Venerable Myeongjin posthumously awarded Jogye Order's highest monastic rank

Venerable Myeongjin, who passed away in August, has been posthumously awarded the rank of Daejongsa by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism — the order's highest monastic distinction.

The Jogye Order's Dharma Rank Committee held a meeting Tuesday and decided to posthumously confer the rank of Daejongsa on Venerable Myeongjin, who died Aug. 22, the order announced Thursday. The conferral came three days before the final rite of the monk's 49th-day memorial service.

Daejongsa is the Jogye Order's highest dharma rank, bestowed upon monastics of exceptional spiritual attainment and public leadership. The order said it decided on the posthumous conferral to honor Myeongjin's lifelong dedication to practice and social engagement.

At the final 49th-day memorial rite, to be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Bongeunsa temple in Seoul, a dharma rank certificate, a 25-panel kasaya robe — a ceremonial garment sewn from 25 pieces of cloth worn by those holding the Daejongsa rank — and a commemorative insignia will be presented in recognition of the posthumous conferral. Jogye Order head Venerable Jinwoo is expected to attend and deliver a eulogy honoring Myeongjin's practice and legacy.

Venerable Myeongjin served as head monk of Bongeunsa from 2006 to 2010. In August, he was rescued from the waters near Hayepogu port in Seogwipo, Jeju, and transported to a hospital, but ultimately died.

Myeongjin first entered monastic life in 1969 under Venerable Seongcheol at Haeinsa temple's Baengnyeonam hermitage, but soon enlisted in the military and served in the Vietnam War. He re-entered monastic life in 1974 at Beopjusa temple under Venerable Tanseong, receiving the novice precepts there that year and the full precepts at Ssanggyesa temple in 1976.

After watching a video about the Gwangju pro-democracy movement in 1985, he became deeply involved in social activism, earning a reputation as a "movement monk." In 1986, he led a rally at Bongeunsa to denounce the Oct. 27 Dharma Persecution — the military government's crackdown on the Buddhist community — and was detained.

He played a leading role in the 1994 Jogye Order reform movement and subsequently served as a standing committee member of the Jogye Order Reform Council, vice speaker of the Jogye Order's Central Council, and head of the Bongeunsa meditation hall. He also worked as chairman of the Buddhist Committee for National Reconciliation and standing executive chairman of the National Community Promotion Headquarters, devoting himself to the reunification movement and expanding Buddhism's social role.