Joseon Kings' Personal Belief in Buddhism and its Political Significance

The official state ideology of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) was Confucianism. But many Joseon kings who held convictions about Confucian values as precepts for state management also held personal Buddhist beliefs. The Joseon kings' Buddhist beliefs and practices were strongly criticized by the Confucian scholar-officials as undesirable behaviors for leaders of a Confucian state. Despite of these criticisms, the Joseon kings did not give up their Buddhist beliefs. My paper consists of three parts. First, I explain the Joseon kings' theoretical defense of Buddhism and the cases of Joseon kings' personal Buddhist beliefs and practices. Second, I focus on the sources of the Joseon kings' political authority and Buddhism as a source of legitimacy. Third, I explain the flexible and realistic policies on Buddhism, the Kings' amicable response to Buddhism, and the efficiency of kingship through the political use of Buddhism. Confucianism was regarded as the only source of a king's political authority in a Confucian state. But the fact that many Joseon people believed in Buddhism could not be ignored. Buddhism also could be a useful element to increase the people's religious and political ties to kings who believed in Buddhism. I think that the Joseon kings knew this fact and used it politically. Confucianism was the dominant element of the kings' political authority and the sources of the legitimacy of Joseon Dynasty. But the kings' Buddhist beliefs and amicable policies to Buddhism have political significance in that they contributed to the formation of people' s friendly feelings toward the kings and the integration of national unity.