Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea by Kevin N. Cawley

Abstract

Reviewed by: Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea by Kevin N. Cawley Yeonwoo Joh Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea by Kevin N. Cawley. New York: Routledge, 2019. xxiii, 197 pp. Kevin N. Cawley’s Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea is the latest introductory text in a growing list of English studies on Korean religion and philosophy. It traces the historical development of Korean intellectual traditions, focusing on key figures, concepts, and texts. By referencing up-to-date studies and making occasional comparisons with the theories of Western philosophers such as Derrida and Heidegger, Cawley provides Western readers with a concise and readable overview of the history of religion and philosophy in Korea. Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea consists of six chapters, as well as a prologue and an epilogue. In the first chapter, Cawley acknowledges the Western connotations of the categories “religion” and “philosophy” while introducing an alternative term, “pathway,” to better refer to the individual traditions of Korean religion based on the concept of Dao [K. Do] 道. His description of each pathway as a “route to becoming a better person” (2) effectively demonstrates how religion in Korea represented a modus vivendi of sorts, rather than an adherence to a certain dogma or faith. He then provides an overview of the main religious traditions of Korea: Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism and Shamanism. In Chapter 2, Cawley begins his journey through Korea’s extensive intellectual history. Opening with the cultural significance of the Tan’gun [Dangun] myth and describing the arrival and development of Buddhism during the Three Kingdoms period, this section culminates with a detailed look into the texts and ideas of Wŏnhyo [Wonhyo] and Ŭisang [Uisang], two extremely influential Buddhist monks of early Korea. Chapter 3 covers the progress of Korea’s intellectual history, spanning from [End Page 411] the emergence of Sŏn [Seon] Buddhism during the Unified Silla period to the founding of the Chosŏn [Joseon] dynasty. Cawley illustrates the dynamic religious landscape of Koryŏ [Goryeo], focusing especially on the conflict between the numerous Buddhist schools by introducing the ideas of Ŭich’ŏn [Uicheon] and Chinul [Jinul], two monks who attempted to reconcile the textual Kyo [Gyo] lineages and the meditative Sŏn lineages in different ways. Cawley then moves on to the rise of Neo-Confucianism and the subsequent dynastic transition from Koryŏ to Chosŏn. Here, Cawley examines the conflicting views of the Confucian scholar Chŏng Tojŏn [Jeong Dojeon] and the Sŏn monk Kihwa [Gihwa], and presents Confucian critiques of Shamanism to highlight the establishment of Confucianism as a unified, exclusive state ideology. Chapter 4 further elaborates on this “Chosŏn Confucian ideology” through the philosophies of T’oegye [Toegye] and Yulgok. Following their contributions to the metaphysical Four-Seven debate, Cawley discusses the arrival of Western teachings and Catholicism. He emphasizes the role of women and the Chŏng [Jeong] brothers in the development of the early Catholic church in Korea, and provides a close examination of Tasan Chŏng Yag’yong’s [Dasan Jeong Yagyong] texts in particular, stressing the “Christo-Confucian transcultural transformation” (111) that took place. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with the emergence of new religions in a more modern, changing cultural context, the first being Ch’oe Che-u’s [Choe Jeu] Tonghak [Donghak] (Eastern Learning), which arose in response to the influence of Sŏhak [Seohak] (Western Learning). Other new religions such as Chŭngsando [Jeungsando], Daesoon Jinrihoe [Daesun jillihoe], and Taejonggyo [Daejonggyo] are also introduced. Cawley goes on to explain the development of early Protestantism in Korea and the active role women played in propagating it. Chapter 6 explores the survival and change of Korean religious traditions throughout the period of Japanese colonial rule and its aftermath. After briefly looking into some of the more recent religious movements, Cawley concludes his journey through Korean history with a special emphasis on the persistent influence of Shamanism, as it finds ways to adapt to the increasingly technology-driven modern era. Religious and Philosophical Traditions of Korea is commendable first and foremost for its readability. Surprisingly dense for a book of its length, it is well-organized and presented in a clear, coherent...