• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.34
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• pp.263-292
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• 2020

Among the various influences from other ancient cultures observable in Daesoon Jinrihoe, the reference to and the transformation of Feng-Shui is especially prominent. In The Canonical Scripture, Feng-Shui culture is mentioned frequently. Feng-Shui culture in The Canonical Scripture not only draws upon a great deal of traditional Feng-Shui Theory but also inserts many innovations. It is worth noting that the understanding of Feng-Shui culture through Daesoon Jinrihoe's doctrine makes The Canonical Scripture unique. Based upon the conscientious recapitulation of the relevant contents in The Canonical Scripture, this essay aims at dealing with the Feng-Shui Culture of Daesoon Jinrihoe in regards to three aspects: Terrestrial Energy, Mountain Shape and Luminous Courts (Mingtang). A better understanding of the profound contents and sacred significance of The Canonical Scripture can naturally be attained from applying a Feng-Shui culture perspective.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.47
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• pp.105-138
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the significance of various figures in The Canonical Scripture and their contents. The Canonical Scripture (jeon-gyeong 典經) is a record of the beliefs and deeds of Kang Jeungsan, composed through the memories of the followers of Kang Jeungsan who followed the words of The Canonical Scripture. In other words, The Canonical Scripture is understood as the scripture of Daesoon Jinrihoe that contains the religious deeds and teachings of Kang Jeungsan. It is divided into seven parts and 17 chapters. Those seven parts, some of which contain more than one chapter, are as follows: Acts, Reordering Works, Progress of the Order, Dharma, Authority and Foreknowledge, Saving Lives, and Prophetic Elucidations. In particular, The Canonical Scripture records the deeds of historical figures from both China and Korea, and this prominently includes the life history of Kang Jeungsan, and this is an especially pronounced feature of the sections Acts, Progress of the Order, and Prophetic Elucidations. In addition, each chapter describes the teachings and faith-inspiring acts of Kang Jeungsan and presents the gist of the Daesoon Thought while referring to the lives and actions of various historical figures. In this paper, introductions to the figures that appear in each section are provided to help readers better understand the contents of The Canonical Scripture. Therefore, this study focuses on the major figures introduced in The Canonical Scripture in connection with the religious values of Daesoon Thought. Through this, a contribution is made to the academic development of Daesoon Thought by specifically exploring and examining the contents of the figures who appear in The Canonical Scripture. This is a surprisingly underdeveloped area of study in Daesoon Thought.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.44
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• pp.213-261
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• 2023

The purpose of this article was to examine whether the parallel passages from The Canonical Scripture and Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi (甑山天師公事記 Records of the Reordering Works of Celestial Master Jeungsan), the first full-length record related to the life of Kang Jeungsan compiled by Lee Sang-ho, indicate the same chronology. A comparison of the contents between The Canonical Scripture and Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi revealed the following. The contents of The Canonical Scripture are categorized by a table of contents. By way of contrast, the contents of Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi, is organized year by year. When parallel passages appear, the two texts tend to indicate the same year for specific events, but the chronology of some events do not match. A comparison of the contents of The Canonical Scripture and the first edition of Daesoon Jeongyeong (大巡典經 The Canonical Scripture of the Great Itineration) shows the following. Once again, the contents of The Canonical Scripture are organized via a table of contents. The contents of the first edition of the Daesoon Jeongyeong are also indicated through a table of contents. When lined up for comparison, most of the passages show the same content to have occurred in matching years. However, new contents are contained in this record that were absent in Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi. All of these texts contain a summary of the life of Kang Jeung-san; however, they are organized differently. Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi presents that summary chronologically (year by year with some gaps in years). Daesoon Jeongyeong and The Canonical Scripture both feature a table of contents wherein chapters are based around specific themes. One key takeaway is that different passages appear in the contents of each text. Also, The Canonical Scripture and the first edition of the Daesoon Jeongyeong contain some parallel passages wherein the two texts disagree on what year some events took place. Despite the different style of organization, Jeungsan Cheonsa Gongsagi and The Canonical Scripture can still be compared and such comparison shows the same pattern as comparison between The Canonical Scripture and Daesoon Jeongyeong. As a result of organizing and comparing the contents of the table of contents with the chronological record, the parallel passages wherein chronology is disputed can be highlighted and the introduction of new passages can also be shown.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.34
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• pp.27-48
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• 2020

