Beyond Belief

Overview

For RELS 3500 during my semester at the Utah Asia Campus, I completed research and presentation work on the value of Buddhist traditions for secular visitors to templestay programs. The work included participation at Musangsa and an interview with Zen Master Tan Wol.

Role: Student researcher and presentation author

The research question

I asked how Buddhist monastics understand the value of their traditions for people approaching them from a secular perspective. The project explored what participants might find meaningful without sharing religious beliefs, and what a monastic practitioner hopes those visitors take away.

Fieldwork and approach

I combined participation at Musangsa and an interview with Zen Master Tan Wol with reading on temple identity and cultural tourism. The presentation considered the relationship between spiritual practice and cultural experience, with attention to belief, practice, and self-understanding. Its fieldwork centered on one interview and my experience at Musangsa.

Research process

• 1Participation in a templestay at Musangsa
• 2Interview with Zen Master Tan Wol
• 3Reading on temple identity and cultural tourism
• 4Presentation work completed in May and prepared for June 4, 2026

Outcome & Status

Completed the fieldwork and presentation project in May 2026, connecting my study of philosophy and religion with experience in South Korea. Prepared the work for a June 4 presentation.