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영어

Since Buddhism was introduced into Korea, Buddhist monasteries enjoyed the economic prosperity for more than a thousand years until the end of Koryeo dynasty. But they met hardship at the advent of Choseon dynasty(1392-1910) which promoted Neo-Confucianism and suppressed Buddhism. In the early period of Choseon dynasty from King Tae-jong(1400-1418) to King Jung-jong(1506-1544), the economic foundation of the monasteries in Choseon already collapsed virtually. Choseon kingdom confiscated vast fields and slavers which were major resources of monasteries. In addition, Choseon kingdom, having suffered from wars with Japan and the Manchuria war in the middle period of Choseon dynasty made a economic sacrifice of Buddhist monasteries. Buddhist monasteries which had been enforced to send monks to the battle fields had to take part in building of mountain fortress walls and take care of them. Monasteries themselves had to pay huge mount of money for the maintenance of the walls. That was another economic suppression on monastic economy made by the kingdom. Moreover, after the war, monasteries over the nation were ordered to produce paper goods as a tribute to Cheong dynasty in China and for Choseon kingdom as well from the 17th century to the 19th century. That was still another exploitation done by the kingdom. Besides, monasteries across the country in Choseon kingdom were reduced to the crisis of the extinction of their existence by having been made to work for municipal and provincial officers, the two upper classes and Confucian schools. Facing the hardship above, monasteries had to find ways to survive the political and social oppression and the economic exploitation. Their main works to maintain Buddhism in Choseon included the following three things. 1) Monks produced paper goods and hemp-cord sandals and participated in commercial activities. 2) They organized various kinds of a mutual financing association for the maintenance of monasteries. 3) Monks made efforts to create dry fields and paddy fields, and donated them to monasteries. By doing these things Buddhist monasteries secured their economic stability to a certain degree in the late 19th century. There is a significance more than the economic self-establishment of monasteries. Monasteries in Choseon provoked by Chosen kingdom's oppression of Buddhism managed to survive without the aids of kings or political leaders. In fact they became free from the strong attachment they had hold in the past to political powers. This self-dependence of monasteries is a great achievement for Buddhists in Korea.