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영어

The temple law under Japanese occupation was with regard to the management, sale and debt of temple property. The management of temple property, however, had been a serious problem since the former Korean government; so this matter was included in the temple law enacted right after the advent of the Japanese invasion. The feature of the management under this law was to invest the abbot (住持) of the temple with full power. The problem of temple property and the abbots had become conspicuous on a full scale after the 3.1 Independent movement. The young monks proceeded with the abrogation movement of the temple law, arguing the issue of property and misconduct of the abbots. The consumption of property was partly caused by the use of temple finance for popularization of the Buddhism, but the most serious problem was that the abbots abused temple property at their discretion. It was not uncommon that the land of the temple was taken as security for self-interest; so debts of the temple were increased. Not only was this the problem for the temple community but also it functioned as a cause of conflicts in the temple. Hence, the Japanese government-general found this matter important and investigated the solution. As a result, in the late 1920's, there was an amendment of the regulations of the temple law and related law of justice. Despite this, the problem was not fully settled. Another matter which provoked the managing problem of the property was the marriage of the monks. Monks' marriage which was prompted after the middle of 1920's, revealed violation of the precepts and weak spirits of practice. In the view of temple property, consuming it for family living expanses was a troublesome aspect. Besides, the Japanese government-general approved the judicial policy which made possible the abbots' getting married; it brought about the monks' marriage commonplace. It spread to married monks' struggle for positions to ensure their family living expanses in the temple. Finally, the monks' marriage consumed temple property and caused a conflicting structure struggling for the managerial position. It brings an understanding of Master Baek, Yong-sung at that time, who criticised the consumption of temple property and monks' marriage, and pushed forward his original Daegak-kyo movement. As above, the consumption and abuse of temple property under Japanese occupation was in relation to the abbots' self-interest and financial problem for their family living expanses. And the background of it was the system of the temple law.