Ecology, Dharma and Direct Action: A Brief Survey of Contemporary Eco-Buddhist Activism in Korea
Issue: Vol 31 No. 2 (2014)
Journal: Buddhist Studies Review
Subject Areas: Religious Studies Buddhist Studies
Abstract:
Over the last few decades there has emerged a small, yet influential eco-Buddhism movement in South Korea which, since the turn of the millennium, has seen several Sŏn (J. Zen) Buddhist clerics engage in high-profile protests and activism campaigns opposing massive development projects which threatened widespread ecological destruction. This article will survey the issues and events surrounding three such protests; the 2003 samboilbae, or ‘threesteps- one-bow’, march led by Venerable Sukyŏng against the Saemangeum Reclamation Project, Venerable Jiyul’s Anti-Mt. Chŏnsŏng tunnel hunger-strike campaign between 2002 and 2006, and lastly Venerable Munsu’s self-immolation protesting the Four Rivers Project in 2010. This article will additionally analyze the attempts by these clerics to deploy innovative and distinctively Buddhist forms of protest, the effects of these protests, and how these protests have altered public perceptions of the role of Buddhist clergy in Korean society. This study will additionally highlight issues relevant to the broader discourse regarding the intersection of Buddhism and social activism, such as the appropriation of traditional Buddhist practices as protest tactics and the potential for conflict between social engagement and the pursuit of Buddhist soteriological goals.
Author: Young-Hae Yoon, Sherwin Jones
References :
Benn, James A. 2007. Burning for the Buddha: Self-Immolation in Chinese Buddhism. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.
Biggs, Michael. 2005. ‘Dying Without Killing: Self-Immolations, 1963–2002’. In Making Sense of Suicide Missions, edited by Diego Gambetta, 173–208. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sfos0060/immolation.pdf.
Biggs, Michael. 2013. ‘How Repertoires Evolve: The Diffusion of Suicide Protest in the Twentieth Century’. 2013 Mobilization: An International Quarterly 18(4): 407–428.
Birds Korea [Saewa Saeng Myŏngŭi T’ŏ]. 2010. ‘The anticipated Impact of the Four Rivers Project (ROK) on Waterbirds: Birds Korea Preliminary Report’. March 21, 2010. www.birdskorea.org/Habitats/4-Rivers/BK-HA-Preliminary-Report-2010.shtml
Buswell, Robert E. Jr. 1992. The Zen Monastic Experience: Buddhist Practice in Contemporary Korea. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press
Buswell, Robert E. Jr. 2012. Collected Works of Korean Buddhism, vol. 2: Chinul- Selected Works. Seoul: Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.
Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice. 2003. ‘Religious Representatives Complete “Three Steps, One Bow” Marathon Protest’. June 9, 2003. www.sajedan.org/sjd/bbs/board.php?bo_table=sjd_tbboard25&wr_id=48&sca=&sfl=wr_subject&stx=\\\%27Three+Steps%2C+O&sop=and
Cho, Jae-eun. 2010. ‘Monk immolates himself in rivers protest’. JoongAng Daily. 2 June 2010. http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2921282
Cho, Myung-Rae. 2004. ‘Emergence and Evolution of Environmental Discourses in South Korea’. Korea Journal 44(3): 138–164.
Choe, Sang-hun. 2009. ‘Ambitious Rivers Project Meets a Sea of Opposition’. The New York Times. December 13, 2009. www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/world/asia/14korea.html?_r=1
Ch’oe, Sŏnggak. 2004. ‘What lessons did the Samboilbae leave behind?’ [Samboilbaenŭn uli ege muŏsŭl namgyŏssnŭnga]. In Saemangeum, It Hurts Me to See That You’re Hurt [Saemangŭm, nega ap’ŭni nado ap’ŭda], edited by P’ulkkotp’yŏnghwayŏnguso, 269–286. Seoul: Tolbegae.
Cho, Sungtaek. 2002. ‘Buddhism and Society: On Buddhist Engagement with Society’. Korea Journal 42(4): 119–136.
