucianism the most was the dominant religionmost dominant of the time, religion research of the on time,the re researchlationship on between the relationship Confucianism between and Confucianism Donghak takes and Donghak up the majority.takes3 up The the second majority. is research3 The second that focuses is research on thatthe relationship focuses on thebetw relationshipeen Christianity between and Christianity Donghak. Mostand of Donghak. these works Most were of conducted these works by wereChristian conducted theologians by Christian and focused theologians on the comparison and focused on the of the conceptscomparison of gods.4of the concepts of gods.4 In other words,In other not words,much research not much has research been done has on been Suun’s done religious on Suun’s universalism religious universalism as a response as a response to contemporaryto contemporary religious pluralism. religious5 pluralism.This paper5 willThis focus paper on will this focus poin ont to this show point how, to in show an extremely how, in an extremely chaotic era, chaoticSuun intertwined era, Suun intertwined mystical universalism mystical universalism and ethicality and toethicality communicate to communicate with heterogeneous with heterogeneous worldviewsworldviews and sought andcommon sought grounds common on groundswhich all on religions which allcan religions co-exist in can peace. co-exist in peace. 2. The Age 2.of TheTurbulence—and Age of Turbulence—And Seeking a Way Seeking Out through a Way Out Religion through Religion Suun lived Suunin an era lived when in an foreign era when countries foreign with countries superlative with military superlative forces military invaded forces his invadedcountry. his country. When westernWhen culture, western with culture, Christianity with Christianity at the fo atrefront, the forefront, was introduced was introduced to Joseon, to Joseon, some somepeople people could could no longerno longer hold on hold to onthe tofamiliar the familiar worldview worldview they had they taken had for taken granted for granted for literally for literallythousands thousands of of years—ayears—a worldview worldview that had China that had in the China center in the of the center world—and of the world—and it was as if itJoseon was as was if Joseon shaken was shaken from its foundations.from its foundations. The following The is following Suun’s desc is Suun’sription descriptionof the chaotic of thetimes, chaotic as quoted times, from as quoted the from the Donghak Scripture,Donghak the Scripture, Donggyeong the Donggyeong Daejeon 東經大全 Daejeon. q經'h. Recently, ourRecently, country our has country been hasfilled been with filled evil with things. evil things.The people The peoplelive in livea time in a without time without peace. peace. ThisThis is an is anindication indication of ofthe the bad bad fo fortunertune of of our our nation. nation. The The Western Western powers powers are are victorious victorious wheneverwhenever they they fight, fight, and they succ succeedeed and takeover whereverwherever theythey attack.attack. ThereThere seems to be seems to benothing nothing that they cannot cannot achieve. achieve. I Iam am worried worried that that if China if China is destroyed, is destroyed, Joseon Joseon may be may be next.next. Where Where can can we we find find a a way forfor supportingsupporting the the nation nation and and comforting comforting the the people? 6 people?6 Suun wished to find a way out of this crisis. According to him, the problem was one of ‘identity’ (Pyo 2004, pp. 54–63). He also believed that selfishness of both individuals and groups was the root 3 Major works include the following: Yim (2003); Cha (2003); Cho (1990); Park (2000); Kim (2002).
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