View source for Kihwa

{{Short description|Korean Buddhist monk (1376–1431)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| name               = Kihwa
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| birth_date         = 1376
| birth_place        = [[Korea]]
| death_date         = 1433
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| nationality        = [[Koreans|Korean]]
| religion           = [[Buddhism]]
| school             = [[Korean Seon]]
| lineage            = 
| title              = [[Zen master|Seon master]]
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| teacher            = [[Muhak]]
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'''Kihwa''' ({{korean|hangul=기화|hanja=己和}}, 1376–1433), also known as '''Hamhŏ Tŭkt'ong''' was a  [[bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]] of [[Korean Seon]] and leading Buddhist figure during the late [[Goryeo]] to early [[Joseon]] eras. He was originally a [[Confucianism|Confucian scholar]] of high reputation, but converted to Buddhism at the age of 21 upon the death of a close friend. He wandered among the Korean mountain monasteries, until he had the fortune of becoming the disciple of the last Korean national teacher, [[Muhak]].

Kihwa's writings showed a distinctive mixture between iconoclastic and [[subitism|subitist]] Seon language, and a strong appreciation for the scriptural tradition. Thus, he took up from [[Jinul]] the tradition of unification of Seon and Gyo Buddhism. Among his writings, there are four works in particular that made a deep impact on the subsequent Seon tradition in Korea. These are:
# A commentary on the ''[[Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment]]'', the ''Weongak gyeong hae seorui''.
# A redaction and subcommentary to five famous earlier commentaries on the ''[[Diamond Sutra]]'', the ''Geumgang banyabaramilgyeong ogahae seorui''.
# A subcommentary and redaction of the ''[[Collection of Yongjia]]'', the ''Yonggajip gwaju seorui''
# The ''[[Hyeonjeong non]]''

As a result of his fourth major work, the ''Hyeonjeong non'', Kihwa distinguished himself as the primary Buddhist respondent to the rising [[Neo-Confucianism|Neo-Confucian]] polemic of his period, as he responded with vigor to the Neo-Confucian criticisms of Buddhism.

Kihwa died while residing at [[Jeongsusa]], at the southern tip of [[Ganghwado]], where his tomb can still be visited. Kihwa's commentary on the [[Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment]] was translated by [[A. Charles Muller]], in 1999.

[[Essence-Function]] is a key concept in [[East Asian Buddhism]] and particularly that of [[Korean Buddhism]]. Essence-Function takes a particular form in the philosophy and writings of Kihwa.<ref>Muller, A. Charles (1995). "The Key Operative Concepts in Korean Buddhist Syncretic Philosophy: Interpenetration (通達) and Essence-Function (體用) in Wŏnhyo, Chinul and Kihwa" cited in ''Bulletin of Toyo Gakuen University'' No. 3, March 1995, pp 33-48.Source: {{cite web|url=http://www.acmuller.net/budkor/wonhyo-chinul-kihwa.htm |title=Korean Buddhist Syncretic Philosophy |accessdate=2008-09-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229110417/http://www.acmuller.net/budkor/wonhyo-chinul-kihwa.htm |archivedate=2009-12-29 }} (accessed: September 18, 2008)</ref>

== Biography ==
At the age of 21, he entered [[Uisangam]] in [[Gwanaksan]] and became a Buddhist monk. The following year, he learned a Buddhist service from [[Jachodaesa|Jacho]] of {{ill|Hoeamsa|ko|회암사}}. After that, he returned from a trip to famous mountains across the country and devoted himself to ascetic practice.<ref name="글로벌-기화">[https://ko.wikisource.org/wiki/글로벌%20세계%20대백과사전/동양사상/한국의%20사상/조선전기의%20사상/조선전기의%20종교사상#기화 동양사상 > 한국의 사상 > 조선전기의 사상 > 조선전기의 종교사상 > 기화], 《[[글로벌 세계 대백과사전]]》</ref>

==See also==
* [[Korean philosophy]]

==Notes==
<references/>

{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1376 births]]
[[Category:1433 deaths]]
[[Category:Converts to Buddhism]]
[[Category:Seon Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Korean Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Goryeo Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Joseon Buddhist monks]]


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