A Study on the Relationship between Kang Jeungsan and Jo Jeongsan Described in Chapter Two of Progress of the Order

It is of special interest that the record of Kang Jeungsan writing ’Fifty Year Holy Works for Edification Shall Be Completed at Last [布敎五十年工夫終畢] can be found in the third edition of The Canonical Scripture of the Great Itineration (Daesun Jeongyeong 대순전경/大巡典經, 1947), a hagiography of Kang Jeungsan that proceeded Daesoon Jinrihoe’s The Canonical Scripture (1974). Naturally, this record also occurs prior to the passing of Doju Jo Jeongsan in 1957. That is why in Daesoon Thought, the verse above and the exact 50-year period between the passing of Kang Jeungsan and Jo Jeongsan is considered a compelling proof of the connection between these two figures in the Fountainhead.

The year 1958 was when Jo Jeongsan passed into heaven after declaring the completion of his 50-year Holy Work.

This time frame perfectly fits with what Kang Jeungsan had foretold before his own passing when he wrote and then burned a piece of paper which had the following written on it: Fifty Year Holy Works for Edification Shall Be Completed at Last [布敎五十年工夫終畢].’ (Reordering Works 3:37) Jo Jeongsan spent 50 years performing Holy Works in order to spread the teachings of Kang Jeungsan. The statement in the above verse, Progress of the Order 2:66, is a record marking the end of that 50-year period. 1958 is shown as the completion year of the 50-year Holy Work,² and that would mean that the Holy Work began in 1909, which was the year when Kang Jeungsan passed into heaven. Where 1909 is concerned another verse can be examined:

Although it might be slightly tangential, for the sake of greater clarity, some of the conventions used in the English version of Jeon-gyeong (전경/典經 1974), The Canonical Scripture (2020), will be provided here to make the rest of this article easier to understand for non-specialists. Dates in The Canonical Scripture appear in accordance with the traditional East Asian lunisolar calendar. For the convenience of readers, the years are also glossed with Gregorian Calendar years. However, it should be understood that the months and days do not transfer over directly. For example, the date in the verse above, the 28th day of the fourth lunisolar month of the Giyu Year would have been June 15 1909 according to the Gregorian Calendar. Some English-language research on Korean historical topics treat the lunisolar months as Gregorian months and then write ’lunar’ in captions at the end. For example, the 28th day of the fourth lunisolar month of the Giyu Year might be written as “May 28 1909 (lunar).” Since the event actually occurred in mid-June, that could be quite misleading. As another translation convention, the research team that produced the English version of Jeon-gyeong opted to include the literal meaning of place names and occasionally other proper nouns because it is known that sometimes the original Korean verses included double meanings (or even numerous meanings), and the provision of brief English glossings was seen as the best way to produce an English translation that would read similarly to the Korean. As for the rest of the verse above, it is fairly straightforward.

The Giyu year corresponds to the year 1909 in the Gregorian Calendar, and adding 50 years to that year would result in the year 1958. This indicates that Jo Jeongsan carried out religious achievements in accordance with what was foretold by Kang Jeungsan. In Daesoon Thought, Jo Jeongsan having carried out the work of spreading the teachings of Kang Jeungsan for 50 years is taken as one proof of his succession in the lineage of religious orthodoxy.

In the following verse, Jo Jeongsan received a divine revelation from the Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven while Jeongsan was working on a Holy Work on a mountain in Fengtian, Manchuria.

The verse above contains the term gamo (감오/感悟), rendered above in the official translation as ’profoundly sense and realize.’ In the secondary scripture, Essentials of Daesoon Jinrihoe (대순진리회요람/大巡眞理會要覽 1969), which predates the publication of the primary scripture by five years, this event is recorded slightly differently, and the term gamo is fleshed out such that it was written gamo-deukdo (감오득도/感悟得道), and in the official translation of that scripture, this was indicated as ’awakened to and attained (the Daesoon Truth of Sangje Kang Jeungsan).’ In both translations, the research team had been encouraged to avoid phrasing that would sound overly Buddhist because, generally speaking the first instinct of translators familiar with East Asian religious thought would be to treat gamo as ’achieved enlightenment (awakening, etc.)’ and deukdo would typically be taken as ’attain the Dao.’ Recently, when the translation of the exhibits for the Museum of Daesoon Jinrihoe was compiled, gamo-deukdo was re-translated as ’realization and Dao-attainment.’

