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34 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

Future of Korean Buddhism

By Dr Lucy hyekyung Jee

Lucy Hyekyung Jee is a
researcher in the Humanities
research center of Yonsei
University and teaches
introductory courses on
Korean culture, Buddhism,
and philosophy at Kyunghee
University. Her research
interest includes Buddhism
in East Asia, modern
Korean Buddhism, engaged
Buddhism, and Buddhism
as a therapeutic philosophy.
She wrote “Application of Zen
Rhetoric to Daily Issues: The
Case of “Conversation with
Pŏmnyun” in English and more
articles in Korean regarding
to her interest area. She also
contributed “Korea, Buddhist
Philosophy” to the Wiley-
Blackwell Encyclopedia of Benny: Were you brought up in a and wise stories, particularly those
Buddhist family from young since
Philosophy of Religion. She is you have such deep interest in from Zen and Zhangzi. This sparked
working on Minjung Buddhism Buddhism that you chose to study my curiosity about East Asian
philosophy and led me to explore
and an introductory book of it up to the doctorate level? the differences between Zhangzi’s
Korean Buddhist philosophy.
philosophy and Zen Buddhism.
Benny Liow wanted Lucy to Lucy: I was actually raised in a Through my studies, I discovered
share her thoughts on the future Catholic family, but my interest in a long history of interaction
of Buddhism in Korea as an Buddhism began during my high and similarities between these
academician as well as someone school years when I encountered a philosophies. My academic interest
who calls herself a Catholic- Chinese classic cartoon book by Tsai in Buddhism gradually transformed
Buddhist. Chih Chung (蔡志忠), a Taiwanese into a deep passion for its vast and

cartoonist. This book covered profound philosophy. Over time,
stories from Zhuangzi, Laozi, and I came to identify as a Catholic
Zen Buddhism. Interestingly, these Buddhist, navigating through any
books were a gift from a Catholic religious conflicts I encountered,
priest. I was drawn to the witty particularly during my time in the
United States.