The Korean Buddhist Empire: A Transnational History, 1910–1945 (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

In the first part of the twentieth century, Korean Buddhists, despite living under colonial rule, reconfigured sacred objects, festivals, urban temples, propagation--and even their own identities--to modernize and elevate Korean Buddhism. By focusing on six case studies, this book highlights the centrality of transnational relationships in the transformation of colonial Korean Buddhism. Hwansoo Ilmee Kim examines how Korean, Japanese, and other Buddhists operating in colonial Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Manchuria, and beyond participated in and were significantly influenced by transnational forces, even as Buddhists of Korea and other parts of Asia were motivated by nationalist and sectarian interests. More broadly, the cases explored in the The Korean Buddhist Empire reveal that, while Japanese Buddhism exerted the most influence, Korean Buddhism was (as Japanese Buddhism was itself) deeply influenced by developments in China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Europe, and the United States, as well as by Christianity. The Korean Buddhist Empire: A Transnational History (1910–1945) Contents List of Figures Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Valorization of the Koryŏ Canon 2. A Buddhist Christmas: The Buddha’s Birthday Festival 3. The Transnational Buddhist Yu Guanbin 4. Transcultural Zen: Soma Shoei’s Training with Korean Masters 5. Governmentality: The Great Head Temple 6. Propagation in Colonial Korea, Japan, and Manchuria Conclusion List of Names and Terms Bibliography Index Harvard East Asian Monographs "Highlights the centrality of transnational relationships in the transformation of colonial Korean Buddhism in the early twentieth century. While Japanese Buddhism exerted the most influence, Korean Buddhism (and Japanese Buddhism itself) was deeply influenced by developments in China, Taiwan, and elsewhere, as well as by Christianity" ... Provided by publisher