Cho, Sungtaek. 2005. ‘What the Venerable Jiyul Gained and Lost’ [Chiyulsŭnimi ŏtŭn kŏskwa ilhŭn kŏs]. Pulgyop’yŏngnon 22. www.budreview.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=371
Chŏngmuk. 2014. Personal Interview. May 16, 2014.
Clippard, Seth Devere. 2011. ‘The Lorax Wears Saffron: Toward a Buddhist Environmentalism’. Journal of Buddhist Ethics 18: 212–248.
Darlington, Susan M. 1998. ‘The Ordination of a Tree: The Buddhist Ecology Movement in Thailand’. Ethnology 37(1): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3773845
Darlington, Susan M. 2003. ‘Buddhism and Development: The Ecology Monks of Thailand’. In Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism, edited by Christopher Queen, Charles Prebish and Damien Keown, 96–109. London: Routledge Curzon.
Demick, Barbara. 2003. ‘Street Protests and Public Suicides Attest to Growing Labor Unrest in South Korea’. Los Angeles Times. November 29, 2003. http://articles.latimes.com/2003/nov/29/world/fg-suicides29
Digital Chosun. 2005. ‘Korean Govt in Fix Over Revered Nun’s Hunger Strike’. February 3, 2005. www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=45,733,0,0,1,0
Green Korea United. 2003a. ‘We start Samboilbae (three steps walking, and one big bow) to Seoul’. Press release by Participants of the Samboilbae from Saemangum Tidal Flat to Seoul. March 28, 2003. http://green-korea.tistory.com/37
Green Korea United. 2003b. ‘Korean Government Pushing Buddhist Monk Jiyul to Death’. November 5, 2003. http://green-korea.tistory.com/38
Green Korea United. 2005. ‘Chronology of the Jiyul Sunim’s Activities’. February 2, 2005. http://green-korea.tistory.com/40
Harris, Ian. 1995. ‘Getting to Grips with Buddhist Environmentalism: A Provisional Typology’. Journal of Buddhist Ethics 2: 173–190.
Jiyul. 2004. Jiyul Comes out of the Forest [Jiyul, sup’esŏ naoda]. Seoul: Dosŏch’ulp’an sup
Jo, Ŭnsu. 2011. ‘The Venerable Jiyul’s Eco-Movement and Eco-Feminism’ [Jiyulsŭnimŭi saengt’aŭndonggwa ek’op’eminijŭm]. Ch’ŏrhaksasang 41: 127–149.
Jo, Sŏngyun. 2009. ‘The Rebirth of Religious Rituals: Samboilbae as a New Movement’ [Chonggyoŭiryŭi jaet’ansaeng: saeroun undong bangshigŭrosŏŭi samboilbae]. Korean Journal of Sociology 43(2): 1051–1058.
JoongAng Daily. 2006. ‘Nun Jiyul comatose in latest hunger strike’. January 26, 2006: http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2675489
Jorgensen, John. 2010. ‘Minjung Buddhism: A Buddhist Critique of the Status Quo- Its History, Philosophy, and Critique’. In Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism, edited by Jin Y. Park, 275–313. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Jun, Ji-hye. 2013. ‘4-river project a bottomless pit’. The Korea Times. October 1, 2013. www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2013/10/116_143565.html
Kang, Erica (Project Coordinator, Jungto Society). 2005. ‘Save Jiyul Sunim’. Green Korea United. February 2, 2005. http://green-korea.tistory.com/41
Kang, Kap-saeng. 2005a. ‘Buddhist nun agrees to end hunger strike’. JoongAng Daily. February 4, 2005: http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2526411
Kang, Kap-saeng. 2005b. ‘Conflict delays Mount Chŏnsŏng project again’. JoongAng Daily. July 13, 2005. http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2593577
Kang, Kap-saeng. 2005c. ‘Buddhist nun absent, study on tunnel kicks off’. JoongAng Daily. August 30, 2005. http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2612400
Kang, Kap-saeng. 2005d. ‘Tempers rise over tunnel impact study’. JoongAng Daily. November 28, 2005. http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2648840
Kim, Donggeon. 2010. ‘Self-Immolation of Korean monk, Munsu Sunim’, on behalf of Buddhist Solidarity for the Preservation of Life at the Four Rivers. July 7, 2010. www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=45,9331,0,0,1,0
Kim, Jeong-su. 2013. ‘The environmental fallout of the Four Major Rivers Project’. The Hankyoreh. August 3, 2013. www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/598190.html
Kim, Sun-chul. 2012. ‘Self-immolation in South Korea’. Protest and Politics Workshop, City University of New York. October 25, 2012. http://politicsandprotest.ws.gc.cuny.edu/files/2012/07/PPW-7-Kim.pdf
Kyunghyang Shinmun. ‘The Four Rivers Project Drives a Monk to Death’ [Sŭnimŭl chukŭmŭlo naemon 4taekang saŏpkanghaeng]. June 1, 2010. http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201006012257385&code=990101
Ku, Do-wan. 2009. ‘The Emergence of Ecological Alternative Movement in Korea’. Korean Social Science Journal XXXVI(2): 1–32.
