Kwon Sang-ro

Kwon Sang-ro (權相老, 28 February 1879 – 19 April 1965) was a Japanese colonial-era monk. After creating Japanese-style names, he was called Andō Shōro (Japanese: 安東 相老). His Dharma name was Toegyeong (退耕), and his art name was Toegyeongdang (退耕堂).

Life

Born in Munyeong, Gyeongsang Province, as the son of Kwon Chan-yeong (權贊泳), he studied Chinese classics before leaving home at age 18 in 1896 at Gimnyongsa. He was renowned as a writer of prose and, although he had no distinguished academic background as he was self-taught, was a well-known scholar-monk in the Buddhist community.

After the start of Japanese colonial rule, Joseon Buddhism and the treatment of monks improved, and relatively Buddhist-friendly policies emerged, such as the lifting of the ban on monks entering the capital. Within the Buddhist community, many pro-Japanese documents praising the policies of Japan and the Government-General of Chosen were written, and Kwon Sang-ro included pro-Japanese essays in the 《Joseon Buddhist Monthly》 and 《Buddhism》, which he edited, showing pro-Japanese tendencies from around the time of the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty.

Later, while serving as a professor at Central Buddhist College during the Pacific War, he actively cooperated with the war through open pro-Japanese activities, including wartime lectures and contributions. For example, in 〈On Monk Volunteer Soldiers〉 (1940) published in 《Buddhist Times》, he cited monk soldiers from the Imjin War and urged young monks to join the war as volunteer soldiers. He also published the book 《Joseon Buddhism in Wartime》 (1943), a culmination of the pro-Japanese argument that victory in war equals enlightenment. In 1940 he also served as a councilor of the Korean Total Mobilization League.