• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.93-119
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• 2024

The introductionof Won Buddhism to the United States has reached its fifty-year mark. Brought to the West by Korean kyomus (Won Buddhist clergy), these initial Won Buddhist clergy set a foundation for future ordained devotees to reside in America and further the religion's mission. Innovation has always played an important role in the formation and growth of Won Buddhism. The founder, Sotaesan, declared the necessity to reform traditional Buddhism to make it accessible to the laity and espoused values such as inclusiveness, equality, public work, and practicality. Over the past few decades, these innovations have helped Won Buddhism in America to shift from a strictly ethnic-related context to an emphasis on its universal nature. However, as the religion continues achieving a foothold in Western soil, critical questions arise such as how can Won Buddhism honor its Korean origins while becoming increasingly international? What are the detriments to decontextualizing and de-emphasizing elements thought to be "too Korean" or "too traditional," or thought to be irrelevant in the West? When Buddhism spreads to a new country, it not only influences the culture it enters but is also shaped by the adopting culture. In American history, this has often meant the erasure of Asian cultures that were home to Buddhism for millennia and from which the dharma is inextricable. I argue in this article that if Won Buddhism is to thrive in the United States conscious consideration will have to be given to the indispensable aspects of its Korean roots and tradition while connecting with the current circumstance in fresh, relevant, and effective ways that include the multi-cultural and ethnic makeup of the US. This entails understanding American history and Asian Buddhism's history in America, as well as cultivating a competency or fluency in the cultures that allowed Won Buddhism to survive for decades.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.31-39
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• 2008

Each human era has its own unique architectural embodiment of religious philosophy at the time. Though, many modern religions have developed their own architectural expression based upon each own religious doctrine, one of the main native Korean religions, Won-Buddhism, has not developed its own proper architectural expression yet. So, the goal of this research is to find the probable architectural design methods for Won-Buddhism doctrines. 1) The history of Won-Buddhism architecture is comparatively analyzed to find the architectural trend of Won-Buddhism. 2) Modern religious architectural cases are analysed and compared between plastic expression and spatial expression types. 3) Won-Buddhism doctrines are analysed to find key characteristics to be used as architectural design concepts and method. Based upon analyses, the main characteristics of Won-Buddhism doctrine are synchronicity, circularity, and liminality, which are found to be similar to the trans-boundary characteristics of contemporary architecture. In the future, more study on these characteristics and how they are materialized, the probable design methodology for Won-Buddhism Doctrines can be proposed.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.157-176
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• 2006

This study covers the transition of the records and archives management system of Won-Buddhism. The System can be reviewed in four eras. In the Bulbeopyeonguhoe regulations era(1924$\sim$1948), records and archives were managed in an elementary but more ingenious manner than in any other era. The first phase of the Won-Buddhism regulations era(1948$\sim$1965) was governed by the Won-Buddhism Regulations, though the traditional system of the Bulbeopyeonguhoe regulations era was still widely practiced. During the second phase of the Won-Buddhism regulations era (1965$\sim$1994), the system of "national regulations" was actively introduced into the Won-Buddhism system of managing records and archives. During the third phase of the Won-Buddhism regulations era(1994$\sim$present), the Won-Buddhism Regulations had their own meaning because in that they were the first regulations of Won-Buddhism established for the sole purpose of managing records and archives. This study has significance for understanding the Won-Buddhism system of managing records and archives.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.343-348
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• 2004

Since its foundation of Won-Buddhism in 1916 there established around 500 Temple-Halls in both domestic and overseas areas, and it is a native religion that currently on its development of edification activities. As for Won-Buddhism which being under rapid development likely as such going, together with its expansion of the religious influence, there required more broader spaced grand sanctum at where the large-scaled religious events are able to perform. According to this, Balcony-styled plane form is on increasing trend from the internal plane form of Won Buddhism Sanctum. On such viewpoint, this study hereby intends to grasp the character of room acoustics through on-the-spot survey about the objects of 3 Won Buddhism Sanctums which equipped with mutually different characters of the balconies already built, and willing to furnish the fundamental material which enables to improve acoustic capability when design Won Buddhism Sanctum equipped with balcony in the future.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.355-360
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• 2004

This study is a research that evaluates and analyzes on the subjective reaction of Won buddhism small sanctum through psychoacoustics experiment. For doing it, after choosing of 5 Won buddhism small sanctums of which its building volume at $400m^{3}{\sim}650m^{3}$, a psychoacoustics experiment has been conducted. Based on those A, B, C, E temple-halls which appeared as higher than 'average' in the result of subjective reaction evaluation of the Won buddhism small sanctum through psychoacoustics experiment, it could be classified as the conclusion of the factor analysis: the first factor is 'space sense of sound', the second factor is 'intimacy-feeling with sound' and the third factor is 'clearness of sound', respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.58 no.8
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• pp.184-199
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• 2008

