There has been a continuous history of philosophy in Korea, that goes back more than two thousand years. Traditional Korean philosophy focused on a totality of world view. The emotional content of shamanism, and the unpredictable, as represented by the Chinese method of casting the I ching, were both integrated into it. Korea (한국/韓國/Hanguk, used by South / ì¡°ì„ /朝鮮/Joseon, used by North) is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in northern East Asia, bordering on China to the northwest and Russia to the north. ... Shamanism is a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause human suffering by traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. ... Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ...

Buddhist philosophers

Confucian philosophers

Neo-Confucian philosophers

Schools of thought in the Joseon period

This dynasty arose out of the military dictatorships and chaos of the preceding era. Transition in this era was from buddhism to a soldierly approach to Confucianism. Much work was done, especially on commentaries, and the Chu Hsi school represented indeed the golden age of Korean philosophy. Metaphysical research at this time investigated the relations between principle (i) and material/vital force (ki), and between as well the four beginnings (sadan), and the seven feelings (ch'ilchong); with the division of the Joseon Confucianists into two leading schools: one on "force" and one on "principles", according to recent research by Wai-ming Ng on this period. Zhu Xi (朱熹, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhū Xī, Wade-Giles: Chu Hsi) (1130 - 1200) was a Song Dynasty (960-1279) Confucian scholar who became one of most significant Neo-Confucians in China. ...

Major philosophical figures of the Joseon period

These are listed by their most commonly-used pen name, followed by their birth name. A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ... A maiden name is the family name carried by a woman before any of her marriages. ...

• Yeoheon Jang Hyeon-gwang (1554-1637)
• Hagok Jeong Je-du (1649-1736)
• Udam Jeong Si-han (1625-1707)
• Sambong Jeong Do-jeon (1337-1398)
• Dasan Jeong Yag-yong (1762-1836)
• Namdang Han Won-jin (1682-1750)
• Damheon Hong Tae-yong (1731-1783)
• Nosa Gi Jeong-jin (1798-1876)
• Gobong Gi Dae-seung (1527-1572)
• Haseo Kim In-hu (1511-1560)
• Maewoldang Kim Si-seup (1435-1493)
• Yangchon Gwon Geun (1352-1409)
• Yeonam Bak Ji-won (1737-1805)
• Seogye Bak Se-dang (1629-1703)
• Hwadam Seo Gyeong-deok (1489-1546)
• Ugye Seong Hon (1535-1598)
• Uam Song Si-yeol (1607-1689)
• Hanju Yi Jin-sang (1818-1885)
• Hwaseo Yi Hang-no (1792-1868)
• Toegye Yi Hwang (1501-1570)
• Yulgok Yi I (1536-1584)
• Seongho Yi Ik (1681-1763)
• Ban-gye Yu Hyeong-won (1622-1673)
• Baek-ho Yun Hyu (1617-1680)

Jeong Dojeon (1342-1398), also known by the pen name Sambong (三峰) was a medieval Korean scholar and politician. ... Yi Hwang(李滉 1501-1570) was one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his younger contemporary Yi I (Yulgok). ... Yi I (26 December 1536-1584) was one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his older contemporary, Yi Hwang (Toegye). ...

Western philosophy in Korea from 1890-1945

Philosphically, under the Japanese invaders, Korean philosophy was thrown aside for state Shintoism. Those who were sent to be educated in Japan, returned with limited knowledge of western philosophy as a whole, although the German educational influence in Japan led to the beginning of interest in German idealists in Korea through indirect knowledge, with the exception of Marx, Hegel, and the dialecticians. Shintō (Japanese: 神道) is the native religion of Japan. ...

The strong influence of low church Christianity, through missionary schools, led to practical American YMCA-style philosophy entering into Korea from the 1890s onwards. The discussion of Korean Christianity and Korean Christian philosophy is complicated with many divisions, and discussed in articles elsewhere.

By the time of Japan's unconditional surrender, Korea was given a partition, further solidified by the Korean war. The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁/韓國戰爭), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ...

Philosophy in Korea was divided according to a kind of pragmatic mix of varied progressive libertarian beliefs in the south with highly variable changes from rigid authoritianism to softer and easier more pragmatic approaches from the 1990s onwards. Buddhism is having a revival through the internet amongst young people.

North Korean post-1945 philosophy

In the republican period, post-1945, orthodox Marxism in the north was built on the Confucian yangban scholar-warriors of earlier times, if perhaps taken to absolutist extremes. The Yangban were a well educated scholarly class of male Confucian scholars who were part of the ruling elite within Korea prior to 1945 and the republics period of Korean history. ...

Throughout the 1950s Pyongang scholars were influenced by orthodox Maoism, as well as often studying communist ideology at Moscow University more than in China. As interesting as this field is, little is written or known in the west on the development of 20th century philosophy in North Korea, or the achievements, if any, made in this area, making accurate observations difficult. Maoism or Mao Tse-tung Thought (Chinese: 毛泽东思想, pinyin: Máo Zédōng Sīxiǎng), is a variant of Marxism-Leninism derived from the teachings of Mao Zedong (1893–1976). ...

The main influence in North Korea has been since 1996, the notion of "The Red Banner Spirit". This system of belief encourages the North Korean people to build a "kangsong taeguk", a fortress state, based on self-reliance and absolute loyalty to the leader (suryong). This philosophy was created by the "three generals of Mt. Paektu," referring to current North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, his father Kim Il-sung and his natural mother Kim Jong-suk. Again little is known of philosophical publications on this subject; but it appears to have replaced Marxism with a home-grown nationalistic ideology.

See also

• Shamanism
• Buddhism
• Korean Buddhism
• Seon Buddhism (Korean zen buddhism)
• Confucianism
• Korean Confucianism
• List of Korea-related topics
• Traditional Korean thought

Shamanism is a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause human suffering by traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived between approximately 566 and 486 BCE. Originating in India, Buddhism gradually spread throughout Asia to Central Asia... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... The Seon school is a Korean branch of Buddhism that shares its origins and many characteristics with Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, etc. ... Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. ... This is a list of Wikipedia articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. ... Traditional Korean thought There are a number of religious and philosophical thought-systems that have influenced life in Korea. ...

References

• Choi, Min Hong (1978), A Modern History of Korean Philosophy, Seoul : Seong Moon Sa.
• DeBary, Theodore (ed.), The Rise of Neo-Confucianism in Korea, New York: Columbia University Press, 1985.