Ku, Do-wan. 2011. ‘The Korean Environmental Movement: Green Politics through Social Movement’. In East Asian Social Movements: Power, Protest, and Change in a Dynamic Region, edited by Jeffrey Broadbent and Vicky Brockman, 205–229. New York: Springer.
Lancaster, Lewis. 1997. ‘Buddhism and Ecology: Collective Cultural Perception’. In Buddhism and Ecology: The Interconnection of Dharma and Deeds, edited by Mary Evelyn Tucker and Duncan Ryuken Williams, 3–18. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Lee, Jŏngho. 2006. ‘The Context of Buddhist Life Advocacy Movement, Protecting Cheonseongsan, and a Critical Study’ [Bulgyosaengmyeongundongui maeglaggwa cheonseongsan salligi geuligo bipanjeog seongchal]. Pulgyop’yŏngnon 26. www.budreview.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=190
Lee, Ji-yoon. 2010. ‘River Project Threatens Ecosystem’. The Korea Herald. June 24, 2010. http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20100506000632&cpv=0
Lee, Sun-yong. 2005. ‘Dispute over tunnel project threatens to end in tragedy’. The Korea Herald. January 25, 2005. http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20050125000029&cpv=0
Lee, Tohŭm. 2011. ‘Ecological Application of Korean Buddhism and Its Contemporary Practices’ [Hangukbulgyoui saengmyeong, saengtae sasanggwa geu silcheon undong]. Ch’ŏrhaksasang 41.
Min, Sŏng-jae. 2003. ‘Swollen and aching, tideland defenders arrive’. Korea JoongAng Daily. May 30, 2003.http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=1987213
Modern Buddhism [Hyŏndaebulgyo]. 2005. ‘A Change of Paradigm for the Buddhist Eco-Movement’ [Bulgyohwangyŏngundong p’aerŏdaimŭl bakkuja]. March 5, 2005. www.hyunbulnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=210145
Moon, Tae Hoon. 2004. ‘Environmental Policy and Green Government in Korea’. Korea Journal 44(3): 220–251.
Moores, Nial. 2003. ‘Saemangeum: The Impacts of the Reclamation on Waterbirds, and some Selected Peak Counts’. Birds Korea [Saewa Saeng Myŏngŭi T’ŏ]. July 17, 2003. www.birdskorea.org/Habitats/Wetlands/Saemangeum/BK-HA-Saemangeum-Relamation-Impacts-2003-07-17.shtml
Mu Soeng. 2000. The Diamond Sutra: Transforming the Way We See the World. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications.
Munsu. 2010. ‘Last Will and Testament’ [Yusŏ] (Suicide Note): http://cfile23.uf.tistory.com/image/1639521F4C15B6ACCA5B7D
Pak, Kyŏngchun. 2010. ‘On the Meaning and Evaluation of Ven. Munsu`s Offering of Self-burning Immolation’ [Munsuseunim sosingongyangui uimiwa pyeongga]. Pulgyohakpo 56
Park, Jin Y. 2008. Buddhism and Postmodernity: Zen, Huayan, and the Possibility of Postmodern Ethics. Plymouth, UK: Lexington Books.
