Religion In Korea
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Throughout the ages, there have been various popular religious traditions practiced on the
Korean peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. The oldest
indigenous religion Indigenous religions is a category used in the study of religion to demarcate the religious belief systems of communities described as being "indigenous". This category is often juxtaposed against others such as the "world religions" and "new re ...
of
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
is the
Korean folk religion Korean shamanism or Mu-ism is a religion from Korea. In the Korean language, alternative terms for the tradition are ''musok'' () and ''mugyo'' (무교, 巫敎). Scholars of religion have classified it as a folk religion. There is no central auth ...
(a version of
Shamanism Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a Spirit world (Spiritualism), spirit world through Altered state of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, such as tranc ...
), which has been passed down from prehistory to the present.
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
was introduced to Korea from China during the
Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...
era in the fourth century, and the religion pervaded the culture until the
Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
Dynasty, when
Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...
was established as the state philosophy. During the Late Joseon Dynasty, in the 19th century,
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
began to gain a foothold in Korea. While both Christianity and Buddhism would play important roles in the resistance to the
Japanese occupation of Korea Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was ruled as a part of the Empire of Japan. Joseon, Joseon Korea had come into the Japanese sphere of influence with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876; a complex coalition of the Meiji period, Meiji government, military ...
in the first half of the 20th century, only about 4% of Koreans were members of a religious organization in 1940. Since the
division of Korea The division of Korea began with the defeat of Empire of Japan, Japan in World War II. During the war, the Allies of World War II, Allied leaders considered the question of Korea's future after Japan's surrender in the war. The leaders reached ...
into two sovereign states in 1945—North Korea and South Korea—religious life in the two countries has diverged, shaped by different political structures. Religion in South Korea has been characterized by a rise of Christianity and a revival of Buddhism, though the majority of South Koreans have no religious affiliation or follow folk religions. Religion in North Korea is characterized by
state atheism State atheism is the incorporation of positive atheism or non-theism into political regimes. It may also refer to large-scale secularization attempts by governments. It is a form of religion-state relationship that is usually ideologically li ...
in which
freedom of religion Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...
is nonexistent. ''
Juche ''Juche'' ( ; ), officially the ''Juche'' idea (), is the state ideology of North Korea and the official ideology of the Workers' Party of Korea. North Korean sources attribute its conceptualization to Kim Il-sung, the country's founder and ...
'' ideology, which promotes the
North Korean cult of personality The North Korean cult of personality surrounding its ruling family, the Kim family, has existed in North Korea for decades and can be found in many examples of North Korean culture. Although not acknowledged by the North Korean government, many ...
, is regarded by experts as a kind of national religion.


Demographics in South Korea


History


Ancient times

Before the formation of ancient tribal states, natural objects and deities were worshipped by indigenous peoples like any other. Trees(樹木) become sallow trees(沙羅樹) for giving birth to children.
Bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
s and
tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
s turn into human beings, passing on the wisdom of Han Yu and protecting against disasters.
Garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
, artemisia argyi,
calamus Calamus may refer to: Botany and zoology * ''Calamus'' (fish), a genus of fish in the family Sparidae * ''Calamus'' (palm), a genus of rattan palms * Calamus, the hollow shaft of a feather, also known as the quill * '' Acorus calamus'', the swe ...
, etc. are auspicious herbs or cinnabar that have the main force to revive life or exorcise evil spirits. On the other hand, there were
animism Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...
s such as invisible mountain spirits and water spirits. In addition, the sun, moon, and stars(日月星辰) of Han Wei were also deified. In other words, there was a worship of nature and a worship of animism. In the former, objects and heavenly bodies of the earth and Hanul are objects of faith, but the foundation of that belief is the concept of reproduction. there was. Hwanung as the Heavenly King had to marry the bear tribe of the earth, from which Dangun was born, and again from Dangun, Buru(부루; 夫婁) came out, and Buru had a totem of a golden
frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...
. When the price changes, the totem also changes. Also, the Silla family society is a totemic society, where the leader becomes a Cheonwangrang born of the Elyos, and the birth is heterogeneous. That is, they are born in sunlight or are born from eggs. Its birth is believed to be the rebirth of an ordinance(祖靈) or a deity. And since Cheonwangrang is combined with a woman of the indigenous people, the indigenous people believe in the Elyos, and the place where the gods live is the 'Gamteo(감터; 神士)'. In ancient times, rituals such as Yeonggo(영고; 迎鼓), Dongmaeng(동맹; 東盟), and Mucheon(무천; 舞天) were held in Shinto by the gods dedicated to Hanul. Now, Cheon Wang-rang became a priest. So, rituals were shrines, and shrines were political affairs. It was the theocracy that was bestowed in the totem society.