With this in mind, as an extra insight or point of nuance, perhaps it is best that researchers who primarily rely on English-language resources while studying Daesoon Thought and Daesoon Jinrihoe know that composing effective rhetoric in scriptural or liturgical Korean often involves the use of traditional religious language; however, new religions, such as Daesoon Jinrihoe, have their own unique identity. Even when terms are borrowed from Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, or other sources, researchers should be aware that these terms might be imbued with new meanings as they are being applied to a religious world view with different axiomatic assumptions than the previous context in which those terms were used.

Doju gained enlightenment to Sangje’s Daesoon Truth of the Three Realms, which revealed that the divine avatar of the Supreme God was the historical figure, Kang Jeungsan. For the sake of saving the world and relieving people from suffering, Kang Jeungsan and Jo Jeongsan united their minds in singular intention and the result appeared as an incantation. This particular incantation had also been revealed in Korean history at an earlier period as well; however, at that time, the verses had a different order, and the name of the incantation was likewise not the same. On May 25 1860 (4/5 lunisolar), the founder of the Donghak (동학/東學), Choi Suwun (최수운/崔水雲 1824–1864), received what was known as ‘The Three-Seven Incantation (samchil-ju 삼칠주/三七呪)’ during a religious experience.⁴ In the Donghak usage of the incantation, the verses are ordered as follows:

Even in the early Donghak context, this incantation had other names, such as the Incantation of Serving the Lord of Heaven (sicheon-ju 시천주/侍天呪), and the Incantation of Longevity (jangsaeng-ju 장생주/長生呪). In fact, although it would be tangential to explain in detail here, in Donghak there were even verses from within this incantation that could be chanted on their own as separate incantations which were given their own respective names.⁶

Shifting back to Daesoon Thought, Kang Jeungsan was known to use this incantation (via the reordered version) since at least 1907, (Progress of the Order 1:19-1:20) and the incantation was revealed to Doju in 1917 as recorded in the passage above. This is understood as a holy interaction between the Supreme God and a human, wherein the Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven, who had recently incarnated into the world through his human avatar, Kang Jeungsan, met with the human, Jo Jeongsan.

Divine revelations from the Supreme God Kang Jeungsan continued from that point onward, and the next such revelation was a command for Jo Jeongsan to travel to Taein in Joseon (Korea) and find Kang Jeungsan (i.e., retrace the actions of Jeungsan). This divine revelation was meant to inspire Jo Jeongsan to seek out the sites where Kang Jeungsan performed the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth.

In the historical Korean context, a devotional offering, known in Korean as chiseong (치성/致誠), indicates a variety of rituals in folk religious practices that center around praying, bowing, and making offerings with utmost sincerity. Popular forms of the ritual include 100-day devotional offerings (baekilchiseong 백일치성/百日致誠) and devotional offerings to mountain deities (san-chiseong 산치성/山致誠). Although the rituals described as chiseong can vary greatly, typically they include food offerings of purified water, side dishes, and rice. Rice is so central to these offerings that one alternative name for chiseong is ‘nogume-seong (노구메성/노구메誠),’ a rice offering (Choi 1991). Later in Daesoon Jinrihoe, a highly specific ritual held on occasions such as sacred remembrances (memorials, birthdays, and achievement days of key figures), seasonal observances (equinoxes, solstices, etc.), anniversary days of shrine installations, and initiations would also come to be known as chiseong.

The verse above shows Jo Jeongsan traveling to Daewon-sa Temple, the site of Kang Jeungsan’s opening of the great Dao of Heaven and Earth in 1901. Likewise significant to retracing the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth and close by Daewon-sa Temple is the location of Donggok Clinic. The verse below details some of the preparation for the opening of the clinic which began in May (the fourth lunisolar month) of 1908.

