Recognizing the Value of Religious Cultural Heritage and Establishing a Preemptive Preservation Foundation: A Case Study on Cultural Heritage as Observed at the Headquarters of Daesoon Jinrihoe

Designating and registering cultural heritages are actions taken to effectively preserve and utilize something's value as a form of cultural heritage. It is the designation and registration of cultural heritage that establishes a legal basis for preservation and utilization. The preservation and utilization of cultural heritage starts with recognizing a given object, entity, or idea's value as a form of cultural heritage. Protecting and utilizing these forms of heritage properly can only occurs after something is recognized as a form of cultural heritage. In light of this, new religions, given their relatively short histories, naturally have fewer sites or objects designated or registered forms of cultural heritage. They tend not to actively recognize the value of the heritage they have inherited. Cultural heritage can be appropriately preserved when we recognize that it has potential value cultural and historical that can be designated and registered in the future. Among the designated and registered forms of cultural heritage, those associated with religious culture account for a large proportion; however, most of these are Buddhist. Since new religions have also been around for over 50 or even 100 years in some cases, they should have a foundation to proactively protect various items, sites, and traditions that may be designated and registered in the future. Selecting and listing forms of cultural heritage to be protected, minimizes further change to instead focus on historical and cultural value. This process also involves preparing internal regulations within the religious community regarding the protection and promotion of research on cultural heritage values, preservation, and management of the selected example of cultural heritage. Furthermore, comprehensive management, including cultural heritage and its surrounding environment, are necessary requirements for this process. Although potentially valuable as forms cultural heritage, many have items and sites end up damaged or go missing before they have a chance to be designated and registered. Establishing a foundation for preserving and managing cultural heritage internally within religious communities is meaningful because it preemptively preserves that value even prior to formal designation and registration. Daesoon Jinrihoe's Yeoju Headquarters Temple Complex, houses objects that have obvious value as cultural heritage such as Cheonggye-tap Pagoda. This pagoda and other comparable items at the headquarters should be properly and preemptively preserved in light of their cultural value.