
Korean Religious Texts in Iconic and Performative Rituals
Yohan Yoo(Author)
Equinox Publishing Ltd
Will be published approx. on 31. December 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
152 pages
978-1-80050-497-4 (ISBN)
Description
This book examines the ways in which scriptures are accepted and appropriated by religious people in Korea. It explores how sacred texts in various religions, including Protestantism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shamanism, attain their sacred status and power. It also delves into how the performative aspect of scriptures is often intrinsically linked to their iconic status. The book highlights the close relationship between the performative use and the iconic nature of these scriptures, showing how they are ritualized and performed in religious practices.
In Korea, a distinct mix of religions coexists, each contributing to the country's religious diversity. Christianity, as the largest religion, represents a significant portion of the population, yet Buddhism, as Korea's major traditional religion, holds a comparable influence. Confucianism, with its deep historical roots and impact on Korean customs and values, continues to shape the society, particularly through ancestral rites and customs that prioritize elders. Many contemporary Koreans still resort to shamanic rituals and divinations, which have prevailed among the common people for thousands of years. Examples from these religions in Korea vividly illustrate that the iconic and performative dimensions of scriptures are generally witnessed in religions that recognize sacred texts. The interplay and complementary functions of these dimensions in the lives of the religious are also examined. The book presents compelling examples showing how the content, physical form, recitations, written characters, and imagery of scriptures are ritualized to exert sacred power.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
16 colour and black and white figures
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight
245 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80050-497-4 (9781800504974)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Yohan Yoo is a Professor of Comparative Religion at Seoul National University. His previous publications include three books in Korean: Myths of Our Era (2012), Understanding Religious Studies (2020), and Understanding Religious Symbolism (2021). He has also co-authored Cosmologies of Pure Realms and the Rhetoric of Pollution (Routledge, 2021) and co-edited Books as Bodies and as Sacred Beings (Equinox, 2021) with James W. Watts.