The verse above introduces readers to the apothecary chest that went on to be empowered by Kang Jeungsan. There was an effort by Jo Jeongsan to recover the apothecary chest (also translated as the apothecary cabinet) in 1919; however, the attempt was ultimately unsuccessful (Progress of the Order 2:17). Below is a record of Kang Jeungsan’s opening of the great Dao of Heaven and Earth:

The reference to ‘great winds being blown by the Five Directional Dragons (oryongheopung 오룡허풍/五龍噓風)’ during Kang Jeungsan’s religious activities at Daewonsa Temple can be traced back to the earliest strata of hagiographies on Jeungsan. This phrase can be found in both Records of the Reordering Works of Celestial Master Jeungsan (Lee 1926, 7) and the first edition of The Canonical Scripture of the Great Itineration (Lee 1929, 3:1). In the eyes of many, this is a curious phrase that is not easily comprehended; however, since at least 1965 (Taegeukdogyohwabu) and likely prior, Daesoon Thought already made sense of it in a compelling way that eluded many other traditions. The fifth day of the seventh lunisolar month (August 18th) in 1901, was a mujin (무진/戊辰 fifth heavenly stem and fifth earthly branch in the sexagenary cycle used in time-keeping) day. This has correspondences with the five phases (ohaeng 오행/五行) such that it would correspond with yellow, earth, and center which means it fits the precise correspondences of the directional deity of the yellow dragon, one of five dragon-deities associated with the four cardinal directions, and the additional ‘direction’ (relative location) of center. Going back from that day in 12-day increments, all of the other dragons can be found. The 22nd day of the 6th lunisolar month was a byeongjin (병진/丙辰) day with correspondences to red, fire, and south; the precise qualities of the red dragon. In twelve-day increments, one by one the dragons can be shown via the dates 6/10, 5/28, and 5/16 which respectively have the qualities of the remaining green, black, and white dragons (Cha 2018). In East Asian thought, there are other potential meanings for the ‘five dragons’; however, given that the consensus⁷ ending day of the Kang Jeungsan’s religious experience was the fifth day of the seventh lunisolar month, a mujin day, and thereby, a yellow dragon, this interpretation of the five dragons, first recorded in 1926 but only decoded via Daesoon Thought in 1965, seems highly likely.

Kang Jeungsan once lived in Gimje, Wonpyeong, and that is what originally led Jo Jeongsan to visit there. Once in Gimje, he began religiously interacting with Donggok Clinic and Daewon-sa Temple. Jo Jeongsan also came to meet Kang Jeungsan’s sister via an introduction from Lee Chi-Bok. Kang Jeungsan’s sister, Yul (율/栗 1880/1881–1942), who was known in scriptures only as the ‘Lady of Seondol,’ provided Doju with a sealed chest of documents that Kang Jeungsan had set aside for Doju. This was the first case wherein Jo Jeongsan received a revelation from a living person who was part of Kang Jeungsan’s bloodline.

In the following verse, Kang Jeungsan also speaks about how blessings have become available despite the degenerate nature of that day and age:

In the above verses, Jo Jeongsan not only revealed his Dao, but went further to serve in the Reordering Works of the Supreme God Kang Jeungsan. Although not apparent in the official English translation, both Kang Jeungsan and Jo Jeongsan speak about the great destiny of Ultimatelessness (mugeuk-daeun 무극대운/無極大運⁸); because in the first verse it is written as ‘limitless great fortune.’ There is perhaps a problem or at least room for improvement with the English rendering of mugeuk (무극/無極) as ‘ultimatelessness.’ In East Asian thought, mugeuk is meant to describe monism outside of or prior to (depending on metaphysical interpretation⁹) dualism (taegeuk 태극/太極 understandable as yin and yang in balanced harmony). The research team that translated The Canonical Scripture felt confident that taegeuk could be rendered as ‘ultimate’ or ‘ultimateness’ and as a consequence, its opposite, mugeuk, became ‘ultimatelessness.’ The problem is that while ultimate and ultimateness sounds like something powerful and useful, ultimatelessness, rather accidentally, sounds weak, and its potential utility is difficult to imagine.

