韓國 仙道의 變轉과 再認識

Abstract

Seon-do, Seon-gyo, Seon-ga, Taoism, Do-ga, Danhak, Sinseon-do, Sin-do, Pungryu-do, Pungwol-do, Pungwol and so on signify names given to collective and individual concepts related to modern Korea's Taoist religion and its imitators. When they are recognized as one specific religion, it is not difficult to see that they are various offshoots and groups, even with the variation in names. Not much attention is paid, though, to the fundamental problem surrounding the gathering of these various concepts and terms into one understandable category. This stems from the trend of trying to categorize diverse concepts considered to be fundamentally similar together with the concept of Taoism as a whole. This movement encompasses a long period from before Goryeo through the middle ages to the Joseon dynasty, the results of which can be understood to center on the so-called taoist class document. If we keep in mind the obvious point that Taoism and Seon-do[Seon-gyo] must be understood as separate concepts, there should be no trouble in approaching them from the aspect of "transmitted theoretical" and spontaneously generated theoretical. While it is true that Seon-do has similarities to Taoism, we should not read too far into this ; we must treat each faith from the point of view of their inherent ideological and religious history. Based on that understanding of history, this essay will reexamine the aspects of its change through the ages beginning with its origins and conduct. Rather than considering each age's change, we will try to use Old Joseon founder, Tangun, as a starting point to see whether it is possible to gain a unified understanding of Seon-ga's context. We will not approach Korean Seon-do from the dimension of spontaneous theoretical, transmitted theoretical or total theoretical. Instead we will present the case for the need to approach Seon-do and its culture as independent from that of Taoism. In addition, we will consider the possibility that a part of late Joseon's historical understanding has been reflected in the approach of Silhak scholars.