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The purpose of this thesis is to study Choi, Nam-seon's perception of Daejonggyo. No one have ever studied Dangun so profoundly and comprehensively as Choi, Nam-seon both in quality and quantity. Through the study of Dangun, he made an effort to ascertain Korea's cultural superiority. Moreover, he tried to place Dangun on the status of cultural archtype of northeast Asia. For him, Dangun was not only the beginning of history of Korea but also Korea's cultural momentum with which Korea could make the leap into the world.
However, his apostasy made it impossible for research fellows involved in Korean culture to study his pure academic achievements as well as his achievements of pro-Japanese imperialism. That's why his ability and achievements shown in his systematic and various study ended up being viewed as only and inconstant intellectual's writings contemptuously.
Daejonggyo had an important effect on his study of Dangun directly and indirectly. When he started「Joseonkwangmunhoe：朝鮮光文會」, most of the figures involved in Korean studies whom he encountered were those who had played an important role in Daejonggyo. For example, Kim Kyo Heon and Lyo Keun were the figures who had served as his academic and spiritual teacher. Also, it was found in the records written by Daejonggyo inside and by Choi, Nam-seon himself that Choi, Nam-seon paid the dearest respect and attention to Daejonggyo and the leader of Daejonggyo, Yun Se-bok. Meanwhile, the understanding that he showed of Daejonggyo through only a few pieces of writing made us confirm how much interest he had in Daejonggyo and how much affection he had to it.
Now let's look at the ideas which Choi Nam-seon had of Daejonggyo. To begin with, he thought that Daehonggyo had the its origin in 'Balgan()‘, which was the religion of ancient Dangun age. Also, he understood that Balgan was the general form of religion that covered the entire northeastern Asia. He also believed that the historical development of Balgan had been unbroken, that Yeong Go, Dong Maeng, and Mucheon had been the historical appearance of these religious events, that Palkwanhoe in Koryo Dynasty had been not so much a Buddhist event as the religious event connected with Balgan in ancient times. And he stressed that Daejonggyo was not the religion founded in modern times but the restoration of the ancient religion.
In arguing on Daejonggyo's religious cosmology, he connected that of Daejonggyo with the idea of the three worlds spread throughout the northeastern Asia from ancient times. He divided the upper world into the bright world, the lower world into the dark world, and the middle world into the human world each. In his opinion, human beings must make an effort to look up to the bright world which a good God rules and to keep away from the dark world which is infested with bad gods. Also he understood that it was Hanenim, the Korean native God, that was the ruler of the universe, asserting the Korean native idea of God similar to the Daejonngyo's idea of God.
Finally, he alos thought that Daejonggyo was the system of value of state religion.
The ancient religion of Dangun age had been concealed by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism led to the essence of state religion having been hidden. But in his opinion, if we are to search for it, we can confirm that the value of state religion underlie our everyday life. He called our attention to the value of state religion in Daejonggyo, which was the restoration of ancient religion of Dangun age.