Park, Pori. 2006. ‘Buddhism in Korea: Decolonialization, Nationalism and Modernization’. In Buddhism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives, edited by Stephen Berkwitz, 195–217. Oxford: ABC-CLIO.
Park, Pori. 2010. ‘New Visions for Engaged Buddhism: The Jungto Society and the Indra’s Net Community Movement in Contemporary Korea’. Contemporary Buddhism 11(1): 27–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14639940903239785
Park, Sung Bae. 1983. Buddhist Faith and Sudden Enlightenment. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Prothero, Stephen. 1995. ‘Henry Steel Olcott and “Protestant Buddhism”’. Journal of the American Academy of Religion 63(2): 281–302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/LXIII.2.281
Queen, Christopher S. 1996. ‘Introduction: The Shapes and Sources of Engaged Buddhism’. In Engaged Buddhism: Buddhist Liberation Movements in Asia, edited by Christopher S. Queen and Sallie B. King, 1–44. Albany NY: State University of New York Press.
Ser, Myo-ja. 2009. ‘Korean Supreme Court convicts female Buddhist monk’. JoongAng Daily. April 24, 2009: www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=89,8052,0,0,1,0
Shaheen, James. 2010. ‘Can a Buddhist rationalize suicide?’. Tricycle Magazine. June 18, 2010. www.tricycle.com/p/1923
Sørensen, Henrik H. 1999. ‘Buddhism and Secular Power in Twentieth-Century Korea’. In Buddhism and Politics in Twentieth-Century Asia, edited by Ian Harris, 127–151. London: Continuum Publishing
Sukyŏng. 2004. ‘Samboilbae: Three Steps and One Bow – The way towards penitence, the way towards Life and Peace’ (Speech Transcript). Birds Korea [Saewa Saeng Myŏngŭi T’ŏ]. January 31, 2004. www.birdskorea.org/Habitats/Wetlands/Saemangeum/BK-HA-Saemangeum-Samboilbae-Speech.shtml
Sukyŏng.2010a. ‘The Self-immolation of Venerabl Muns “A Judgement of the Lee Myung-bak Government Voiced with Resentment”’ [Munsu Sŭnim Sosinkongyang, “MB Simp’an Han Maechhin Moksoli”] (Video of Sukyŏng’s Speech at Munsu’s Funeral): www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxOWcoPjPLc
Sukyŏng.2010b. ‘As I Set Off Again’ [Taechŏppatnŭn Chungnolŭsŭl Haesŏnŭn An Toenta] (Resignation Note): www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/425501.html
Swearer, Donald K. 2005. ‘An Assessment of Buddhist Eco-Philosophy’. Prepared for the Harvard University Center for the Study of World Religions-Dongguk Symposium on Buddhism and Ecology. December 9–10, 2005. http://hds.harvard.edu/cswr/resources/print/dongguk/swearer.pdf
Tedesco, Frank M. 2003. ‘Social Engagement in South Korean Buddhism’. In Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism, edited by Christopher Queen, Charles Prebish and Damien Keown, 154–181. London: Routledge Curzon.
‘The Year After Samboilbae’ [Samboilbae kŭ hu ilnyŏn]. Presented for the symposium held by the Research Institute for Life and Peace. http://kfem.or.kr/download/download_old.php?wr_id=3548&bo_table=envinfo&src=2735_3step1bow%5B1%5D.pdf
White, Lynn. 1967 ‘The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis’. Science. New Series 155(3767): 1203–1207.
Yoon, Young-Hae 2011. ‘Deconstructing the Centric Way of Thinking and Ecological Practice in Korean Buddhist Communities’. Environmental Philosophy 12: 183–205.
Yu, Gippŭm. 2005. ‘Venerable Jiyul’s Fasting, Saemangeum Samboilbae, and Eco-Pilgrimage’ [Jiyulsŭnimŭi danshikkwa saemangŭm samboilbae, gŭligo saengt’aesunlye]. Chonggyomunhwa bip’yŏng 7.