The making of Wŏnhyo: religious modernization in early modern Korea

This study looks to reevaluate the reasons that Wŏnhyo (617-686), a Buddhist monk and doctrinal commentator, became an extremely important figure in early modern and modern Korean Buddhism. While studies of Wŏnhyo have mostly been occupied with his doctrinal philosophy, this study will trace the historical developments in pre-modern and early modern Korea that helped to shape his image as a pivotal figure in the history of Korean Buddhism in the first place. Through the lens of religious modernization, mainly initiated by Korean and Japanese Buddhists and Christians in early 20th century Korea, I will critique the way in which Wŏnhyo was characterized by colonial Korean Buddhist scholars and reformers. I will argue that Wŏnhyo was appropriated by Korean Buddhist modernists to represent the idea of religious modernization. Religious modernization, as part of the larger modernization project that was started in late 19th and early 20th century Japan and Korea proclaimed that a religion should be socially viable and aid in the revival of the national polity.M.A.Includes bibliographical referencesby Jonathan Carl Feue