"Saving lives by curing the world is the way of sages" is one of the key concepts from Daesoon Jinrihoe's The Canonical Scripture. In the Daoist scripture, The Most Excellent and Marvelous Lingbao Scripture of Limitless Salvation (The Salvation Scripture for short), a similar idea of 'saving the world and liberating lives' can be found, and it parallels the idea of religious healing in Daesoon Jinrihoe. Both systems of thought are internally consistent and focus on the individual living being as well as society by taking aim at curing human diseases while solving societal problems. Both sources also took influence from earlier Daoist Thought that responded to The Book of Changes, extended their innovations to traditional medicine, and realized the usefulness of religious healing. Although the two developed in different countries and time periods, their ideological similarities can still be appreciated. This paper delves into the above topic via three aspects: first, analyzing the historical background that produced Daesoon Jinrhoe's concept of "Saving Lives and Curing the World" while covering both individual and societal applications, second, examining the methods of implementing "Saving Lives and Curing the World" as a form of religious healing, and third, comparing the philosophical similarities between Daesoon Jinrihoe's "Saving Lives and Curing the World" and Lingbao Daoism's The Salvation Scripture in terms of their religious thought.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.34
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• pp.1-26
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• 2020

In Taiwanese Daoism, the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe (九天應元雷聲普化天尊) is the highest deity in the Thunder Ministry. In the the Korean new religion, Daesoon Jinrihoe (大巡真理會), he is the Supreme God. However, since the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe has the same name in these two traditions, it naturally leads people to wonder whether or not they can be considered the same deity. Or failing that, it could still be asked, to what extent are these two deities related? Or it could further be asked what meaning does the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe have in these two religions? Anyhow, all such questions depend on first establishing a greater degree of basic clarity. Religious scripture can serve as a cornerstone in gaining such basic clarity. Scripture almost invariably contains information regarding the divine nature, divine authority, and sacrosanctity of deities reflective of what is understood by the devotees of those religions. Clues on the precise nature of these key attributes of deity-depiction can be drawn out of scriptural accounts, and as such, the research presented in this paper will begin by comparing two relevant scriptures. The representative scriptures highlighted in this paper will be The Canonical Scripture (典經) of Daesoon Jinrihoe and The Scripture of the Jade Pivot (玉樞寶經) of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity, 正一) Daoism. These scriptures will serve as the basis for exploration and analysis of the divine attributes of the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe in terms of his divine nature, divine authority, and sacrosanctity. By comparing these two scriptural accounts of his divine attributes, the similarities and differences that arise can be properly explored. This paper endeavors to clarify the ultimate purpose of 'the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe.' In this paper, the first step will be an exploration of scriptural analysis. The contents of this paper is roughly divided into four sections. The first section is an exploration of the general contents of the two scriptures, including their origin, contents, and value. The second section focuses on the three main divine attributes of the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe: his divine nature, divine authority, and sacrosanctity. The third section will compare the depictions of the deity in the two scriptural accounts in terms of those three attributes. Lastly, the deity's evolutionary history in both religions is shown and compared and final remarks are made on the contemporary value of the Celestial Worthy of the Ninth Heaven, Responder, Thunderbolt-bearer, and Transformer of the Universe.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.39
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• pp.249-274
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• 2021

The aim of this article is to investigate the religious medical treatments performed by Kang Jeungsan as recorded in The Canonical Scripture, the main scripture of the Korean new religion, Daesoon Jinrihoe. The unity of mind and body is the core principle underlying Kang Jeungsan's religious medical treatments. He believed treating the mind of his patients was more important and necessary than treating their diseases. As such, he believed the only way to treat critical illness was to keep preserve the mind-body unity of his patients. Massage was a physical therapy often used by Kang Jeungsan. The medicinal materials that he commonly used were the Four-substance Decoction (四物湯 samultang), Minor Bupleurum Decoction (小柴胡湯 soshihotang), quince (木瓜 mokgwa *Pseudocydonia sinensis; not papaya), and rehmannia (生地黃 saengjihwang). Kang Jeungsan's religious medical treatments were characteristic of Daoist healing methods. His Daoist style healing methods included multiple techniques such as treating diseases through correcting Qi, exorcising malevolent entities, transferring diseases to a different host, removing a disease through the changing of clothes, pouring medicine into the ground, combining the usage of talisman and incantations, and treating the common people. Among these techniques, Jeungsan's pouring medicine into the ground was especially innovative.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.33-56
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• 2023