This thesis aims to examine the formation, and the religious meaning and symbolism of Beob-Lak, which is attached to the preacher's clothing as a full dress of Won-Buddhism, which, as a new religion, was originated in Korea's historical foundation in 1916. In addition, it tries to provide the basic data for the study on Korean religious costume by examining Beob-Lak in the context of social atmosphere of Korea, which has accepted various religions. As a result, I found that Beob-Lak was originated from the different colored lines of the early Japanese Buddhist religious costume and it employed rochza as an independent component, but that the present protocol of Beob-Lak was completed by the first Jongbeobsa Jeongsan Jongsa in the late 1950s and all the religious workers have put it on with the religious costume in great worships since the early 1980s. Beob-Lak of Won-Buddhism, which employs Ilwonsang Beobsinbul as the symbol of its religious doctrine, symbolizes the succession of Beob and represents the will to repay the teacher's favors to hand down the great truth. At the center, Ilwonsan(one round shape) is the symbol of the innate place for everything in the universe, and its yellow color symbolizes the highest nobleness. I expect to see following researches which deal with the costume of Won-Buddhism from various views on the basis of this study on the formation and development of Beob-Lak, which is the symbol of formal full dress of Won-Buddhism as Korea-style new religion created over 90 years ago.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.59-65
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• 2003

The present article has the purpose of evaluating subjective response of Won Buddhism sanctums by psychoacoustics experiment. Furthermore, basing on this experiment, the present article makes a suggestion of a physical sound-evaluating index. To achieve the purpose, I conducted an psychoacoustics experiment at 6 sanctuaries out of the representing 40 sanctuaries of Won Buddhism sanctums, which size is bigger than 1,000 m$^3$. I made a reanalysis with 3 Buddhist sanctums out of the subjects of psychoacoustics experiment which are generally rated superior. From the result, I can make each evaluation type into two types, sound clarity and space sense of sound. Also, I make various suggestions of physical parameter, with which I can evaluate the proper sound condition for Won Buddhism sanctums.

• The Journal of Korean-Japanese National Studies
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• no.21
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• pp.1-43
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• 2011

This article introduces Abe Mituie's activities related to Korean and Japanese Buddhism and two newly discovered materials. He worked as a brain of Japanese cultural rule over Joseon Korea while holding various positions such as the president of KyeongSung Il Bo, the vice president of Kokmin Newspaper and the director of Central Joseon Association. Abe was responsible for Enkak Temple, the head temple of Japanese Rinzai section, and was one of the layman followers of Syak Soen who worked for the spread of modern Japanese Buddhism to Europe and America. He was a respectful Buddhist layman so as to teach Zen Buddhism for young Buddhist monks in Japan. After he started to assume charge in the Kyeong Sung Il Bo, he was also very active in movements in relation to Joseon Buddhism to the extent that he was found to be deeply involved in Joseon Buddhism sections. On the other hand, he concluded Joseon culture to be 'devastated.' He asserted that it was necessary to develop spiritual culture and revive Buddhism in order to resolve the devastation in the Joseon. In addition, he thought that Joseon Buddhism was ruined due to the misgovernment of the Joseon Dynasty, but had its own as great tradition as Japanese Buddhism. Therefore, in his opinion, there was a need to do research on Joseon Buddhism and find some way out of the contemporary difficulties. In order to save the situation, he made efforts to protect and revive Joseon Buddhism while paying continuous visits to Joseon Buddhist temples, supporting the publication of Buddhist canons and proposing to have a regular meeting of 'The Invitation of 30 Head Temples.' From his visit to Youngju Temple and his consistent relationship with Kang Daeryeon, it can be assumed that he was involved in reorganizing power structure in Joseon Buddhism and establishing various institutions. He emphasized the strict adherence of individuals and communities to rules in his lecture for students at Jung Ang Hak Rim. It was a way to revive Joseon Buddhism by creating a new social image of Joseon Buddhism. He continued to work for the restoration of Joseon Buddhism even after he retired from Kyeong Sung Il Bo and returned to Japan. He introduced the originality of Joseon Buddhism history to Japan and sent Japanese monks to Korea in order to do research and contribute to exchange between Korean and Japanese Buddhism. All things taken together, it is evident that Abe Mitzihe regarded Joseon as backward or stagnant from a perspective of evolutionist or orientalist, and was a Japanese elite to believe that it was just for Japan to control Korea. However, he was different from other Japanese elites in that he did not considered Joseon Buddhism merely as the object of propagation. He thought that Joseon Buddhism possessed its own great tradition and culture, but was ruined because of the misadministration of the Joseon Royal House. Therefore, in his opinion, Joseon Buddhism should be recovered by means of some supports, and its revival would lead to the restoration of Joseon culture as a whole, which would be realized by Japanese rule over Korea and Japanese elites' generous assistance.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 2009

In Korean history, Fengshui and Buddhism were closely connected in a harmonious and interrelated manner, together influencing the location and function of Buddhist temples, the forming of social and spatial ideologies, the spread of Fengshui, the development of Buddhist Bibo-Fengshui, ete. The interaction between Fengshui and Buddhism, which began after the introduction of Zen Buddhism in the late-Silla period, acted as a spatial ideology that empowered the powerful local gentries to trigger a social upheaval in the late-Silla period and was used by the government leaders for political purposes throughout the Goryeo period. In the Joseon period, the link between Buddhism and Fengshui weakened and was felt only at a grass-roots level.

• Korean Architects
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• s.559
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• pp.146-151
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• 2015