Three Kingdoms of Korea period

In the theocratic society, foreign religions were introduced to the faith. This religion was introduced and propagated by the public officials of the rulers, who were built on the foundation of traditional beliefs. Each of the three kingdoms with the ancient state system adopted foreign religions. In this way, traditional beliefs and foreign religions coexisted. In
Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
, the indigenous people wanted to build a mausoleum to pray for the well-being of their ancestors, venerate the three Buddhas, and live in the Pure Land, and the Tathagata to come to the land. In addition to the traditional beliefs of Joryong in
Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...
,
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
's belief in the three lords and
Bhaisajyaguru Bhaiṣajyaguru ( sa, भैषज्यगुरु, zh, t= , ja, 薬師仏, ko, 약사불, bo, སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja ("Medicine Master ...
(약사여래; 藥師如來; ''yaksa George'') were added. In the past, this practiced the 12 great circles to cure the diseases of sentient beings in this world, extend their lifespan, annihilate wealth, satisfy clothing and food, and cultivate the Buddha's conduct, the burial of the Immaculate Conception of Bodhi. It is the Buddha who makes us attain(妙果). To this belief, the belief that a thousand Buddhas will appear in each of the three eons of the past, present, and future, and the Amitabha belief were added. This Buddha chooses a great country from many countries, prays for establishing an ideal country, and sets up 48 circles so that he and others can become successful Buddhas. In
Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
, the miracle of
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
triggered by the martyrdom of
Ichadon Ichadon (501–527; Hanja: 異次頓), also known as Geochadon (Hanja: 居次頓) or by his courtesy name Yeomchok (Hanja: 厭觸) or Yeomdo (Hanja: 厭都), was a Buddhist monk and advisor to the Silla king Beopheung. Miracle Early in his reign ...
(이차돈) was recognized by the king. Together with this miracle(奇蹟) belief, the belief of Maitreya's next life and the belief of Chakravarti(전륜성왕; 轉輪聖王; ''jeollyunseongwang'') laid the foundation for Silla society. The belief in Maitreya's next life is that after the death of the Buddha, he ruled Maitreya Bodhisattva at the age of 5.67 billion. Its ruler is the ideal prince, the Chakravarti. According to the Four Yunbos (輪寶) of Gold, Silver, and Copper(金銀銅鐵), this king was called Geumryun(金輪王), Dongryun(銅輪王), or Eunryun(銀輪王). According to this Buddhist belief, the land of Silla is the land of the descendants of Maitreya, and Hwarang(花郞) and Mishirang(未尸郞) are the incarnations of Maitreya who descended from Dosolcheon. He is the incarnation of Maitreya who is transforming, and Nando(郎徒) was soon worshiped as the Longhua Xiangtu (龍華香徒). In addition, Darani(陀羅尼) of th
Esoteric religion
and Avalokitesvara was widely distributed to the public and became common knowledge. Along with this folkloric Buddhist belief, Buddhism has been studied deeply academically and was even spread to Japan. However,
Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...
, which was introduced, did not lead the common people of the three countries to faith.


