The ShinsungHwa of Bongwoo Kwon Tae-hoon (2019)
Brief Explanation of Bongwoo Kwon Tae-hoon’s ShinsungHwa
His path to the spiritual core ascends into the spiritual realm, where the spiritual core reveals arrow-like energy formations arranged in six distinct layers. Beyond its significance regarding spiritual elevation, the work contains various nuanced meanings that require careful interpretation.
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“The achievement and failure of one’s studies depend on one’s own mature efforts, and I am the only one responsible. This is the unchanging law, the truth. … Nothing can be achieved in mental training without sincerity, even if guided by gods or Buddha. Nothing can save me except myself. Save yourself from within, and you can be both a god and a Buddha.”
“A man is heaven, a man’s heart is heaven, and a man’s movement is the will of heaven.”
“I will be an incompetent person rather than a corrupt person.”
From Childhood Vision to Revolutionary Purpose
Young Kwon’s life changed forever when he met Na Cheol. This encounter ignited a profound dedication to serving the “Great Emperor” (Han Bae Geom), a cornerstone of Korean spiritual tradition. Unlike his peers, Kwon felt called to “Hong Ik In Gan”—benefiting all humanity—not through individual acts of kindness, but by elevating entire civilizations.
His childhood vision transcended personal ambition. Kwon believed legendary figures like Hwanin, Hwanwoong, and Dangun descended to earth not for personal glory, but to establish what he termed “communal civilization.” Such sweeping aspirations distinguished him from ordinary children, marking the beginning of a lifelong mission.
Surviving Political Turbulence
Korea’s most volatile decades subjected Kwon to shifting and dangerous labels. Japanese colonial authorities condemned him as a “vicious person.” Pre-Korean War tensions earned him whispers of being a “communist.” When war erupted, he became a “reactionary” and faced imprisonment.
Each designation carried mortal risk, yet Kwon maintained his principled lifestyle throughout these perilous times. His few formal political roles included serving on Kim Gu’s Korean Independence Party central executive committee and joining South Chungcheong Province’s education committee. Despite constant suspicion, he lived quietly, devoted to what he called “spiritual practice” (硏精, Yeonjeong).
The Book That Sparked a Movement
In 1984, at eighty-four, Kwon embarked on his most influential chapter. Novelist Kim Jeong-bin transcribed Kwon’s remarkable testimony into “Dan” (단), creating what readers hailed as a “national novel addressing the people’s history, future, and spiritual development.”
The timing proved providential. Under military dictatorship, Koreans desperately sought hope and meaning. “Dan” provided both, selling 400,000 copies and inspiring countless readers during Korea’s darkest era. Beyond personal narrative, the book offered practical guidance for spiritual cultivation that resonated across generations.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Kwon established the Yeonjeongwon of Korean Danhak Association. Rather than another religious institution, this organization revealed Korea’s traditional Taoist practices (Seondo) and spearheaded the popular Danhak training movement.
Danhak represents Korea’s distinctive mind-body spiritual discipline, sharing similarities with meditation and yoga while maintaining uniquely Korean characteristics. Kwon pioneered making these ancient practices accessible to modern seekers of spiritual growth and mental development.
The Philosopher’s Vision
At eighty-three in 1982, Kwon became the 12th general missionary of Daejonggyo, Korea’s religion venerating Dangun. His influence extended well beyond religious boundaries through compelling theories: the “Hwangbaek Transformation Theory,” “Baeksan Great Fortune Theory,” “Baekdusan People Theory,” and “Hanbaegeom Thought.”
Rather than abstract philosophy, these concepts connected Korea’s ancient spiritual heritage with its modern destiny. Kwon blended nationalism with Confucian ethics within Daejonggyo’s religious framework. While generating substantial public interest, academic circles in philosophy and religious studies gave his work surprisingly limited attention.
Living Philosophy
Throughout his journey, Kwon embodied a fundamental principle: “Abandon the small self and embrace the greater self.” He wielded his fountain pen as an instrument to “reward good and punish evil” according to this standard, drawing inspiration from Myeonwoo Kwak Jong-seok, who synthesized Confucian teachings practically.
Kwon’s revolution operated quietly but profoundly—he prioritized individual spiritual transformation as society’s foundation. He understood that lasting social change begins with transforming hearts and minds, one person at a time, through patient cultivation rather than dramatic gestures.
Kwon Tae-Hoon died in 1994, but his influence persists through thousands who read “Dan,” practiced Danhak, or learned that one person’s spiritual journey can ripple outward to transform entire societies. In our age of instant gratification, his story reminds us that meaningful change occurs gradually through patient cultivation of wisdom and compassion.
