Jeung-San’s Analysis and Acceptance of Confucianism

ABSTRACT

One of the common character of Korea’s new religion is syncretism. So in order to understand the Korea’s new religions, one must fully understand the objective characteristics of founders of these new religions who tried to synchronize the established religion’s ideological characters and to establish a creative system. Moreover one must reconsider talking down about Korea’s new religions as a negative mixture of established religions. Jeung-San’s teachings contained more doctrines of established religions than any other new religions. But Jeung-San shows a ambivalent attitude about the established religions. He denies them strongly while actively accepting their values. Moreover Jeung-San describes Confucianism simply as ‘etiquette’ and fully made use of the scripture of Confucianism to preach the disciples. Using the ‘etiquette’ was a method to rebuild ethical values which was falling apart in that era. Also it was a Jeung-San’s thought that if ethical teachings of Confucianism were used it would help rebuilding the morale values. When preaching to the public Jeung-San thought that by using Confucian approach, it would be easier for the public to understand it. However at the latter part of the ChoSeon Dynasty , Confucianism had lost it’s true function and was unable to integrate the society of ChoSeon Dynasty. So Jeung-San then called Confucianism as ‘The rotten Confucianism’ and criticised it. But he did not denied Confucianism fully, he just believed that by taking these critical understanding he could revive the values of Confucianism. Furthermore he emphasized about abolishing empty formalities which was the negative effect of Confucianism. He criticized empty formal ritualism as a exclusive property of Noble-Bloods. By doing this he relieved the public’s wish of rise in social status symbolically and eradicated the deprived feelings of public which was provoked by the empty formalities of Confucianism. Ultimately leading to a equal world which Jeung-San tried to create. The decline of Confucian value was not exclusive to the era of Jeung-San, and it had a massive effect on today’s society as well. So the tries which Jeung-San made by re-looking into ideologic trends of the era, and emphasizing on the reformation of Confucianism was to arouse the real value of it. Thus it can be said that, his way of approaching and accepting Confucianism critically is a method and a value not only for the time he was alive, but also for our time and the future.