Goryeo period

In the
Goryeo Dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
, religious beliefs were particularly inclined to theft, and as a folk religion, they fell into the god of Seonghwang. With the former belief, he tried to postpone the state, and with the latter, he tried to solve civil affairs. Seonghwangdang became a place for Giza (祈子), chook (招福), and ancestral rites (除厄). However, the Goryeo Dynasty's national poetry was a Confucian political ideology of, Article 6 of the national convention of the arithmetic. In order to enjoy the peace and harmony of the military and gods through the ceremony, policies, and institutions were institutionalized. If you look at the religious system, seunggwa was established along with the Confucian past (科擧), and Gyojongseon (敎宗選) and Seonjongseon (禪宗選) were installed in the seunggwa. put Those who passed the monk's course were granted the qualifications of monks and established the law system. The Confucian Order had the ranks from Daeseon to Seongtong, and the Seonjong had the legal system from Daeseon to Daeseonsa. Seungtong and Daeseonsa were qualified to be kings or nationals, and they were regarded as advisors of the king and of the state. On the other hand, regarding Confucianism in the early Goryeo Dynasty, Seongjong of Goryeo(成宗), namely Gukjahak, Taehak, Samunhak, Yulhak, Seohak, and Industrial Studies. In addition
Jeongjong
靖宗) installed a seungnok in the center in order to have national jurisdiction over Buddhist groups. Seung-gwan(僧官) was placed in the palace, such as the Principal Administrative Office, Buseungnok (副僧錄), Seungjeong (僧正), and Seungjap (僧雜). This was established by King Jinheung(Korean: 진흥왕; Hanja: 眞興王) of Silla, and it can be said that it is a succession of the arrangement of the monks at
Hwangnyongsa Hwangnyongsa, or Hwangnyong Temple (also spelled Hwangryongsa) was a Buddhist temple in the city of Gyeongju, South Korea. Completed in the 7th century, the enormous 9-story structure was built entirely with wood with interlocking design with no ...
(皇龍寺). In the heyday of the Goryeo Dynasty, Buddhism was integrated into five religions and two sects. This is because the 9 Mountains were integrated into the Jogye Order because of the Seon sect. Apart from these denominations, there was an organization of dojang(道場) and hyangdo(香徒), and events such as Gyeonghaeng, Sagyeong, Lotus Lantern, and Eight Crowns were held. However, unlike the policy of unifying Buddhism, the Cheontae sect split at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, and it was further subdivided into about 10 sects including the Chongji sect. In addition, in the case of the race (仁宗), six schools were placed in the center, and the school system was implemented in each province, while the qualifications for admission were restricted. During the reign of King Munjong (治世), there were 9 academies (九齋) and Hagwa (夏課). Also, due to the transmission of the school by the teacher, Gyeonghak was also very popular. Successive kings of the Goryeo dynasty exercised their supervisory powers or suppressed them not only over Buddhism and Confucianism but also over shamanism (巫俗). After entering the Joseon Dynasty (朝鮮), the government was divided into Domu(都巫) and Jongmu(從巫). In addition, in the east and west of the province, Twain-SEO (活人署) were placed to accommodate the sick and the poor(貧者), and Mugyeok(巫覡) had them healed or took care of the poor. This has been the case since the Goguryeo period for the state to have Mugyeok work in state institutions.


Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
Dynasty

The Joseon dynasty ran an observatory-forecasting service called ''Gwangsanggam''(관상감; 觀象監), in which two members professionalized in ''myeonggwahak''(명과학; 命課學) were to take charge of fortune-telling. The Joseon Dynasty initially adopted Buddhism as a religion and Confucianism as a politics, but gradually moved to a policy of ''sungyueokbul''(숭유억불), where Buddhism was suppressed in state affairs and replaced by Confucian principles. Buddhism was controlled by the Docheopje(도첩제; 度牒制). In the first half of the Joseon dynasty, Buddhist monk
Hyujeong Hyujeong (, 1520-1604), also called Seosan Daesa (서산대사, 西山大師) was a Korean Seon master. As was common for monks in this time, he travelled from place to place, living in a succession of monasteries. Buddhist monks had been forced to ...
(휴정; 休靜) argued that the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism were in agreement with each other on fundamental levels, similar to the
Three teachings In Chinese philosophy, the ''three teachings'' (; vi, tam giáo, Chữ Hán: 三教) are Chinese Buddhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, considered as a harmonious aggregate. Literary references to the "three teachings" by prominent Chines ...
. Also, there were Confucian scholars like Maewoldang(매월당 김시습; 每月堂) who attempted to explain Buddhist concepts through Confucian principles. Taoism, which has been handed down since the Goguryeo period, had Daecheong-gwan in Kaesong, and after the relocation of Hanseong, Sogyeok-jeon was established and Doryu was placed as a season, taking charge of Samcheong and Seong-jin. In addition, the worship of the Crown Prince (關王) was transmitted to the people. As fortune-telling, secret divination, and Gam-rok spread to the civilian population, ideas such as hermitage, the last days, the rebellious revolution, and fate permeated the people deeply.


