Amid the global craze for "K-Culture," a special lecture series has been launched to re-examine Donghak—the root of modern Korean spirit and an indigenous philosophy of equality and ecology—as a modern "K-Philosophy."

Titled "Re-reading Donghak as K-Philosophy - Reading the Donggyeong Daejeon," the program runs under the theme "For the Restoration of Life and Subjectivity in an Era of Crisis." It offers participants a chance to explore the timely messages that Donghak philosophy sends to modern people facing civilizational shifts, climate crises, and social conflicts. Consisting of seven immersive educational sessions, the program bridges theory with historical reality by incorporating a field trip to Jeongeup.

The central text of the lectures, the Donggyeong Daejeon (Classic of the Eastern Learning), is Donghak’s core scripture written in Classical Chinese by its founder, Su-un Choe Je-u. It serves as the constitution and essence of Donghak. After the founder was martyred amidst suppression by the Joseon court following Donghak’s founding in 1860, the second leader, Haewol Choe Si-hyeong, set out to publish the scriptures to preserve and widely distribute the teachings. In particular, the Donggyeong Daejeon (Mokcheon Edition) published in Mokcheon, Chungcheong Province, in 1883 is the oldest and most complete extant authentic version. It marked a decisive turning point that allowed Donghak to spread into a mass movement equipped with systematic ideology and organization.

The Donggyeong Daejeon encompasses "Innaechoe" (Human is Heaven) and "Sainyeocheon" (Treating Humans as Heaven), which maximize human dignity, as well as the "Samgyeong" Philosophy (Respecting Heaven, Humans, and Things), which embraces heaven, humanity, and all natural creatures as one body. Evaluated as the pinnacle of modern Korean thought, it transcends a simple religious scripture to advocate for breaking down unequal feudal hierarchies, respecting life, and achieving peaceful coexistence.

Led by a Top Authority on Modern Korean History

The lectures are led by Park Maeng-soo, Professor Emeritus at Wonkwang University (former President of Wonkwang University), widely recognized as one of South Korea's foremost authorities on Donghak and modern Korean history. After earning his doctorate in history from the Academy of Korean Studies and Hokkaido University in Japan, Professor Park has served as President of the Society for Modern and Contemporary Korean History, Chairman of the Moseom and Sallim Research Institute, and Director of the Institute for Won Buddhism Thought. Having pioneered Donghak research through numerous publications such as Donghak Seen Through the Eyes of Life, Korean Thought Selection 16: Choe Je-u, Choe Si-hyeong, and Kang Il-sun, and Hangul Edition of Donggyeong Daejeon, he is a scholar who leads peace and coexistence solidarity between Korea and Japan—including organizing annual field trips to Donghak Peasant Revolution battle sites with conscientious Japanese intellectuals.

Lecture Schedule & Curriculum

Session 1 (October 6): Explored the historical status of the Donggyeong Daejeon focusing on the 1883 Mokcheon edition and the historical background of its creation.
Session 2 (October 13): Readings of the "Podeokmun" (Treatise on Spreading Virtue), which contains the founding history and missionary will of Donghak.
Session 3 (October 20): Part 1 of the "Nonhakmun" (Treatise on Learning the Way), discussing Donghak's legitimacy and its differences from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
Session 4 (October 24): A field trip—"Korea-Japan Donghak Excursion"—to Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, where the spirit of the Donghak Peasant Revolution lingers, allowing participants to physically experience how the texts exploded into a mass democratic movement.
Session 5 (November 3): Part 2 of the "Nonhakmun".
Session 6 (November 10): In-depth readings of the "Sudeokmun" (Treatise on Cultivating Virtue) and "Bulyeon Giyeon" (Thus and Not Thus), covering practical attitudes and cognitive systems for self-cultivation.
Session 7 (November 17): Titled "Revisiting Donghak to Philosophize Democracy," this final session wraps up the program by discussing the implications of Donghak’s reform spirit for modern South Korean democracy and the life movement.

The organizers noted, "Reflecting on the essence of K-Philosophy, which serves as the root of K-Culture, will serve as a profound opportunity to overcome today's social conflicts and ecological crises," urging active participation from citizens.

The lecture series is jointly hosted by Citizens' Free University and Chonnam National University’s Institute for Interdisciplinary Humanities, taking place every Tuesday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Citizens' Free University lecture hall through November 17.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]