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Korean Buddhism

Japanese occupation (1910—1945)
By the end of the Chosŏn Dynasty, it was generally believed that Buddhism in Korea was in decline. Many temples were in poor condition, receiving little if any financial support. The clergy were frequently seen as being ignorant, and there was a lack of unity shared among the Buddhist church in the country. Despite the state of Buddhism at that time, it has actually thrived greatly in the years since. This is the result of several factors, not the least of which was the opening up of trade and diplomacy with Western countries. This required that more religious freedom be granted to members of all religions if relations were to continue. Christian evangelism in the country also coaxed the Buddhist community into a kind of competition, which led to the opening of all sorts of affiliated institutions—including various schools and hospitals. Concerning the resurgence of Buddhism in Korea post-Chosŏn Dynasty, however, no factor can be seen as more influential than that imposed on them by the Japanese occupation of Korea. When the Japanese took over Korea in 1910, Buddhism in Japan was in full swing. The Japanese set out to institutionalize Korean Buddhism using their own model, with the purpose of reforming Buddhism in the country. It was equally seen as a way to combat the spread of Christianity, which was gaining in popularity.