Primitive Beliefs  Tangun Myth Hwarang Sprit Korean    Buddhism Korean    Confucianism    Shirak Tonghak Mordenization

The Development of Korean Ethics Based on the primitive religious beliefs and the Tangun myth previously mentioned, our ethical ideals have revered heaven, and respected humanity. As the Kingdoms of Koguryo, Paekche, Shilla adopted Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, the scope of our ethical ideals expanded. Yet these foreign thoughts were not simply imported without change, rather they were indigenized, intermingling with distinctive native thoughts such as the primitive religious ideals and the Tangun myth. This composition of ideals dominated ethical life through the unified Shilla kingdom, as well as the Koyro and Chosun Dynasties. Later, when christianity was introduced into the peninsula , it too was harmonized with indigenous beliefs. Now , let*s study the developing process of Korean ethical thoughts in the order of Hwarng sprit in Shilla Kingdom, Buddhism in unified Shilla and Koryo era, Confucianism in Choson Dynasty, and Shirak, Tonghak and Enlightenment in modern Chosun.