This study analyzes the principles of the ‘Earthly Paradise’ (仙境, the realm of immortals), ‘Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang’ (陰陽合德), and the ‘Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth’ (天地公事) while combining them with Joseon art. Therefore, this study aims to discover the context wherein the concept of Taiji in ‘Daesoon Truth,’ deeply penetrates into Joseon art. Doing so reveals how ‘Daesoon Thought’ is embedded in the lives and customs of the Korean people. In addition, this study follows a review of the sentiments and intellectual traditions of the Korean people based on ‘Daesoon Thought’ and creative works. Moreover, ‘Daesoon Thought’ brings all of this to the forefront in academics and art at the cosmological level. The purpose of this research is to vividly reveal the core of ‘Daesoon Thought’ as a visual image. Through this, the combination of ‘Daesoon Thought’ and Joseon art will secure both data and reality at the same time. As part of this, this study deals with the world of ‘Daesoon Thought’ as a cosmological Taiji principle. This concept is revealed in Joseon art, which is analyzed and examined from the viewpoint of art philosophy. First, as a way to make use of ‘Daesoon Thought,’ ‘Daesoon Truth’ was developed and directly applied to Joseon art. In this way, reflections on Korean life within ‘Daesoon Thought’ can be revealed. In this regard, the selection of Joseon art used in this study highlights creative works that have been deeply ingrained into people’s lives. For example, as ‘Daesoon Thought’ appears to focus on the genre painting, folk painting, and landscape painting of the Joseon Dynasty, attention is given to verifying these cases. This study analyzes ‘Daesoon Thought,’ which borrows from Joseon art, from the perspective of art philosophy. Accordingly, attempts are made to find examples of the ‘Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang’ and Tai-Ji in Joseon art which became a basis by which ‘Daesoon Thought’ was communicated to people. In addition, appreciating ‘Daesoon Thought’ in Joseon art is an opportunity to vividly examine not only the Joseon art style but also the life, consciousness, and mental world of the Korean people. As part of this, Chapter 2 made several findings related to the formation of ‘Daesoon Thought.’ In Chapter 3, the structures of the ideas of ‘Earthly Paradise’ and ‘Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang’ were likewise found to have support. And ‘The Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth’ and Tai-Ji were found in depictions of metaphysical laws. To this end, the laws of ‘The Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth’ and the structure of Tai-Ji were combined. In chapter 4, we analyzed the ‘Daesoon Thought’ in the life and work of the Korean people at the level of the convergence of ‘Daeesoon Thought’ and Joseon art. The analysis of works provides a glimpse into the precise identity of ‘Daesoon Thought’ as observable in Joseon art, as doing so is useful for generating empirical data. For example, works such as Tai-Jido, Ssanggeum Daemu, Jusachaebujeokdo, Hwajogi Myeonghwabundo, and Gyeongdodo are objects that inspired descriptions of ‘Earthly Paradise’, ‘Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang,’ and ‘The Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth.’ As a result, Tai-Ji which appears in ‘Daesoon Thought’, proved the status of people in Joseon art. Given all of these statements, the Tai-Ji idea pursued by Daesoon Thought is a providence that follows change as all things are mutually created. In other words, it was derived that Tai-Ji ideology sits profoundly in the lives of the Korean people and responds mutually to the providence that converges with ‘Mutual Beneficence.’
Read full abstract