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Religion1097 (completion of Gukcheongsa)

Uicheon Founds the Cheontae School

Back from Song, Uicheon founded the Cheontae school at Gukcheongsa, seeking to unite Seon meditation under the doctrinal schools.

A son of King Munjong who became a monk, Uicheon went to Song in 1085 to study Huayan and Tiantai and returned the next year. At Heungwangsa he gathered commentaries on the canon from Goryeo, Song, Liao and Japan, catalogued them and printed them as the Gyojang.

When Gukcheongsa was completed in 1097 he became its abbot and founded the Cheontae school, teaching the joint cultivation of doctrinal study and meditation in order to absorb Seon on a Hwaeom basis. He also argued for the use of coinage, influencing Sukjong’s mint. After his early death, however, the school split again.

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The map in 1097

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States and rulers at the time
Goryeo — Sukjong
Song — Emperor Zhezong
Places
Songak (Kaesong)

People

  • Uicheon (National Preceptor Daegak)1055 – 1101

    leader · Royal monk, son of Munjong, who studied in Song, compiled the Gyojang and founded the Cheontae school in Goryeo

  • King Sukjong1054 – 1105

    monarch · Fifteenth king of Goryeo, who minted coins such as Haedong tongbo and created the Byeolmuban army

  • King Munjong1019 – 1083

    related figure · Eleventh king of Goryeo, whose reign marked the height of the dynasty; father of Uicheon

Before and after

Earlier
1097 The Mint and Haedong Tongbo
Later
1100 Goryeo Plain Celadon