Korea's cultural identity: Confuciansim

[paul]

Confucianism is Korea's cultural identity!

Without knowledge of Confucianism, we cannot fully appreciate Korean palaces as well as Korean culture; architecture, art, craft, music and literature, but we are just fascinated by superficial feature of Korean palace architecture and all cultures. 

I am a docent specialized in Korea's culture, history and architecture, based on Confucianism.

I am the only guide who provide basic knowledge about Confucianism and detail of architecture in association with Confucianism. I have been studying over 15 years about Confucianism and Aisan & Korea's traditional philosophy.

The below detail is my own development and part of information that is provided only for my guest to help them fully appreciate Korean culture and architectures.  I am sure the below content is the easiest and clearest detail about Confucianism in English in whole world, that can be developed through my long study and 2 years long practical experience with 150 tours to introduce the knowledge to tourists.  

Center of tour is architecture. Architectural style represents spirit of times. We can see as much as we know. 

For example, without knowledge about Christianity, the spirit of medieval Europe, we cannot fully appreciate beauty and value of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Confucianism is the spirit of Joseon Dynasty. Confucianism is reflected on palaces & all architectures and Korea's tradtional culture in Joseon Dynasty.

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.

Joseon Dynasty was founded by Confucian scholars. Joseon Dynasty set up Confucianism as national ideology. Confucian ideas are extremely contrary to Buddhist ideas.

Eventually, the extreme difference led to the suppression of Buddhism by Joseon Dynasty. Joseon threw away the tradition of Buddhism culture.

Confucianism was adopted from China. But Confucianism was declined in the era of Qing Dynasty, last dynasty of China, established by Manchurian tribe in 1636. Qing Dynasty threw away the tradition of Confucianism, and in the next era of China, current national ideology of China is communism. 

As a result, Joseon Dynasty was the only Confucianism fundamentalist country in whole world, like medieval times of European Christianity fundamentalist culture and current Islamic fundamentalist countries in middle east.

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.

The national flag of Korea illustrates Confucian ontology.

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

There are dozens of countries in the world with the cross on their national flags. The cross on their national flags represents Christianity as their national identity.

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.

The below part is brief introduction to core ideas of Confucianism.

Confucianism is religious ideaology of morality. Confucianism is not speculative metaphysics. Center of Confucianism is human life. Goal of Confucianism is to establish a social order and build a harmonious society, based on morality, as defined by principle of Heaven. 

Let’s starts with Confucian ontology, as Bible begins with Genesis. In Confucian ontology, Heaven represents origin of universe, and Heaven is intangible truth without reason. Heaven is a principle, and principle of heaven creates All things in universe. (Heaven represents Great Ultimate, that is original Confucian term). The national flag of Korea embodies Confucian ontology.

At the next stage, Confucianism says that morality is a basis for principle of Heaven. The addition of morality intended to bring naturalness and justification to human moral behavior. Confucian ontology was meant to establish absoluteness of Confucian morality

Confucian ontology leads to three core ideas of Confucianism.

Principle of Heaven is inherent in human nature. Principle of Heaven is preserved as sprouts of virtues in human nature. It is human duty to cultivate sprouts of the virtues by continuous self-discipline.

Confucianism says, if people do not practice self-discipline, sprouts of virtues in human’s nature gradually dry up and wither away.

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.

Cultivation of sprouts of virtues aims to reveal constant moral virtues. 4 core constant moral virtues of Confucianism are benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom.

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom are 4 core Confucian moral virtues. Among 4 core constant moral virtues, benevolence is highest moral virtues of Confucianism.  

However, the way to cultivate benevolence is the practice of moderation and propriety. In other words,

propriety and moderation were the most basic virtues to practice self-discipline.

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.

Propriety is not only the basic way to cultivate benevolence but also the norm of social order that determines people’s behavior and manner to treat others. Eventually, propriety was the most fundamental principle from practical perspective of Confucian value in the realms of individual and society.

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

For this reason, the national goal of the Joseon Dynasty was to build society of propriety, and Joseon Dynasty used to be called ‘country of propriety’.

In sum, self-discipline, propriety and moderation were three most basic principles of Confucianism in reality.  

Self-discipline, moderation and propriety were thoroughly reflected on architectural style of Gyeongbokgung. Architectural structure & style and interior decoration of Gyeongbokgung palace embodies Confucian ideas and principles.

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)