Although English-language academic materials on Kang Jeungsan (강증산/姜甑山 1871-1909) are steadily increasing, the same cannot be said of Jo Jeongsan (조정산/道主 趙鼎山 1895-1958) who remains under-researched as figure of profound significance to the Korean new religion Daesoon Jinrihoe (대순진리회/大巡眞理會). Furthermore, in materials produced by Daesoon Jinrihoe that are later translated into English, the connections that exist between Kang Jeungsan and Jo Jeongsan are often reduced to a few representative examples, when, in fact, many additional examples could be provided for a more comprehensive understanding. Comprehending the basis for the first succession in the three-figure orthodox religious lineage of Daesoon Jinrihoe is crucial to task of properly differentiating Daesoon Jinrihoe from seemingly similar Korean new religions that enshrine Kang Jeungsan as their Supreme God. The research presented in this article, "A Study on the Relationship between Kang Jeungsan and Jo Jeongsan Described in Chapter Two of Progress of the Order," will provide readers with a thorough overview of the basis for Jo Jeongsan's successorship in the orthodox religious lineage of Daesoon Jinrihoe, through an in-depth exploration of Chapter Two of Progress of the Order from Daesoon Jinrihoe's main scripture, The Canonical Scripture. Furthermore, this article will include special explanatory notes to ensure that it can be easily read even by non-specialists.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.35
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• pp.509-539
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• 2020

Daesoon Jinrihoe makes use of The Canonical Scripture as the main body to explain their thinking regarding divine beings and humankind as it relates to doctrine, sacredness, religiousness and other such contents. The traditional meaning of divine beings and humankind through the interpretation of The Canonical Scripture, transcends ethics, tradition, sociality, and the ultimate concern of secularity. The analysis from the perspective of The Canonical Scripture can help readers to understand the purpose of Daesoon Jinrihoe's implementation of its policies and their future direction. The local church takes the Bible as its main body and connects God with man as an implantation of divine life and temperament that harmonizes itself with human life and nature. The divine life is constantly reconciled with one's human life to make one a holy person, or a humanistic diviner. This is the rationale of the 'God-Man,' those whose human lives become lives of God-men. This style of living enables divine nature to mingle with human nature as an explicit behavioral act, mode of character development, and lifestyle. Therefore, the expression "the Blending of God and man" is an interpretation of the relationship between God and man which focuses on their sacred connection. Engagement in this extends to the scope of the local church. The different divisions between Daesoon Jinrihoe and the local church appear on the basis of things such as history, culture, language, and religion, but both posit a theology of "Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings" and "the Blending of God and man" according to a transcendent interpretation of God and man. Through dialogue, they can discover similarities and differences in this shared notion with both systems of theological thought.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.36
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• pp.267-298
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• 2020

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the developmental background and practical approaches to the arts of the Dao (道術 dosul) in Daesoon Jinrihoe (大巡真理會) by tracing this concept back to its source and comparing and contrasting Daesoon Jinrihoe's usage of 'arts of the Dao' with the usage found in traditional Daoism. The paper is divided into a preface, conclusion, and two body sections. Especially significant discoveries appear in the second and third sections. In the second section, the Daoist concept of Alterable and Unalterable Degree Numbers (運度定數 yundudingshu, 'degree numbers' suggesting 'fate' or 'destiny') allows for a comparison between the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth (天地公事 cheonjigongsa) from Daesoon Jinrihoe's The Canonical Scripture (典經 jeon-gyeong) and the Opening of Calamities to Save Humanity (開劫度人 kaijieduren) in Daoism. Here discourse can be provided regarding the cause of calamities (劫 'jie' in Chinese and 'geop' in Sino-Korean). Additionally examined are the deep grievances between divine beings and humans and the cosmic cycles of growth and decay as both of these relate to the reason for calamities. As for the resolving of calamities, there are two differing perspectives proposed by Daesoon Jinrihoe and traditional Daoism. Daesoon Jinrihoe believes that Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山) led changes and renewal through the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth. In this context, clergy and laity play roles as assistants. However, Daoism emphasizes gaining merit from the recitation of scriptures and the collective participation of immortals rather than relying completely upon divine intervention from the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial State (元始天尊 yuanshi tianzun). In the third section, 'The Origin and Application of the Arts of the Dao (道術 daoshu),' analysis is provided regarding the origin and connotation of five directional generals (五方將 wufangjiang), the twenty-four generals (二十四將 ershijiang), the twenty-eight generals (二十八將 ershibajiang), and the forty-eight generals (四十八將 sishibajiang). Likewise examined is the relationship between the arts of the Dao in The Canonical Scripture and Thunder Rites in the Shen Xiao Lineage (道教神霄雷法 daojiao shenxiao leifa) of Daoism. Lastly, some points are made about the operation of two ceremonies: The Ceremony of Transformation and Pacing (遁甲步罡儀式 dunjiabugangyishi) and Divination through the Formula Disc of the Six Ren Gods (六壬式盤占卜 liuren shipanzhanbu).

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.155-159
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• 2021