Religion in Korea

[Canute VII]

To make it short: a fully confucian Korea in 1444 seems a bit odd. Confucianism was only adopted as state religion in the very late 14th century, hence only about 50 years before game start. Before that, buddhism and shamanism were very much dominant. Hence, there should be some animist provinces in the (formerly goguryeon) northern mountains (aka "korean shamanism", "sindo", "muism") and at least one mahayana province also in the mountains.

Spoiler: Source

Prior to the introduction of Buddhism, all Koreans believed in their indigenous religion socially guided by mu (shamans). Buddhism was introduced from the Chinese Former Qin state in 372 to the northern Korean state of Goguryeo and developed into distinctive Korean forms. At that time, the peninsula was divided into three kingdoms: the aforementioned Goguryeo in the north, Baekje in the southwest, and Silla in the southeast. Buddhism reached Silla only in the 5th century, but it was made the state religion only in that kingdom in the year 552.[22] Buddhism became much more popular in Silla and even in Baekje (both areas now part of modern South Korea), while in Goguryeo the Korean indigenous religion remained dominant. In the following unified state of Goryeo (918–1392) Buddhism flourished, and even became a political force.[23]

The Joseon kingdom (1392–1910), adopted an especially strict version of Neo-Confucianism (i.e. Korean Confucianism) and suppressed and marginalised Korean Buddhism[24][25] and Korean shamanism.[6] Buddhist monasteries were destroyed, and their number dropped from several hundreds to a mere thirty-six; Buddhism was eradicated from the life of towns as monks and nuns were prohibited from entering them and were marginalised to the mountains.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_South_Korea


Although many Koreans converted to Buddhism when it was introduced to the peninsula in the 4th century, and adopted as the state religion in Silla and Goryeo, it remained a minor religion compared to Korean shamanism.[49]

Since the 15th century, in the state of Joseon, things changed with the adoption of Neo-Confucianism as the state religion.[50] Non-Confucian religions were suppressed and Korean shamanism started to be regarded as a backward relic of the past.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_shamanism#History


At the dawn of the 20th century, almost the totality of the population of Korea believed in the indigenous shamanic religion and practiced Confucian rites and ancestral worship.[22] Korean Buddhism was nearly dead, reduced to a tiny and weak minority of monks, despite its long history and cultural influence, because of 500 years of suppression by the ruling Neo-Confucian Joseon kingdom,[22] which also disregarded traditional cults.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_North_Korea#Main_religions


In the 1890s, when the Joseon dynasty was collapsing, Protestant missionaries gained significant influence through the press, leading a demonisation of Korean traditional religion and even campaigns of violent suppression of local cults.[52] Protestant demonisation would have had a long-lasting influence on all subsequent movements which promoted a complete elimination of Korean shamanism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_shamanism#History


For Jeju island see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamna

This would make the korean setup (1) more interesting (2) more plausible and (3) a bit more challenging (which might also help their northern neighbours).

Spoiler: Map

Religious map status quo in 1444

Edited religious map with animism in the northern mountains and on Jeju island + mahayana buddhism in the central mountain province and effect of the changes on religious unity.

I have not touched province religion in the north of Korea, but I think one could take a second look at it, too, possibly giving Tengri and Animism more place and pushing back confucianism a bit.

Additionally, it seems plain wrong to make Mahayana buddhism a harmonized religion in 1444. This may be acceptable for the Ming, but not for Korea. The Joseon spent their time to thoroughly push back buddhist monks from public live and into the mountains (see sources). Hence, Mahayana should not be a harmonized religion and it should be the task of the player/AI to decide what to do with it.

Spoiler: Source

Buddhism in Korea suffered extreme repression during the Joseon era, which lasted over five hundred years. During this period, Neo-Confucianism overcame the prior dominance of Buddhism. Only after Buddhist monks helped repel the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98) did the persecution of Buddhists stop.

During the Joseon period, the number of Buddhist monasteries dropped from several hundred to a mere thirty-six. Limits were placed on the number of clergy, land area, and ages for entering the sangha. When the final restrictions were in place, monks and nuns were prohibited from entering the cities. Buddhist funerals, and even begging, were outlawed.

However, some rulers occasionally appeared who looked favorably upon Buddhism and did away with some of the more suppressive regulations. The most noteworthy of these was the Queen Munjeong, who, as a devout Buddhist, took control of the government in the stead of her young son Myeongjong (r. 1545–67), and immediately repealed many anti-Buddhist measures.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Buddhism

 

[Me_]

I don't like the idea of representing various Shamanists and other local religions in Asia with Animism, although I know this is the norm in EU4. At the very least there should be a separate religion (call it "Folk religions" or whatever) for Asia (it's really silly for this region to share religion with a big chunk of South America). But that's a digression.

A more diverse Korea would be reasonable, I especially agree with the Mahayana change and have in the past proposed a series of events challenging the player with a choice of whether to prosecute the Buddhists or to accept them.

 

[Canute VII]

I don't like the idea of representing various Shamanists and other local religions in Asia with Animism, although I know this is the norm in EU4. At the very least there should be a separate religion (call it "Folk religions" or whatever) for Asia (it's really silly for this region to share religion with a big chunk of South America). But that's a digression.

Agreed, but that would go beyond the scope of this suggestion.

A more diverse Korea would be reasonable, I especially agree with the Mahayana change and have in the past proposed a series of events challenging the player with a choice of whether to prosecute the Buddhists or to accept them.

If you could post a link to your suggestion, then maybe the combined power of our ideas will convince pdx to change something....

 

[TheBraveGallade]

to be fair, the government had been shifting to confusion since the latter half of the previous kingdom (joson, founded in 1392 via a sucessful coup of goryo). Josun itself is only around 50 years on game start.