Volta
Person1055 – 1101

Uicheon (National Preceptor Daegak)

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

He went to Song in 1085 to study Huayan and Tiantai and returned the following year. He set up the Directorate of Buddhist Scriptures at Heungwangsa, compiled a catalogue of Buddhist commentaries from Goryeo, Song, the Khitan and Japan, and published the Supplement to the Tripitaka (Gyojang). He unified the doctrinal schools around Hwaeom at Heungwangsa, then founded the Cheontae order at Gukcheongsa and, teaching the joint practice of doctrinal study and meditation (gyogwan gyeomsu), sought to draw in the Seon schools as well. His call for coinage influenced Sukjong's establishment of the Mint, but after his early death the orders split again.

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2 related events

  1. 1
    1097 – 1102The Mint and Haedong Tongborelated figure

    At Uicheon’s urging, King Sukjong set up a mint that issued silver vases (hwalgu) and coins such as Haedong tongbo, but in a largely self-sufficient economy they did not circulate widely.

  2. 2
    1097Uicheon Founds the Cheontae Schoolleader

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

People who appear alongside

  • King Sukjong1054 – 1105

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

  • King Munjong1019 – 1083

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

Themes this person appears in

  • History of Korean CurrencyAD 996 – 1905

    From Geonwon Jungbo to the 1905 currency reform — how coins took hold in an economy of rice and cloth, and how monetary sovereignty was lost