Kings and ministers thus boasted among themselves over their exclusive fidelity to orthodox Confucian values, even as they worked to assure that the Buddhist institution was aligned with the practical needs of the kingdom.

In this book chapter, Evon explores the enduring interplay between Buddhism and statecraft in Korea, tracing how Buddhist institutions and ideologies have been leveraged by rulers from ancient times through the modern era, emphasizing the adaptive nature of Korean Buddhism in legitimizing political authority.