Catholicism

As the Joseon dynasty entered into the modern era whilst keeping the state in relative isolation, it soon faced the problem of the transmission of religions from the West.
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
(천주교) or sometimes called ''seogyo''(서교; 西敎) was introduced in the late 18th century as a part of Western thoughts and studies(서학; 西學; ''soak''), but it was banned for the following reasons. * By washing away one's sins with salt and water, one receives the favor of
God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
. *
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
came down as God, died, and ascended again to become God, and is said to be the godparent of all things and people's lives. * Catholics ignore filial deeds by referring to parents as physical parents, calling the spirits of ancestors the devil, and rejecting ancestral rites as demonic events. * It is an unchangeable principle that if there is yin and yang, there must be a couple. They call it virtuous that a man and a woman do not marry or marry, and that is falsehood, and those who are younger than him mix men and women, disturbing public morals. According to the former, the human race will perish; according to the latter, humanity will be clouded. From having no father and no king to even married couples, what else can I say? When various names such as Holy Mother, Bride, Young Se (領洗), and Confirmation (堅振) appear, the more they appear, the more it is like a goblin. As such, Catholicism was secretly spread by missionaries infiltrating the country despite the prohibition, and it led to multiple persecutions by the court during the 19th century. This persecution was not only caused by the unreasonable religious policy of the court, but also by actions that went against the Confucian ideology and policies of Joseon. For example, the Hwang Sa-Yeong White Book incident, which was caused by Catholics to seek freedom of religious belief, lead to the worsening of Sinyu Persecution(신유박해) in 1801.


Donghak

Due to internal and external circumstances, the court took a liberal attitude toward Western religions, in 1896. This made it easy for several denominations of
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
to enter, not just Catholicism.
Donghak Donghak (formerly spelled Tonghak; ) was an academic movement in Korean Neo-Confucianism founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u. The Donghak movement arose as a reaction to seohak (), and called for a return to the "Way of Heaven". While Donghak origin ...
was born as a national religion amidst the adversity of Western religions. The purpose of Donghak was to exclude seohak. Within two years of Donghak's occurrence, it developed to the point of establishing a system of affiliations and missionaries(접주) in various places and strengthening the organization of the denomination. Eventually, it became
Cheondogyo Cheondoism (spelled Chondoism in North Korean sources; ) is a 20th-century Korean pantheistic religion, based on the 19th-century Donghak religious movement founded by Ch'oe Che-u and codified under Son Pyŏng-Hi. Cheondoism has its origins i ...
, and by Lee Don-Hwa(이돈화; 李敦化), it was ideologically developed even to the philosophy of a new man.


Japanese colonial period

During the Japanese colonial period, the Governor-General's Office of Korea applied the Monastery Ordinance(사찰령) and the Honmuk Monastery Act(본말사법) to Buddhism. The Joseon Governor-General's Decree was applied to Yurim, the Foundation Act was applied to Christianity according to the Governor-General's policies, and religious organizations inherent in the Korean people were appointed as similar religious organizations in addition to religion. The Governor-General's Office recognizes
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
ism,
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
and
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
as religions. Chengkyunkwan of Confucianism is regarded as a school of economics, and social education law is applied, and it is regarded as a social education institution. The Confucian temple becomes a club officer currency, and the school(향교) is regarded as a local public body or local educational institution. According to these rules, all religious groups cringe and go down the path of decline, except Christianity. In addition, the government forced all citizens to visit the shrine, but several Protestants refused to do so. The issue of visiting the shrine was triggered by the family members of a Korean church pastor in Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, before it was forced to visit Korea, shocking the society at that time. At that time, the visit to the shrine was accompanied by a stampede of the Emperor and Jesus.


Modern


Democratic People's Republic of Korea

At the time of liberation, there were about 1.5 million religious people in North Korea, 375,000
Buddhists Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
, 200,000
Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
, and 57,000
Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. There were more than 2 million religious people (22.2 percent of the population at that time). However, due to the regime's policy of stifling religion, North Korea's religious population has been greatly reduced, In a report submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2001, the North Korean regime recorded a total of 37,800 religious people, including 15,000 Chondoists, 10,000 Buddhists, 12,000 Protestants, and 800 Catholics. The number of facilities for each religion is 800, 60 temples, two churches, and one church. However, North Korean defectors agree that religious activities are impossible in North Korea except for the crackdown on religious activities, and that they will be punished for religious activities. The international community pointed out that many religious people are subjected to human rights repression in political prison camps in
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...
.


