New Perspectives in Modern Korean Buddhism

Hwansoo Ilmee Kim is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Yale University and the author of The Korean Buddhist Empire: A Transnational History, 1910–1945. Jin Y. Park is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at American University. She is the author of Women and Buddhist Philosophy: Engaging Zen Master Kim Iryŏp and the editor of Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism, also published by SUNY Press.

• AcknowledgmentsNote on Translations and ConventionsAbbreviationsIntroductionHwansoo KimPart 1: Beyond the Grand Narratives in Zen Buddhism1. What Do Zen Masters Teach Us Today? The Case of Sŏn Master Hyeam SŏnggwanJin Y. Park2. Paek Yongsŏng and the Boundaries of Early Modern Korean Buddhism: Historiographical Issues and the Question of ScaleMark A. NathanPart 2: Nuns and Laywomen in Modern Korean Buddhism3. Lady Ch’ŏn and Modern Korean BuddhismHwansoo Kim4. Experiencing a Different Buddhist Community: Nun Suok’s Travel to Japan and Her Contribution to the Korean Community of NunsEun-su ChoPart 3: Clerical Celibacy, Marriage, Scandals, and Monastic Rules5. Rethinking Married Bhikṣu: An Examination of Bhikṣu Ordinations and Clerical Marriage in 1920s Korean BuddhismJeongeun Park6. Flesh in the Closet: The "Secret Wife" in Korean BuddhismSu Jung Kim7. Monastic Regulations in Contemporary KoreaUri KaplanPart 4: Secularity, Society, and Politics8. Han Yongun, Fukuzawa Yukichi, and Questions of Nationalism and ColonialismGregory N. Evon9. Kim Kugyŏng’s Liminal Life: Between Nationalism and ScholarshipKim Cheonhak10. Praying in Kangnam and Longing for the Mountains: The Dilemma of Centrality in Contemporary Korean BuddhismFlorence GalmicheBibliographyContributorsIndex

"Being an anthology, the book targets a broad range of scholars and students that go beyond Buddhist and Korean studies. Both historians and Asian studies scholars would find it relevant. However, the book is especially directed toward scholars and students of studies of religion. The book's accessibility and themes provide an example of how to understand the development of Buddhism through non-Eurocentric approaches, a much-needed perspective within the field." — Nova Religio"This work lives up to its titular promise by providing nuanced insights into the intricate dimensions shaping the formation, transformation, and contemporary complexities of Korean Buddhism within the context of modernity … By centering on individual lived experiences and recognizing the transnational and institutional dimensions of modern Korean Buddhism, the text challenges simplistic interpretations that narrowly focus on the current state of Buddhism in Korea. Instead, it underscores the intricate and nuanced factors that have collectively contributed to the multifaceted tapestry of Korean Buddhist development into its present form." — Religious Studies Review"…a welcome addition to studies on Buddhism in Korea … This is a cogent collection of essays that cover a wide range of interconnected subjects and offer some fresh perspectives on discourses on Korean Buddhism using novel research methods." — Journal of Buddhist Ethics"Every scholar can find their niche within these chapters. Whether this book inspires a new scholar in the field or becomes a key reference for a senior scholar, it pushes Korean Buddhist studies into the future with fresh insights and groundbreaking ideas." — Seoul Journal of Korean Studies"This book will be a great resource for students and specialists seeking to understand modern and contemporary Korean Buddhism. It covers a broader range of topics than any other monograph on the subject, and provides much more material on the role of women in the preservation of Korean Buddhism." — Richard McBride, Brigham Young University