Cultural blending in Korean death rites

By Chang-Won Dr Park

Book Description

In the rich tapestry of Korean spiritual life, two profound religious traditions converge around humanity's most universal experience: death. Dr. Chang-Won Park presents a fascinating exploration of how Confucian and Christian beliefs interweave within Korean death rituals, creating a unique cultural synthesis that speaks to deeper questions of meaning, continuity, and spiritual transformation.

Drawing upon the anthropological concept of the "total social phenomenon" pioneered by Marcel Mauss, this scholarly work examines death rites through multiple lenses—theological, historical, sociological, and anthropological. Park organizes his investigation around three pivotal moments in the journey of death: the preparatory rituals before death, including the meaningful practice of Bible copying; the ceremonial rites that accompany death itself; and the ongoing ancestral rituals that honor the deceased.

Rather than viewing these traditions as conflicting forces, the author reveals how Christianity and Confucianism create a complex dialogue within Korean culture. This intersection offers profound insights for anyone seeking to understand how spiritual traditions adapt, blend, and evolve while maintaining their essential character.

For readers interested in comparative religion, cultural anthropology, or the universal human quest to find meaning in mortality, this work provides a thoughtful framework for understanding how different wisdom traditions can coexist and enrich one another in addressing life's most fundamental questions.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~6 hours)

📄 Length: 227 pages

What You'll Discover

✓ Explore Funeral rites and ceremonies
✓ Understand death from spiritual perspective
✓ Explore Religious aspects
✓ Explore Christianity
✓ Explore Death -- Religious aspects -- Comparative studies
✓ Explore Death -- Religious aspects -- Christianity
✓ Explore Death, religious aspects
✓ Explore Funeral rites and ceremonies -- Korea

Topics Covered

Funeral rites and ceremonies Death -- Religious aspects -- Confucianism Religious aspects Christianity Death -- Religious aspects -- Comparative studies Death -- Religious aspects -- Christianity Death, religious aspects Funeral rites and ceremonies -- Korea Korea, religion Confucianism Comparative studies Death