William Gilbert

Yi Kyubo (1169–1241), a Koryŏ literatus, has long been read as a statesman whose Daoist references are ornamental, a consensus this paper challenges. Through close readings of his Tongguk Yi Sangguk chip, it argues that Yi engaged Daoist thought in a sustained philosophical manner across three interlocking dimensions: a non-teleological cosmogony aligned with Guo Xiang's doctrine of spontaneous self-generation 自生; a literary-aesthetic theory rooted in ziran 自然 that extends metaphysical spontaneity into creative practice; and, most originally, an affective engagement with the Zhuangzian figure of the Creator 造物. While accepting the denial of purposive creation at the cosmological level, Yi repeatedly addresses the Creator with emotional directness and irreverence with no clear parallel in Chinese Xuanxue, a tension between metaphysical denial and affective persistence that marks his most significant contribution and opens questions about the reception and transformation of Neo-Daoist ideas in Koryŏ Korea.

This paper investigates the syncretic interplay between Daoist and shamanistic imagery in Goguryeo tomb murals of Korea’s Tree Kingdoms period. Focusing on motifs from the Anak, Ohoe and Samsilchong tomb mural complexes, the study traces how indigenous spiritual symbols, such as shamanic figures and cosmological patterns, were reinterpreted through imported Daoist cosmology. Through a comparative iconographic and textual analysis, it argues that these murals reveal a dynamic process of cultural exchange, wherein Daoist cosmological themes were integrated into Korea’s pre-existing shamanic worldview. The visual synthesis of divine figures like Fuxi and Nüwa with native spiritual motifs demonstrates not mere artistic borrowing but the formation of a localized religious language that articulated the unity of heaven, earth, and humanity. This study contributes to understanding how Daoist metaphysics and indigenous Korean beliefs coexisted and interacted during the early development of Korea’s religious identity, offering new insights into the spiritual pluralism of premodern East Asia.