In Search for the Origins of Korean Philosophy (Coursera)

Sojeong Park

Domestic and Foreign University Students and General Persons

Ha Na, William Gilbert

Humanities

Beginner

This course aims at discovering, analyzing, and organizing literature from the history of Korean philosophy, and acting as a kind of source book of Korean philosophy. The course also explores and provides sources that have not been highlighted by others in relation to the prototype of Korean philosophy.

1. To understand the limitations of data on ancient Korean thoughts and how to philosophy using insufficient literature data

2. To understand the contents and characteristics of the three themes, name, language, and religion that form Korean identity

Week 1

Philosophizing through Primary Sources

1. Thinking through Reading

2. Scattered Sources of Ancient Koreans

3. Comparing Inside and Outside Views in the Eyes of “Others”

4. Interpretation through Philosophical Reflection

5. Name, Language and Religion

Week 2

Korean Identity through the Names Called by Others

1. The Name Others Call You and the Name You Call Yourself

2. “Joseon” and “Eastern Foreigners, Dongyi”

3. “Three Han, Samhan”

Week 3

Korean Language and Korean Thought

1. Living as Koreans in East Asian Cultural Sphere

2. Reading with Meaning, Reading with Sound

3. Hanja as an Ambivalent Medium

4. Writing Systems of Korean Using Hanja

Week 4

Before Confucianism and Buddhism Introduced

1. Indigenous Thoughts before the Influence of Foreign Cultures

2. Dangun Legend Perhaps Related to Korean Dolmens, Goindol

3. An Interpretation of the Dangun Legend as Peaceful Union of Various Tribes

4. Drinking, Singing and Dancing: Ethnic Tradition before Confucianism and Buddhism 

Week 5

Confucianism and Buddhism Introduced into Korea

1. Confucianism as a Political Education System

2. Literacy and Insight through the Confucian Classics

3. Buddhism in the East Asian Context

4. Why Silla Does Stand Out in Relation to Korean Buddhism?

5. Universality and Particularity of Korean Buddhism

6. Confucianism and Buddhism Coexist in Korean Spirituality

7. How has Buddhism Changed the Intellectual Landscape of Korea?

8. Self-awareness of Marginalized Intellectuals

9. Buddhism and Korean Spirituality 

Week 6

Closing and Q&A with Students

1. Closing

2. The Korean identity through others and the non-mainstream identity of borderline intellectuals

3. The universality and particularity of Korean philosophy

Finding the Origin of Korean Philosophy

Yun Taiyang, Kim Seongki, Ki Kyoung-ryang, Rhee Kun Woo

General

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Humanities, Philosophy, Korean Philosophy

Beginner

This course introduces the concept of self-identification and the formation processes of ancient Korea from Gojoseon(고조선:古朝鮮) era to the era of unification of the Three Kingdoms, Goguryeo(고구려:高句麗), Baekje(백제:百濟) and Silla(신라:新羅) to sketch their philosophical thought with the aid of textual sources.

1. 1. Understanding the concept of “Korean Philosophy” and its origins.
2. 2. Understanding the history and background of the acceptance of ‘foreign’ philosophies such as Confucianism and Buddhism.
3. 3. Comparing and analyzing the two key concepts for understanding Korean identity, Dongyi(동이:東夷) and Samhan(삼한:三韓).
4. 4. Evaluating the influence of Hanja(한자:漢字) and examples of original Korean thought.

Week 1

Korea, Philosophy, Origin and Sources

In this lecture, we will introduce the theme of this whole course and summarize each week’s subjects, especially focusing on how and why it is difficult to define the concept of Korean Philosophy.

Week 2

Inflow and Influence of Confucianism

The Samguksagi(삼국사기:三國史記) recorded the first case of official acceptance of Confucianism which in 372 C.E, when King Sosurim(소수림왕) of Goguryeo(고구려) officially established the Taehak(태학:大學). But many clues tell us that there was Confucianism before the official acceptance in the Korean peninsula.

Week 3

Acceptance of Buddhism and Its Purpose

This time, we focus on the other case of inflow and influence, Buddhism. The topics are as follows: how Buddhism overcame native beliefs and totemism metaphysically in Korea, what happened in these processes, and who devoted themselves to spreading Buddhism.

Week 4

Dongyi(동이:東夷), Korean Identity and East Asian Civilization from a Pluralistic Perspective

In this lecture, professor Kim Seongki explores the traces of Dongyi(동이:東夷) that remain in Oracle bone script and Bronze script in ancient China Shang(상:商) and Zhou(주:周). And he critically reviews traditional Sino-centrism with archaeological discoveries and mythical metaphors.

Week 5

The Concept of “Samhan(삼한:三韓)” and Its Evolution

Samhan is the origin of the Korean name of Korea, Daehanminguk(대한민국:大韓民國). Professor Ki Kyoung Ryang analyzes the concept of Samhan by using very abundant records from China and Korea such as the Samguksagi(삼국사기:三國史記), the Record of Three Kingdoms(삼국지:三國志), the Record of Later Han(후한서:後漢書), etc.

Week 6

Hanja(한자:漢字) and Korean Thoughts

In this lecture, Professor Rhee Kun Woo shares the way of understanding Hanja and the role of the Hanja cultural sphere in East Asia from ancient times. He also explains why we should give our interest in each ethnic group’s efforts to express their own words through or with Hanja such as Chu Nom(쯔놈) of Vietnam or especially Idu(이두) or Hyangga(향가) of Korea. He shows how Hanja has changed in time and space very vividly.