Korea's cultural identity: Confuciansim

[paul]

Confucianism is Korea's cultural identity!

Without knowledge of Confucianism, the spirit of Joseon Dynasty, we cannot fully appreciate the beauty of Korean palaces as well as Korean culture; architecture, art, craft, music and literature, but we are just fascinated by superficial feature of Korean architecture and traditional culture. 

I am the only guide who introduce Korean culture, based on Confucianism. Based on basic knowledge of Confucianism, you can fully appreciate Korean traditional architecture and culture, and your trip to Seoul can be impressive and memorable in rest of your life. 

Architecture is center of tour. Architectural style represents spirit of times.

As an example, Romanesque and Gothic architecture are the architectural style of medieval Europe. They represent Christianity, the spirit of medieval Europe. Without the knowledge Christianity, we cannot fully appreciate the beauty and value of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, but we are just fascinated by its unusual & unfamiliar architectural form. Our appreciation of traditional architecture, works of art and crafts require background knowledge.

Korean history is divided into 3 cultural periods by the marked change of cultural development; first 2,300 years of early ancient cultural period, second, 1,400 years of Buddhism culture period and last 500 years of Confucianism culture period.

Confucian ideas are extremely contrary to Buddhist ideas. Due to extreme difference, Confucianism criticizes Buddhism as false religion. According to Confucian principle, Joseon Dynasty abandoned past 1400 years tradition of Buddhist culture, and the Joseon Dynasty even suppressed Buddhism. Eventually, Joseon Dynasty had been Confucianism fundamentalist country like medieval European Christianity fundamentalist countries and Islamic fundamentalist countries in middle east.

Confucianism was brought from China. But in China, Confucianism lost its dominance as national ideology since 17C, when Qing Dynasty, the last Dynasty of China was established by Manchurian tribe. Since then, Joseon Dynasty had been the only Confucianism fundamentalist country in world.

Confucianism culture of Joseon Dynasty is unique and differentiated characteristic of Korean culture, compared to Chinese culture and Japanese culture. Confucianism is Korea's cultural identity.

Korea is the only country in the world that has Confucian symbol on its flag. Confucianism is the identity of Korean culture.

Confucianism is not religion based on revelation of God like Christianity or Islam. No God in Confucianism. Confucianism is based on ancient Chinese ideas, Confucius' teachings and later Great Confucian scholars of Song and Mying Dynasty.

Let me introduce core ideas of Confucianism in simple and easy to understand.  

In Confucianism, there is no God, no immortal soul, no reincarnation and no afterlife, unlike Christianity and Buddhism. Confucianism is not religion from the perspective of western culture.

Confucius established the foundation of Confucianism as an ethical philosophy in 6C BC. 1500 years later, Confucian scholars adopted ancient Chinese cosmology and ontology, developing ethics-oriented Confucianism into religious moral ideology, called as Neo-Confucianism.

1). Confucian cosmology: In Confucianism, Heaven means universe and Great Ultimate represents origin of Heaven and also principle of Heaven, that is intangible truth without reason (Taegeuk, principle of heaven). Great ultimate was divided into yin and yang. Everything in Heaven is generated through the combination and change of yin and yang.

2). Confucian ontology identifies humans and the Heaven as organically connected beings, emphasizing human moral nature.

In Christianity, the ultimate goal of humans is reconciliation with God. In Confucianism, ultimate goal of human is unity with the heaven. In Confucianism, morality is the basis for principle of Heaven. Morality of heaven is inherent in human nature as sprout of virtues, and it is human duty to cultivate sprouts of virtues through continuous self-discipline.

Central way of self-discipline is practice of moderation and propriety, In Confucianism, propriety is fundamental principles that realizes human moral nature and moderation is the path to go on to practice of propriety. Moderation means control of one’s desire and emotions.

The way of self-discipline to cultivate sprouts consists of 3-steps cultivation; it start from ‘continuous learning & thinking over’(사학병진思學竝進), thinking-over means repeated thinking of knowledge like a cow’s chewing cud. 2nd step is practice of moderation and propriety’ (극기복례克己復禮). The final step is practice of ‘sincere sympathy for others’, that is connected to benevolence. (충서忠恕)

Moderation means ‘overcoming of one's desire’ and the proper adjustment or control of the proper adjustment or control of one's desire, expression‎ of emotion, words and behavior.

Self-discipline aims to reveal moral virtues in human moral nature.

4 Cardinal Virtues of Confucianism are benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom. Benevolence is highest virtue, and Benevolence of Confucianism means 'There is nothing in the Heaven that is not me', or 'Everything in the Heaven is One'.

Among 4 cardinal virtues of Confucianism, benevolence, righteousness and wisdom are abstract and universal moral virtues that should be held in the mind. On the other hand, In Confucianism, propriety or Ye(禮) basically served as concrete and practical individual behavioral norms and also as ritual rules of individual, family, society and state. Furthermore, Confucian propriety served as comprehensive social norms that maintain social order and societal harmony. As a whole, propriety was a core concept covering Confucian culture more than just manners and ritual rules.

(Definition of Webster dictionary is Propriety means conformity to the established standards of good or proper behavior or manners.) 

Subsequently, from practical perspective, Confucian propriety is the most fundamental moral virtue and moderation is fundamental code of practice. For this reason, Confucianism also known as propriety study ("Li" study, 禮학). For this reason, national goal of the Joseon Dynasty was to build society of propriety.

In conclusion, self-discipline, propriety and moderation are three fundamental Confucian principles that are the basis not only for the architecture, including Gyeongbokgung but also Korean traditional culture.

Let’s see how those principles are reflected on architecture of Gyeongbokgung.

The details more than above will not be disclosed for protection of my own knowledge.

You want to hear it, and you can do it by being my guest.

Paul (010-9285-4498, kayhkoo@hanmail.net)