Buddhist Yŏnghŏm (Wonder) and Royal Power in Early Chosŏn Korea: The Political Use of Buddhism during the Reign of King Sejo

With the establishment of Chosŏn, the adoption of the Cheng-Zhu learning as its official ruling ideology led to the suppression of Buddhism, and the role of Buddhism in the public domain gradually diminished. However, the importance and influence of Buddhism in both thought and faith since the period of the Three Kingdoms were so great that it was very difficult to reduce them in a short period of time. Moreover, the state policy regarding Buddhism was a very complicated issue, involving the practical interests of the political powers of early Chosŏn. As a result, for a period of time after the foundation of the new dynasty, Buddhism still remained rather influential in many areas, not only as an ideology but also as a religion, and the differences in positions toward Buddhism between the king and the Confucian literati sometimes led to tensions and conflicts. Under these circumstances, Sejo, the seventh king of Chosŏn, came to power through a coup, purging many officials as well as his own blood relatives. Consequently, it was difficult for him to legitimize his kingship through Confucianism, which emphasizes socioethical values. Although the official role of Buddhism in the state was diminished, King Sejo sought to capitalize on its sociocultural influence, especially by endowing the phenomena of Buddhist wonders with political significance and using them as a means to enhance his authority. During his 14-year reign, Buddhist wonders, such as the appearance of the Buddha or the dividing of śarīra in Wŏn’gaksa Temple, Sangwŏnsa Temple, are believed to have occurred approximately 40 times. The perception that King Sejo’s merits led to the manifestation of wonder and that his subsequent gifts generated new merits for him likely served to increase his authority and strengthen his political power. Officials hardly resisted Sejo’s use of Buddhism, and as a result, the phenomenon of Buddhist wonder and related royal pardons occurred during his reign more than any other reign period during Chosŏn. The Buddhist wonders, along with large-scale pardons and gifts, allowed King Sejo to portray himself as a monarch with great benevolence and authority and also to use as a public tactic to comfort his people. Therefore, Buddhism served as a religion that helped the king create an ideal public image for himself, and with this Buddhism, the king could increase his royal authority.