Korean shamanism (Korean folk religion)

Shamanism or Folk Religion (Korean: 무속신앙, 무속, or 민간신앙; Hanja: 巫敎, 巫俗, or 民間信仰; ''musoksinang, music,'' or ''mingansinang'') is the oldest religious tradition in Korea, dating back as far as
Old Joseon Gojoseon () also called Joseon (), was the first kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary founder named Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in the Korean Pen ...
. Given its ancient origins, while Shamanism is still practiced, it considered rather heretical and superstitious today. Shamans are typically women who are called ''
mudang ''Mu'' () is an ancient Korean word defining a shaman in the Korean traditional religion. Korean shamans hold rituals called '' gut'' (literally "good") for the welfare of the individuals and the society. In modern Korea different terms are ...
'' (Korean: 무당; Hanja: 巫―). There are many myths and legends surrounding Korean Shamanism, but today, Koreans mostly go to shamans to get advice, interpret the importance of dates and omens, determine compatibility in a couple, or get a
Fulu (), is a term for Taoist incantations and magic symbols, written or painted as talisman or () by Taoist practitioners. These practitioners are also called () or the sect, an informal group made up of priests from different schools of Tao ...
(Korean: 부적; Hanja: 符籍), or
talisman A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...
, to ward away
evil spirits A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime, ...
. That said, Shamans may perform '' gut'' (a ritualistic dance and song as a prayer to gods or ancestors, or a purification ritual.


Korean Buddhism

Buddhism was introduced from China during the
Three Kingdoms period of Korea Samhan or the Three Kingdoms of Korea () refers to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo (고구려, 高句麗), Baekje (백제, 百濟), and Silla (신라, 新羅). Goguryeo was later known as Goryeo (고려, 高麗), from which the modern name ''Kor ...
and had an important influence on the culture of the
Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
and
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
dynasties and became the main religion of these two dynasties. Buddhism has far-reaching influence in the Yeongnam region of Korea, Gangwon-do, and Jeju Island. The Jogye Sect is the main sect of Korean Buddhism, and most Korean Buddhist temples belong to the Jogye Sect, including the famous Buddhist temples of
Bulguksa Bulguksa is located on the slopes of Mount Toham (Jinheon-dong, Gyeongju city, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea). It is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and encompasses six National treasures of South Korea, including th ...
, Haeinsa, and Hwaeomsa. Other traditional Buddhist schools in Korea include the Taego Sect and the Cheontae Sect.


Won Buddhism

Won Buddhism Won Buddhism ( ko, 원불교, Wǒnbulgyo, label=none), is a modern religion originating in Korea. It can be regarded as either a syncretic new religious movement or a reformed Buddhism. The name "Won Buddhism" comes from the Korean words 원/ ...
(원불교) is a modern sect of Korean Buddhism. Won Buddhism simplifies Buddhist scriptures and ceremonies. They insist that anyone, regardless of the wise or the ignorant, rich or poor, noble or low, can understand Buddhism.


