Singyo

Sin (신 神) means God and gyo (교 敎) means teaching. Singyo (신교 神敎) is often translated as “Singyo.” The term Singyo (신교 神敎) literally means “ruling over one‘s self and the world through the teachings of God the ruler.” Definition of Singyo (신교 神敎) is “direct teachings by Sangjenim, God the ruler.” Singyo (신교 神敎) means “the governance of the world based on the precepts of Samsin Sangjenim.” In other words, Singyo is the original faith of humanity, a faith rooted in the worship of Samsin Sangjenim. Singyo is the primordial form of spirituality, the ur-religion, that began at the dawn of human civilization.

At the dawn of civilization in Korea, there was a religion of Sangje, God the Ruler and worshipping heaven. It was a good example of the religion of worshipping spirits. Such religion spread all over the world and became a fore-running religion of the world. Such was the primordial religion that became the root of the religions in the East and West before the advent of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, etc.

The dawn of humanity was an age of the root culture, the archetypal culture. Central to this culture was an understanding of the Spirits. The seminal religion of this period was called Singyo (신교 神敎). The definition of Singyo is direct teachings by Sangjenim, God the ruler.

In Singyo, people expressed their faith in Sangjenim, by performing the Cheonju. The ritual for heaven began during Hwanguk (환국 桓國) era, the beginning of Korea’s 9,000 year history. To reiterate, Hwanguk was both the leader and the homeland for humankind’s culture of performing rituals for heaven.

Singyo taught people of God, about the spirits throughout heaven and earth, about the nature of the universe, and how to conduct their lives. The spiritual beliefs of Singyo embraced the countless spirits that exist in the realms of heaven, earth, and humanity. The supreme Spirit, the head of all spirits, was know as Samsin’s Sangjenim (삼신상제 三神上帝)

Singyo had passed down to Baedal (배달 倍達) State in the North East Asia in 6000 years ago and to ancient Chosan Empire (조선 朝鮮) in 4300 years ago. Later, tradition of worshiping Sangjenim had transformed into a different kind of religions, Confucianism and Daoism of Sangjenim, Buddhism of Maetreya, and Christianity of Messiah. All religions and cultures in the world had branched out from one root, Singyo, the very teachings from Sangjenim(上帝) himself.

About 9000 years ago, people of Hwan, the “people who had experienced the brilliance of heaven”, had followed the direct Heavenly commandment from Sangjenim of the Heavenly palace, thus teachings from Sangjenim were called Singyo. Singyo (신교 神敎) had passed down to Baedal (배달 倍達) State in the North East Asia in 6000 years ago and to the ancient Chosan (조선 朝鮮) in 4300 years ago.

Ritual for Sangjenim had brought into the ancient China from ancient Joseon Korea. At the same time, Singyo had been initiated to the west by the migration of Normadic groups who had branched out from the ancient Choson. Later, tradition of worshiping Sangjenim had transformed into a different kind of religions, Confucianism and Daoism of Sangjenim, Buddhism of Maetreya, and Christianity of Messiah.

All religions and cultures in the world had branched out from one root, Singyo (神敎), the very teachings from Sangjenim (上帝) himself. Singyo is the root religion. All religions that follwed – such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism and Christianity – are the stem religions. These stem religions have molded and guided the religious culture of the East and West. As time went by, Singyo became the “lost memories”, and Sangjenim became the “forgotten God of old.” That is why when Sangjenim came in human as Jeungsan (甑山) Sangjenim, he said that He would revive Singyo and use it as the basis for the united civilization of the cosmic autumn.

The God in Singyo is Samsin-Sangjenim (삼신상제님 三神上帝), the Ruling God of humanity and all things of heaven and earth. Therefore Singyo means “rule over the world with the teachings of Samsin-Sangjenim.” In other words, Singyo is the original faith of humankind and humanity worshipped Sangjenim according to this faith. The Korean people expressed their faith in Sangjenim by conducting offering rituals for heaven. This Korean ritual custom started 9000 years ago in the age of Hwanguk (환국 桓國), at the onset of history. An individual bestowal of spiritual teaching, spiritual inspiration, or spiritual qi is also called ‘Singyo.’