Hanol-gyo (Korean: 한얼교, Hanol gyo or Hanolgyo) is a Korean traditional religion based on the philosophy of Spiritual Transcendence, re-established by Shin Jeong Yil. Hanolgyo can be considered as a religious re-establishment of the national founding philosophy of Korea which foresaw the possibility of an evolution in human consciousness 5000 years ago; it laid the spiritual foundation for the old Korean empire Gochosun (Gojoseon).
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The progenitor of Hanol-gyo, Dangun (the founding father of Korea who established the old Korean empire, Gojoseon) initiated the principles of the Hanol Spirit (the teachings on Enlightenment and Awakening) introducing the possibility of spiritual transcendence to its people: the evolution of human consciousness from the ego-state to the transcendental-state.
After 5000 years, the principles of the Hanol Spirit were consolidated into a religious foundation by another awakened being, Shin Jeong Yil, the founder of the Hanol religion (Hanol-gyo). Dangun's famous dictum, well known as the founding principle of Korea is to "unite and benefit all in existence-홍익인간 Hongick Ingan”.
Hanol principle is the teachings on enlightenment and awakening; it pursues self-liberation of consciousness rather than the traditional ways of religious worship.
According to the Official Guidance to Hanol-gyo, Hanol-gyo is an unconventional religion: it allows its participants to practice other religions as well. It regards all enlightened beings (Dangun, Buddha, Jesus, Lao-tzu, Confucius, etc.) as teachers of enlightenment and awakening, and various religions as the pursuit of Universal Truth in different ways. Its aims are to understand and practice Universal Truth, and to overcome all forms of segregation (e.g. Religion, Race, Ideology and so on).
"The founder's Doctrine "Na-Ol is Han-Ol" means “My spiritual essence is the spiritual essence of Han”" HAN is a profound word symbolizing Infinity & Totality and Universal Truth. The native name for Korea is Han Kook, meaning "the Nation of Han".
"Hanol-gyo helps to find one's true nature (Na-Ol) which is one with Han-Ol, and fulfill one's true nature by practicing love, wisdom and devotion — the will of Absolute Benevolence."
In the churches and temples of Hanol-gyo, there are no figures to worship: instead there is an "Empty Chair" that symbolizes the invisible and silent nature of one's true essence beyond one's physical form of self and mental form of ego — the Na-Ol. The invisibility and stillness also reflect the essence of Hanol, which is ultimately one with Na-Ol.
History
In the historical record of Hanol-gyo(한얼교), Shin Jeong Yil (신정일) the Founder, achieved spiritual transcendence, the Awakening in 1965, and spread the teachings on Hanol. He re-established the Hanol religion, which was on the verge of distortion and extinction after 5,000 years of historical turbulence.
"The conversion of 800,000 people to the Hanol Spiritual movement laid a foundation for the creation of the Hanol Spiritual Foundation, which was approved by the Korean Government as a legitimate religion in 1967." The Governmental recognition led to the rapid development of its branches throughout the country and the followers of Hanol-gyo reached 2 million members at its peak. According to the «Encyclopedia of Korean Culture», there were 2 million followers during its heyday. Another survey of the «Current status of religious groups» published by the Ministry of Culture and Public Information shows that there were 520,000 followers in 1982, and approximately 410,000 followers in 1997, with 186 branches located throughout the country including the main temples in the major cities of Seoul, Busan and Daegu.
In 1970, the main temple of Hanol-gyo was built at the heart of the National Sanctuary Mani Mountain (the origin of the Old Korean Empire) and Hanol-gyo began an annual pilgrimage to pray for the peace of mankind. It re-established 5,000 years of tradition initiated by the progenitor Dangun.
In 1998, Shin Jeong Yil published the Hanol Scriptures, the compilation of 36 books containing the profound teachings of the 'Hanol principles' and its applications on philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, science, economics, politics, society, nature, culture and religion.
In 1999, Shin Jeong Yil died and unprecedented number of holy crystals of sari (sacred matter found among the cremated remains of enlightened monks and Buddha) were recovered. According to the news record, "The sari was opened to the public and well known celebrities, including the spiritual leaders of other religions, paid a visit to witness the sari: Hanol-gyo has been exhibiting the sari at the Commemoration Ceremonies of the Founder."
In the absence of the founder and faced with the major Korean IMF financial crisis, the legal descendant Sewon Shin (a former artist well known as a genius young painter, until he gave up his art and majored in politics, philosophy and economics - PPE at Oxford University) restructured the Hanol-gyo foundation. During his leadership, Sewon refrained from the traditional concepts of ritual and transformed Hanol-gyo into a more liberal, flexible organization. In accordance with the founder's last will on the religious unification, he officially made religious conversion unnecessary and constitutionalized religious multiplicity so that the adherents of Hanol-gyo could participate in other religions as they wish and vice versa.
He also integrated art with the teachings of Hanol principles: he introduced the ”Art of Enlightenment and Awakening” which is the expression of the Hanol spirit in the form of art and architecture. He made it official that the “Art of Enlightenment” could replace the symbolic function of the regional chapels of Hanol, and permitted that particular traditional ceremonies and the formality of rituals could be substituted by simple contemplation on the “Enlightenment Art” or meditation on self-awareness. He implied that “illuminating the uncontaminated lights of Enlightenment Art could represent the quintessence of the Hanol spirit better than a thousand books analyzing or explaining them".
After stabilizing Hanol-gyo, Sewon Shin resigned and returned to his art introducing a new form of art called Transart.
Under the collective leadership of the Board of Hanolgyo, the main temple of Hanol at Kanghwa Mani Mountain was reconstructed in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hanol-gyo’s re-establishment.
The founder Hanim’s holy crystals of Sari and the engraved plates of the Hanol scriptures were exhibited at the founder’s commemoration ceremony of its 50th anniversary.