Throughout the history of human civilization, great cultures have always developed on two pillars: material civilization and spiritual civilization. While material civilization has enriched human life, spiritual civilization has provided answers to fundamental questions about existence, the purpose of society, and the direction of nations.
The roads and legions of Rome built an empire, but it was the law and philosophy that defined what it meant to be Roman. Similarly, China was supported not only by the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers but also by the spiritual culture created by Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. India is remembered more for the philosophical legacies of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita than for its vast territory.
Today, humanity is navigating another significant civilizational shift. Artificial intelligence is learning human language, robots are taking over human labor, and algorithms are encroaching on human judgment. However, as technology advances, humans are confronted with even more fundamental questions.
Who are we?
Where do we come from?
Where are we going?
And what should we live for?
Religion, philosophy, and sacred texts have sought to answer these questions. The Korean people have also addressed these inquiries in their own way over the centuries. The Cheonbugyeong explains the order of the universe, the Samil Sin-go discusses the heaven within humanity, and the Chamjeong Gyeong teaches how humans should live. A significant movement that aimed to carry on this tradition of spiritual culture into modernity was Daejonggyo.
Understanding Daejonggyo merely as a religion may overlook its historical significance. It emerged as a spiritual movement to preserve the national spirit during a time of losing sovereignty, served as an important ideological foundation for the independence movement, and sought to modernize the unique Korean ideal of Hongik Ingan.
The revival of Daejonggyo by Na Cheol in 1909 was no coincidence. The Korean Empire was on the brink of collapse, and the fate of the nation hung by a thread. Japan was exerting military pressure on Korea, and national self-esteem was crumbling. Na Cheol viewed this crisis not merely as a political one but as a crisis of national spirit. He believed that while territory could be seized by force, the spirit of the nation could not be taken away. Thus, he reinterpreted Dangun not as a mythical figure but as a symbol of Korean spiritual history.
Following this, Daejonggyo transcended being a mere religious organization to become a spiritual stronghold of the independence movement, particularly in Manchuria and the northern Gando region. Daejonggyo established schools, educated youth, and taught national identity. It posed the question, "Who are we?" to a people who had lost their country, seeking answers in the spirit of Dangun and Hongik Ingan.
Seoil, who succeeded Na Cheol, further developed this movement. He was deeply involved in the Declaration of Independence and the activities of the Northern Military Government, dedicating himself to training independence fighters and promoting national education. General Kim Jwa-jin, a hero of the Battle of Cheongsanri, also grew in this spiritual environment. The independence fighters' ability to endure the harsh winters of Manchuria was not solely due to weapons; they were driven by a sense of mission and spiritual conviction to reclaim their nation.
Yoon Se-bok, a leader of Daejonggyo, is another key figure. He dedicated his life to the revival of national culture alongside the independence movement. Yoon believed that political independence alone was insufficient; true national revival required both spiritual independence and cultural self-reliance. This perspective later significantly influenced the study of history and national culture in Korea.
At this point, we recall Dasuk Yoo Yeong-mo. Dasuk was not a thinker confined to a specific religion. He explored Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and the traditional spirit of the Korean people. What Dasuk pursued throughout his life was the heaven that resides within humanity. He viewed awakening human nature and restoring inner spirituality as essential tasks of life.
One of Dasuk's frequently emphasized ideas was that truth is one, but the paths to it are many. This resonates with the Cheonbugyeong's concept of 'Ilshi Musil.' The teachings of Daejonggyo, which speak of the universe's order starting from one and returning to one, the divinity within humanity, and a life that benefits the world, share significant common ground with Dasuk's thoughts. While Yoon Se-bok spoke of the spirit of the nation, Dasuk spoke of the spirit of humanity. However, both sought to find fundamental values that make humans truly human.
Even after the founding of the Republic of Korea, the spirit of Daejonggyo continued in various forms. The first Minister of Education, Ahn Ho-sang, played a crucial role in establishing Hongik Ingan as the educational philosophy of South Korea. The spirit of Hongik Ingan, as enshrined in the current Education Basic Act, is not merely rhetoric; it represents the core values of the spiritual culture accumulated by the Korean people over the years, institutionalized as national educational philosophy.
Hongik Ingan is not just a nationalistic slogan. This spirit of benefiting humanity widely encompasses universal values of human dignity, community ethics, freedom, and responsibility. In this regard, Hongik Ingan can also be connected to the sustainability pursued by today's global civil society.
Recently, the Hongshan culture relics discovered in the Liaoning region of China and Inner Mongolia have sparked new interest in the study of ancient civilizations in Northeast Asia. Some researchers believe that Hongshan culture may provide important clues for studying the ancient culture of the Korean people. However, the direct connection between Hongshan culture and the Cheonbugyeong or Samil Sin-go remains an area requiring careful scholarly examination. What is clear is the need for more vigorous efforts to explore the roots of our ancient history and the origins of Northeast Asian civilization.
History is a discipline that illuminates the past but also prepares for the future. Just as a tree that loses its roots cannot survive long, a nation that loses its history and spirit cannot endure. While South Korea has achieved industrialization, democratization, and informatization, it is now time to contemplate the advancement of spiritual culture.
Today, Daejonggyo faces new challenges. It must not remain confined to commemorating the past. There is a need to reinterpret the spirits of the Cheonbugyeong, Samil Sin-go, and Chamjeong Gyeong in contemporary language and connect them to modern society. Especially in the age of AI, the question of why we use technology is becoming more important than how we use it.
Artificial intelligence can mimic human intelligence, but whether it can replace human conscience remains uncertain. Technology is a powerful tool, but it does not set its own purpose. Ultimately, humans must determine the direction.
One of the values that can guide that direction is Hongik Ingan. Creating a society where humans and AI work together to benefit humanity, rather than one where AI dominates humans, could be a new interpretation of Hongik Ingan for the 21st century.
The future tasks of Daejonggyo lie here. It must restore the soul of the nation, explore the roots of history and culture, and provide future generations with a direction for a dignified life. This is not a return to the past but a creation of the future.
The Cheonbugyeong speaks of the order of the universe, the Samil Sin-go speaks of the heaven within humanity, and the Chamjeong Gyeong speaks of a life that benefits the world. Ultimately, all these teachings culminate in the concept of Hongik Ingan.
As the AI era deepens, humanity needs deeper philosophy rather than more technology. The questions left by our ancestors thousands of years ago remain relevant today.
What is the universe?
Who is humanity?
How should we live?
The answers ultimately converge into one: Illuminate yourself and benefit the world. Hongik Ingan.
This may be the oldest future left by the Korean people and one of the most precious spiritual legacies that South Korea can contribute to the world.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.