For more than sixteen centuries, Buddhism has been woven into the history of Korea shaping its philosophy, politics, art, literature, and everyday life.
The History of Korean Buddhism traces this enduring tradition from its introduction during the Three Kingdoms period to its place in contemporary Korean society. Moving chronologically through Unified Silla, Goryeo, Joseon, the Japanese colonial period, and modern Korea, the book reveals how Korean Buddhism evolved in response to changing dynasties, intellectual movements, political pressures, and social transformations.
The book explores the relationship between Buddhism and royal authority, and the development of major traditions. It also examines Buddhist institutions, rituals, devotional practices, artistic achievements, monastic communities, and the complex relationship between Buddhism and Confucianism.
Later chapters address the suppression and adaptation of Buddhism during the Joseon dynasty, the participation of monks in national defense, religious reforms under colonial rule, post-liberation purification movements, and Buddhism’s engagement with dictatorship and democratization.