Mangong

Mangong (만공, 1871–1946) or Song Mangong was a Korean Buddhist monk, independence activist, scholar, poet, writer and philosopher, in the period of the Japanese Occupation of Korea. ManGong was born in Jeong Eup, Jeonbuk Province in 1871 and was ordained at the age of 14. Except for three years’ Zen teaching in Mahayeon Temple in Keumkang Mountain and serving shortly as Abbot of Magok Temple, he spent most of his life teaching Zen at Deoksung Mountain in Yesan, Chungnam Province. Mangong revitalized the Zen tradition of Korean Buddhism along with his teacher, Zen Master Kyongho.