Seohak
Encyclopedia
Seohak was the introduction of technology, philosophy and most prominently, Catholicism
and Western ideas to Joseon Korea in the 18th century. It is also occasionally referred to as Cheonjuhak (천주학; 天主學；Ch’ŏnhak) which means 'Heavenly Learning'.
entered Korea
indirectly in the 18th century via limited transmission of royal messengers carrying books from missionaries in Qing China. In this way, Seohak slowly entered Korea in the form of foreign books translated into Classical Chinese
. This is unique in that Catholicism originally spread without the direct influence of missionaries in Korea. Although, eventually foreign missionaries entered Korea in 1836.
Seohak was seen as a western philosophy, instead of a religion, which embraced new technology. This movement was initially accepted only by a minority of progressive thinkers and even fewer people were ready to accept the Catholic aspect of Seohak.
Allegedly, in 1784 after Yi Sung-hun
was baptized in Beijing
, he came to Seoul
and baptized Yi Byuk in the personal home of Kim Pom-u at the present site of Myeongdong Cathedral
. In the spring of 1785, this location was the site of an arrest for holding a religious meeting. Although Yi Sung-hun would be released, Kim Pom-u would later be remembered as the first Catholic martyr in Korea after his initial exile and subsequent execution.
which threatened the social order of the time. Furthermore, it promoted the idea of social equality which challenged the established order at the time.
In addition, many Korean Catholics refused to do ancestor worship due to religious conflicts. This eventually led to the Catholic Persecution of 1801
.
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and Western ideas to Joseon Korea in the 18th century. It is also occasionally referred to as Cheonjuhak (천주학; 天主學；Ch’ŏnhak) which means 'Heavenly Learning'.
History
CatholicismCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
entered Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
indirectly in the 18th century via limited transmission of royal messengers carrying books from missionaries in Qing China. In this way, Seohak slowly entered Korea in the form of foreign books translated into Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
. This is unique in that Catholicism originally spread without the direct influence of missionaries in Korea. Although, eventually foreign missionaries entered Korea in 1836.
Seohak was seen as a western philosophy, instead of a religion, which embraced new technology. This movement was initially accepted only by a minority of progressive thinkers and even fewer people were ready to accept the Catholic aspect of Seohak.
Allegedly, in 1784 after Yi Sung-hun
Yi Sung-hun
Yi Sung-Hun is an early Roman Catholic martyr in Korea. He was born in 1756 in Seoul to a high Korean official. He came into contact with Catholicism via Yi Byuk in 1779. He accompanied his father on a diplomatic mission to Beijing, China, and was baptised in spring, 1784...
was baptized in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, he came to Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and baptized Yi Byuk in the personal home of Kim Pom-u at the present site of Myeongdong Cathedral
Myeongdong Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Myeongdong, commonly known as Myeongdong Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Seoul, South Korea, located in the Myeongdong neighborhood of Jung-gu, Seoul...
. In the spring of 1785, this location was the site of an arrest for holding a religious meeting. Although Yi Sung-hun would be released, Kim Pom-u would later be remembered as the first Catholic martyr in Korea after his initial exile and subsequent execution.
Controversy
Many of the Korean elite saw Seohak as a modified form of BuddhismBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
which threatened the social order of the time. Furthermore, it promoted the idea of social equality which challenged the established order at the time.
In addition, many Korean Catholics refused to do ancestor worship due to religious conflicts. This eventually led to the Catholic Persecution of 1801
Catholic Persecution of 1801
The Catholic Persecution of 1801, also known as the Sinyu Persecution , was a mass persecution of Korean Catholics ordered by regent Dowager Queen Jeongsun during King Sunjo of Joseon's reign on April 8, 1801 ....
.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Joseon DynastyJoseon DynastyJoseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
- Roman Catholicism in South KoreaRoman Catholicism in South KoreaThe Roman Catholic Church in South Korea is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. The history of Catholicism in Korea began in 1784 when Yi Sung-hun was baptized while in China under the Christian name of Peter...
- Korean MartyrsKorean MartyrsThe Korean Martyrs were the victims of religious persecution against the Catholic Church during the 19th century in Korea. At least 8,000 adherents to the faith were known to have been killed during this persecution, 103 of whom were canonized en masse in 1984.-History:Catholicism had entered...
- Matteo RicciMatteo RicciMatteo Ricci, SJ was an Italian Jesuit priest, and one of the founding figures of the Jesuit China Mission, as it existed in the 17th-18th centuries. His current title is Servant of God....
- Protestant missions in China 1807–1953
- Catholic Persecution of 1801Catholic Persecution of 1801The Catholic Persecution of 1801, also known as the Sinyu Persecution , was a mass persecution of Korean Catholics ordered by regent Dowager Queen Jeongsun during King Sunjo of Joseon's reign on April 8, 1801 ....