Although it might be difficult for it to be made to fit all intended uses, it would probably be more accurate to think of mugeuk as ‘limitless potential’ and taegeuk as ‘realized potential.’ Limitless potential can be directed at an infinite range of aims, and thereby its utility is immediately evident. Realized potential has clearly achieved something to its complete extent but likely does not apply to all aims so much as it applies to whatever specific aim or aims it has fulfilled.

Returning back to the subject at had, in the next verse that will be highlighted, Jo Jeongsan is recorded as having resolved the energy that lingered in an incomplete state at Daewon-sa Temple where the Supreme God Kang Jeungsan previously carried out a Reordering Work. As a point of theological nuance, Jo Jeongsan is understood as having done this through his own ability.

The above verse shows Doju Jo Jeongsan successfully recalibrating a degree number in a manner reminiscent of his predecessor, Kang Jeungsan. That Jo Jeongsan was able to do this through his own power, is an example of his worthiness of the position of successor within the lineage of religious orthodoxy.

Later, Jo Jeongsan carefully relocated the holy skeletal remains of Kang Jeungsan to his base of operations and performed a ritual ceremony everyday while carrying out a Holy Work. In order to appreciate the relocation of Kang Jeungsan’s holy skeletal remains, the following verse regarding Kang Jeungsan’s passing can provide useful context:

The above verse informs readers that Kang Jeungsan died while his disciples were out elsewhere, and the quickness of his passing caught many of them by surprise. The next verse reveals details regarding the disciples’ actions in the aftermath of their master’s passing:

In the next verse, Jo Jeongsan moves beyond enshrining Kang Jeungsan’s holy skeletal remains and performing ritual ceremonies, by establishing the religious order, Mugeukdo which enshrined and worshiped Kang Jeungsan as the Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven:

The verse above indicates that Doju Jo Jeongsan started the process that transformed the teachings of Kang Jeungsan into formal religious doctrines that could be comprehended and tangibly put into practice by both clergy and laity.

The passage above shows Kang Jeungsan’s enshrinement of the God of the Imperiral Ultimate, and the passage below records Jo Jeongsan visiting that site over four and half decades later and a mysterious event said to taken place shortly thereafter:

In the verse below, Jo Jeongsan explained the meaning of Haein (the Ocean Seal) in the context of how it was related to Unification with the Dao, and he interpreted the Godship of Kang Jeungsan. In its original Buddhist context, the Ocean Seal (haein 해인/海印) is usually short for the meditative concentration of the ocean seal (haeinsammae 해인삼매/海印三昧 and in Sanskrit as sāgara-mudrā-samādhi), a concept introduced in the Buddhist scripture, Avataṃsaka Sūtra (hwaoem-gyeong 화엄경/華嚴經also known in English as The Flower Garland Sutra). In Buddhism, the meditative concentration of the ocean seal can be understood as entailing meditative observation of the past, present, and future simultaneously while in a state of profound tranquility (Xingyun 2014). It is clear in Jo Jeongsan’s usage that he uses the name ‘ocean seal,’ but has a different meaning in mind which relates to traditional East Asian cosmology and also to the qualities of Kang Jeungsan as Gucheon Eungwon Nwehseong Bohwa Cheonjon Gangseong Sangje (구천응원뇌성보화천존 강성상제/九天應元 雷聲普化天尊姜聖上帝, the Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven, His Holiness Kang, Celestial Worthy of Universal Creation through His Thunderbolt, the Originator with Whom All Beings Resonate) as known through revelation specific to Daesoon Thought but also with certain inputs from a 12th or 13th century scripture, The Scripture of the Jade Pivot (Pregadio 2009) (okchubogyeong 옥추보경/玉樞寶經) which describes a deity with nearly the same title.¹¹ In Kang Jeungsan’s usage of the ocean seal, the meaning is explicitly specified.

The verse above contains Kang Jeungsan’s explanations about the Ocean Seal (haein). In Daesoon Thought, this is understood as being related to Jo Jeongsan’s emergence as the Great Leader prophesied by Kang Jeungsan to become the successor in the line of Dao-Unification.