[Korean study Series 41]

This book is about the history of interaction among Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in China and Korea, and the ways in which each respective religion and/or philosopher merged the others together. Through it, author was able to learn that genuine thinkers are able to combine the three religious doctrines together according to their independent views and unconventional patterns of thought. In addition to a comprehensive overview of Chinese religious history, for greater depth of research author focused on the teachings of Gang Jeungsan, a great spiritual master of modern Korea.
For the same reason that Gang Jeungsan is acknowledged as one of the great syncretists of Korean religious history, his views are often criticized as being an amorphous hodgepodge of various philosophies. However, author realized once again through this book that not only does Gang's philosophy have a focal point, but also that other religions are currently being re-interpreted and re-categorized according to Gang's theories.
이 책은 중국과 한국의 대표 종교라 할 수 있는 유불선 삼교와 무교(巫敎)가 역사 속에서 어떻게 상호간에 영향을 주고받았는가에 대해 쓴 책이다. 이 과정을 밝히기 위해 저자는 시대별로 유불선 삼교 가운데 대표적인 종교사상가들을 선정해 그들이 각기 어떤 입장에서 삼교를 융합했는지를 분석했다. 그 결과 각각의 사상가들은 자기 나름대로의 독특한 양식과 입장에서 삼교를 혼융하고 있는 것을 발견할 수 있었다.
이러한 경향이 가장 두드러진 사상가로 이 책에서는 한국의 위대한 종교가였던 강증산에 대해 주목했다. 증산의 사상에는 혼합주의의 절정이라고 할 수 있을 정도로 많은 종교 사상이 혼재되어 있다. 그런 까닭에 증산의 사상은 잡탕이라는 비판이 있어 왔는데 이 책에서는 증산은 자기 나름대로의 창의적인 양식으로 다양한 종교 사상들을 엮어냈다고 주장하고 있다.

Preface
Introduction

Ⅰ. THE ISSUE OF INTRA-RELIGIOUS BORROWING

Ⅱ. THE “THREE-RELIGIONS-ARE-ONE” PRINCIPLE
A. The Prevalence of the “Three-Religions-are-One” Principle
B. Degrees of Borrowing According to Religions

Ⅲ. THE HISTORY OF THE “THREE-RELIGIONS-ARE-ONE” PRINCIPLE IN CHINESE RELIGIONS
A. The Preliminary Stage: The Period Before the Northern and Southern Dynasties
B. The Developmental Stage: The Northern and Southern, and (Sui-) Tang Dynasties
C. The Apogee of Intra-Religious Borrowing: The Song and Ming Dynasties

Ⅳ. THE RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND OF GANG JEUNGSAN
A. Religions of Traditional Korea Before Jeungsan
B. Social and Religious Situations in Jeungsan’s Period
C. New Religions in Jeungsan’s Period

Ⅴ. THE LIFE OF GANG JEUNGSAN
A. scriptures of Jeungsan-gyo
B. An Overview of Jeungsan’s Life

Ⅵ. THE STRUCTURE OF JEUNGSAN’S THOUGHT
A. The Various Religious Elements Found in Jeungsan’s Teachings
B. The Structure of Jeungsan’s Thought

Conclusion
Glossary
Bibliography
Index