US scholar explains Confucianism as time-honored teachings for self-growth

[soryang]

Korea Times updated 1/15
By Kang Hyun-kyung

The 2015 census released by Statistics Korea presented interesting information about how Confucianism is viewed by the Korean public: unlike people of many other countries who deem it as a philosophy, Koreans consider it a religion.

Out of 49 million adults aged 18 and older, the survey found that some 75,000 people identified themselves as believers of Confucianism. Protestants took up the largest proportion with 20 percent, followed by Buddhists (16 percent) and Catholics (8 percent). Although its figure is relatively small compared to those of the top three religions, those who answered that their "religious affiliation" is Confucianism came in fifth, following Won Buddhists.

The census and its results made news at that time, mainly because Protestants had replaced Buddhists in the top spot, defying the findings of the 1995 census.

For people outside of Korea, however, the results present another intriguing finding that is not discussed much in Korea: there seems to be a consensus among some Koreans that Confucianism is a religion, rather than a way of life or a philosophy.

more:

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2022/01/142_322261.html

The key phrase is "among some Koreans." I think there is a similar limitation to those Koreans self identifying as Christians. While the west emphasizes the belief systems in the religious faith, my understanding based upon experience only with Koreans and Korean-Americans is that the emphasis in Church attendance or affiliation is community participation, custom, and ceremony. Those are also Confucian practices. it doesn't seem to matter whether the congregation is Presbyterian or Baptist. The Koreans I know anyway, are less focused on the dogmatic aspects of religion and take a syncretic view. My opinion is that Confucian values on social obligations and relationships permeate Korean culture and society no matter what label one applies or what the nominal religion or religious faith of the individual.

[WheelWalker]

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