The Encyclopedia of World Religions

Krishna S 257

In opposition, a movement called Tonghak (East ern Learning), or Ch’ondo-kyo (Way of Heaven Teaching), arose to resist foreigners; its activities led to the Sino-Japanese War on 1894, after which Japanese influence and subsequent rule controlled Korea until 1945. C HRISTIANITY grew in Korea, especially after the end of World War II. After the Philippines, Korea is the most Christian country in east Asia. Korea has also produced new religious movements, the best known worldwide being the quasi-Christian Unification Church of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Korea remains a mix of religious traditions and movements. Further reading: Kim Chongsuh, ed., Reader in Korean Religion (Kyonggi-Do Songnam-Si: Academy of Korean Studies, 1993); James Huntley Grayson, Korea: A Religious History, rev. ed. (New York: Routledge, 2002); Lewis R. Lancaster and Richard K. Payne, ed., Religion and Society in Contemporary Korea (Berkeley: Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, 1997). Krishna A Sanskrit word meaning “black”; the name of one of the most beloved of Hindu gods. According to Hindu mythology, Krishna is an AVA TAR of the god V ISHNU . For many worshippers, how ever, Krishna is himself the supreme G OD . Indeed, many scholars believe that Krishna was at first an independent deity. Only later was he incorporated into the myths of Vishnu. Stories of Krishna are numerous and have given rise to some of the mas terpieces of Indian literature. Ancient traditions know Krishna as a prince, a hero, and a sage. In this form Krishna is called Vasudeva. Vasudeva Krishna appears in the great Sanskrit EPIC , the Mahabharata. That epic pits five brothers, the Pandavas, against their cousins, the Kauravas. Krishna has ties to both groups. In the final battle of cousins against cousins, his troops fight on behalf of the Kauravas, while Krishna himself advises, but does not fight for, the Pandavas. The famous Hindu scripture, the B HAGAVAD -G ITA , records a conversation between

Koran See Q UR ’ AN .

Korean religion Religious traditions of Korea. Lying between China and Japan the Korean Pen insula has a distinctive religious heritage. It was strongly influenced by Chinese culture, from whence it received C ONFUCIANISM and B UDDHISM , and was a major channel of communication of the same to Japan. Yet Korea has also maintained its own identity. The ancient religion of Korea centered on SHA MANISM . Going into trance states, shamans would transmit the words and power of heavenly gods or gods of the locality. Shamanism persists today as an important feature of popular spirituality, espe cially in the form of shamanesses called mudang, who perform colorful rites known as kut for heal ing, expelling EVIL spirits, or delivering divine mes sages. Shamanism has been especially important as a religious venue for women in a highly patri archal culture. Buddhism entered Korea from China in the fourth century C . E . and quickly established itself. The golden age of Buddhism was the period of the Koryo dynasty, 935–1392. The dominant form of Buddhism in Korea has been Mahayana, with monks meditating in the Zen (sun in Korean) man ner, and popular devotion centering on P URE L AND B UDDHISM , the BODHISATTVA known as A VALOKITES VARA (Korean, Kwan-um), and the coming B UDDHA Maitreya (Korean, Mi-ruk). The next dynasty was the Yi, 1392–1910. It emphasized Confucianism instead. Indeed, in some ways the old Korea of those centuries was virtually an ideal Confucian state, with emphasis on literature, the traditional examinations for entry into public service, and vast national temples. But this society was very restrictive of women and was too conservative to meet the challenges of mod ern times. Korea was called the “Hermit Kingdom” because of its unwillingness to receive visitors or ideas from outside, but by the mid-19th century, the outside was forcing its way in. Roman Catholic and Protestant MISSIONARIES were active, bringing with them Western learning.