日帝下 『禪苑』誌의 創刊과 그 性格

Abstract

The Buddhist Magazine ≪Zen Garden≫ was an organic journal of Seonkakwon(禪學院), which established in Korean Buddhist Circle under Japanese Imperialism. If the object of setting up Seonkakwon were the defending on the legitimacy of Korean Buddhism or its popularization, the characteristics of《Zen Garden》was likely to associate with Seonkakwon's establishing intention. Since 1910s ≪Zen Garden≫ have presented the striking contrast between the active and overwhelming move of Buddhist reform in Buddhist Circle and the theory of Revitalizing Reform which have securing the command of both journal and newspapers printed in those days. ≪Zen Garden≫ was published out the world on the 6th of October, 1931. Seonkakwon was established in 1921, overcame the season of downward trend, and came into being with Kim Juck Eum(金寂音)'s endeavor to revive Seonkakwon. Because ≪Zen Garden≫ published the last No. 4 and was suspended by Japanese authority, It is inconvenient not to satisfy with the meaning of Buddhist history about its founding. Nevertheless, ≪Zen Garden≫ played an important role of organic magazine so faithful that Korean People could read Seonkakwon's founding intention to revive Zen(禪), popularize the mass, and set up the Korean Buddhism's identity. Especially 36 contributors to ≪Zen Garden≫ inserted the difference between India and China in Zen, the beginning of Korean Zen, and history of Zen Buddhism in Korea. Also they introduced historical place and its value about Korean Zen Buddhism in some ways. Further more, since the establishment of Seonkakwon in 1921, ≪Zen Garden≫ as organic Magazine of Seonkakwon pressed how Seonkakwon overcome the course of slowdown or how it become the foundation in 1934 and introduced several activities of staffs belonging to Seonkakwon in a close relation to the birth of the Zen sect in 1935 and the improvement in self-discipline conditions of Prime Monks. The salient traits of ≪Zen Garden≫ was to adopt a slogan such as the identity of Korean Buddhism. Namely, It was to make clear Seonkakwon's founding intension. For example, the founding principle of Seonkakwon was reflected on both originality and orthodoxy in Korean Buddhism in contrast with Japanese Buddhism on which a married Buddhist priest system and meat-eating practice existed. Accordingly, ≪Zen Garden≫ encouraged the public in taking an interest of the self-discipline of prime monks Finally, ≪Zen Garden≫ dealt in a chain of events, including several of thema from the founding story or slow down story about Seonkakwon and the story of revival and establishment of the foundation, to the birth story of the Zen sect. These traits of ≪Zen Garden≫ was entirely different with most of Journal and Newspapers in Buddhist Circles during the reign of Japanese Imperialism.