The Most Fascinating Korean Gets More Interesting

— New Research on “Go-un” Choi Chi-won, with Fresh Factors

SPEAKER: David Mason
DATE: Tuesday, April 12, 2022. 7:30PM (Seoul)
VENUE: Online Zoom

Summary:
Great scholar, writer and spiritual sage Choi Chi-won (857-?) is one of the most interesting yet enigmatic figures of all Korea’s cultural history, displaying many virtues & talents and symbolizing many key themes. He exemplifies the tragic spirit of the Unified Shilla Dynasty’s waning days, and the incipient harmony among Korea’s Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism – a general “culture hero” of Korean tradition. He served as a brilliant government official in both Tang China and Korea, but then adopted the scholar-name Go-un [Lonely Cloud] to reflect his feelings about his later years in effective internal exile.  He practiced Daoism and lived in great Buddhist temples and recorded their histories, inscribed on stone monuments, and then became “immortal”. This lecture will tell and show new research-discoveries about his fascinating life and legacy left on the next 1100 years of Korea’s cultural development, showing many photos of the lovely sites and monuments associated with him.

Speaker’s Bio:
David A. Mason is a Professor of Korean Cultural Tourism at Seoul’s Sejong University, and researcher on the religious characteristics of Korea’s mountains and the pilgrimage traditions associated with them.  Prior to this 18-year professorship, he spent five years as a Consultant for the national Ministry of Culture and Tourism, assisting development of the famous TempleStay program, and 15 years before that in other academic work in Korea. He has authored ten books on Korean culture and tourism, and has extensive experience of exploring and tour-guiding Korean sites and areas, and is a skilled lecturer on their interesting aspects both in-person and online.

**Zoom Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84157171649?pwd=VEhDMzBKV1EvVEx5RmdldmJ0WjRrQT09
Meeting ID: 841 5717 1649
Passcode: 112042
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