Tag: Other books by Dr. Yu

Korean and Asian Religious Tradition — Essays about Korea and the philosophies and religions of East Asia which passed through. The essays observe Korean philosophy and religion as systems in their own right and argue for their specific relevance in Korean society, while considering their larger relevance to China and Japan.

Korean and Asian Religious Tradition

Unconditional Love — Modern Korea has suffered under Japanese colonization and civil war. Chai-Shin Yu, a United Church minister, recounts how, from childhood, he found strength in his belief in Jesus Christ and his personal philosophy of unconditional love for all people. This is a true story of courage in the face of hunger, imprisonment, and long separations from loved ones. It is also the story of one man's faith in God, in his country and its people and their will to survive, with God's help, against terrible odds.

Unconditional Love

Korean Thought and Culture — During its five thousand years of history and culture, Korea has been attacked and invaded by other countries eight hundred times. Despite all its past tragedies, Korea has risen from the ashes and become one of the ten strongest economic countries in the world-all because its people have kept their thoughts, culture, and roots alive. In Korean Thought and Culture: A New Introduction, Dr. Chai-Shin Yu shares the results of his extensive research. He offers careful interpretation of historical facts and in-depth exploration of past events, while determining whether Old-Korean thought culture has always existed independently or arose initially through the sole influence of China. A seasoned lecturer on Korean culture and thought, Dr. Yu relies on his professional experience to provide a comprehensive study of Korean and East Asian thought and culture, the influence of Korea on Japanese culture, Korean philosophers, and other Asian and Christian thoughts and cultures. One hundred years since the Japanese invasion and sixty years after the attack of North Korea, Korean Thought and Culture: A New Introduction offers a new perspective on long-held beliefs and challenges anyone to take a new look at Korean thought and the history and culture of this fascinating country.

Korean Thought and Culture

Korea and Christianity — More than two centuries have passed since Catholicism was introduced in Korea. Over a century has passed since the introduction of Protestantism. Membership in the Protestant denomination has grown to over ten million in that period. By taking into consideration the unique history of Christianity in Korea, this volume looks into the development and the rapid growth of the Christian Church in Korea compared to those neighbouring countries which share a similar Confucian cultural background. In addition, this text explores whether there have been any modifications to the Christian theology within the Korean historical and cultural context.

Korea and Christianity

Buddhism in Koryo — In this volume, we catch glimpses of Buddhism in the Koryo period at its height. It was a time when the religion made significant contributions to the development of Korean culture. Korea was recognized as one of the great centers of Buddhist life in East Asia. Koryo Buddhism was in many ways a royal religion.

Buddhism in Koryo

Founding of Catholic Tradition in Korea — The Catholic Church in Korea has a history spanning more than 200 years. The role it has played in Korea is unique in that many initiatives have come from the laity, rather than from clergy or the church administration. After a prolonged period of cultural conflict, according to a recent census, the number of Catholics has grown to 8% of the total population. Believers in the early period suffered persecution comparable to that experienced in Rome, but they persevered, and now the Korean membership is one of the largest in the world. It is a bit odd, then, to find such a paucity of English-language materials dealing with the realities of the Church’s mission in Korea. This volume brings together translations of several articles, which together cover many of the most significant aspects of Korean Catholic history.

The Founding of Catholic Tradition of Korea

Buddhism in the Early Choson — As a practice community, Buddhism attracted individuals with a great variety of backgrounds. There was little power or financial resources available to the Buddhists and most monasteries were struggling concerns. Nevertheless, out of this community, so despised and persecuted by the governing officials, came a succession of religious leaders, recognized and honoured for their practice. In a sense, Choson Buddhists discovered the old Indian formula for life's torment. They found that the 'ascetic solution' was available and effective. Like their founder, they had to turn away the palace and in a place of austerity and concentrated meditation, find their destiny. Choson Buddhism had a dark side to its history. Often unrecorded in the official documents of the time, the development of the religion continued. There is a need to look more carefully at the story of the meditation masters of this period. From their isolation and humble positions in a society dominated by Confucian elites, these master have left a tradition of practice and teaching which survives to this day. They deserve to have some recognition. The idea that Choson Buddhism was only a declining tradition, fading away to oblivion, needs to balanced by an objective exploration of the strengths of the tradition.

Buddhism in the Early Choson

Assimilation of Buddhism in Korea — The unified Silla dynasty period (669-935AD) that followed the Three Kingdom period in Korea was a time when Buddhism was being assimilated into the Korean culture and taking on certain aspects not borrowed from China. Buddhist specialists will be interested to see the ways in which the various schools were being adopted and changed in this time period. During the Silla dynasty, the Buddhism which had been introduced to Korea from China, was being assimilated in the culture of the peninsula. Given generous support from the court and officials of the nation, Buddhism attracted thousands of monks and nuns for the order. This Buddhist community began to interpret Buddhism within the Korean society and in the process became less dependent on missionaries from the Buddhist strongholds to the West. In the process of assimilation, the Koreans adapted much of their own ways of thinking to fit more closely the teachings of Buddhism and at the same time created a form of Buddhism which was unique.

Assimilation of Buddhism in Korea

Introduction of Buddhism to Korea — A collection of articles dealing with the introduction of Buddhism in Korea and its subsequent spread from there to Japan. The studies contained in this volume cover the Three Kingdom period.

Introduction of Buddhism to Korea

Shamanism — A series of psychological and anthropological studies about the oldest and the most fascinating religious tradition of Korea.

Shamanism