Korean Christianity

Christianity in South Korea is mainly
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
and
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
; in the 2015 census, there were 9.7 million Protestants and 3.9 million Catholics. In addition to
Western churches Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity (Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic C ...
, South Korea also has members of the Orthodox Church and members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The c ...
who were imported from Russia in the 19th century. Roman Catholic missionaries arrived in Korea only in 1794, a decade after a Korean diplomat
Yi Seung-hun Yi Seung-Hun (1756 – April 8, 1801, ''Ja'': Jasul (子述), ''Ho'': Mancheon, baptismal name Peter) was one of the first Catholic martyrs in Korea. Biography He was born in 1756 in Seoul. His father was Soam Yi Dong-uk (蘇巖 李東郁, 17 ...
(이승훈) returned to Korea. Protestant missionaries arrived in the Joseon Dynasty in 1880, and they and
Catholic missionaries Missionary work of the Catholic Church has often been undertaken outside the geographically defined parishes and dioceses by religious orders who have people and material resources to spare, and some of which specialized in missions. Eventually, p ...
converted a large number of Koreans to Christianity. The
Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...
and the
Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
established schools, hospitals, and orphanages in Korea and played an important role in the modernization of Korea. During the Japanese occupation period, Korean Christians played an important role in the struggle for independence. Factors contributing to the rapid growth of Protestants include the corrupt state of Korean Buddhism, support from intellectual elites, Korean church members' encouragement of self-reliance and self-government, and the promotion of Korean nationalism. Before the separation of the two Koreas, a large number of Christians lived in the northern part of the Korean peninsula, and the influence of Confucianism was not as strong as that in the southern part of the Korean peninsula. Before 1948
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
was an important center of the Christian faith. After the establishment of a communist regime in the north of the Korean peninsula, it is estimated that more than one million South Korean Christians fled to the south of the peninsula to escape the persecution of Christianity in North Korea. Christianity saw a huge increase in the number of people professing it in the 1970s and 1980s. Growth continued in the 1990s, but at a slow pace, with numbers declining since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Christianity is an important religion in regions including
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
,
Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...
,
Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
, and
Honam Honam (; literally "south of the lake") is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to Gwangju, South Jeolla and North Jeolla Provinces. The name "Jeonla-do" is used in the names of th ...
. There are four main denominations of Christianity in Korea:
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
,
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
,
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
, and
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. Yeouido Full Gospel Church is the largest
Pentecostal church Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement
in Korea. Korean Catholics can still keep the traditional ritual of worshipping ancestors, just like Catholics in the Chinese world; on the contrary, Protestants have completely abandoned the ritual of worshipping ancestors.


Muslims

There are about 40,000 followers of
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
in South Korea, most of the Muslims in South Korea are foreign migrant workers from
South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
,
West Asia Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, and
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
to work in South Korea, and there are less than 30,000 local
Korean Muslims In South Korea, Islam (이슬람교) is a minority religion. The Muslim community is centered in Seoul and there are a few mosques around the country. According to the Korea Muslim Federation, there are about 200,000 Muslims living in South Kor ...
. The largest mosque in South Korea is the Seoul Central Mosque, and there are also smaller mosques in other cities.


Judaism

Jews came to South Korea with the US military stationed in South Korea during the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
in 1950, and many Jewish American soldiers came to the Korean peninsula. The Jewish community in South Korea is very small, only in the Seoul area. Very few Koreans believe in Judaism (유태교).


Hinduism

South Korea's Hindu believers are mainly Indian and Nepalese expatriates living in South Korea. However, Hindu traditions, such as
yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
and
Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...
, sparked Koreans' interest in Indian culture. There are two Hindu temples in the Seoul area.


Korean Confucianism

Among historians, it can be argued that Confucianism has been around on the Korean Peninsula since ancient times. However, not an exact time frame can be pinpointed but it is estimated that Confucianism came to the peninsula prior to the
Three Kingdoms period The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...
. Even in the third and fourth centuries historians gather that Confucian precepts were used by court nobles and others which means that Confucian thought influenced the intellectuals on the peninsula. Confucian thought began to dominate its influence in the government starting in the fourteenth century and moving into the sixteenth century it became the dominant thought and philosophy on the Korean Peninsula. The rise of Confucianism in Korea led to the rapid decline of Buddhism. During the fifteenth century, King Taejong enacted an anti-Buddhist policy which included reducing the number of monasteries and temples. When Confucianism began to be the dominant philosophy in the sixteenth century, Buddhism became the religion of the uneducated and rural people. The golden age of Confucianism in Korea was during the
Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
Dynasty. In modern Korea, Confucian temples and educational institutions still exist and exhibit modern practices however, after World War II Confucianism disappeared from the school curriculum. There was a revival of Confucianism in the late 1990s and some practices can still be seen being exhibited today such as funeral rites (which are a mixture of both Christian and Confucianism) and the concept of
filial Filial may refer to: * Filial church, a Roman Catholic church to which is annexed the cure of souls, but which remains dependent on another church * Filial piety In Confucianism, Chinese Buddhism, and Daoist ethics, filial piety (, ''xiào' ...
piety. Koreans don't like to admit they believe in Confucianism but you can still see some presence of Confucian influence throughout Korean society. Some of these observations include the veneration of elders, a strong commitment to education, and the rituals and rites dedicated to the dead.


References


Sources

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