Novelist Lee Sang-moon, monk Suwan named winners of Hyeondae Buddhist Literature Award

Novelist Lee Sang-moon and monk Suwan have been named this year's recipients of the Hyeondae Buddhist Literature Award.

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism announced that Lee, chairman of the Korean Novelists Association, age 79, and Suwan, 72, head priest of Jeongchwiam Temple in Sancheong, have been selected as winners of the 26th Hyeondae Buddhist Literature Award — Lee in the literature category and Suwan in the Seon literature category. The award is hosted by the Jogye Order's Cultural Affairs Bureau and organized by the Hyeondae Buddhist Writers' Association.

Lee was born in Naju, South Jeolla Province, in 1947 and made his literary debut in 1983 when he won the rookie prize from the monthly literary journal Wolgan Munhak. His 1987 novel "Hwangsaek-in" brought him wider recognition, and he has since received the Republic of Korea Literature Award, the Korean Novel Literature Award, the No Gun Ri Peace Prize and the Korean Literature Award. His short story collection "Asura," published last year, explores human nature and tragic fate under the extreme conditions of war, framed through a Buddhist worldview of compassion and karmic connection.

Suwan was born in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, in 1954 and entered monastic life in 1973, training at Haeinsa and other temples. In 1989, Suwan joined two poetry circles — Keunsuregeulananum and Namchon Munhak — and made a literary debut in 1991 after winning the rookie prize from the literary journal Munhak Gonggan. After debuting, Suwan helped establish the Hyeondae Buddhist Writers' Association to promote Buddhist literature and has published several poetry collections, including "Haneul Bin Maeum" ("An Empty-Sky Heart").

Since 1996, the Hyeondae Buddhist Literature Award committee has recognized established writers of any religious background who have been active in creative work in South Korea for many years and have published works grounded in Buddhist spirit within the past two years. Past recipients in the literature category include poets Shin Kyung-rim, Chung Hyun-jong, Moon Chung-hee, Na Tae-joo, Shin Dal-ja and Oh Se-young, as well as novelists Han Seung-won, Choi In-ho, Jo Jung-rae, Yun Hu-myeong, Oh Jung-hee and Yun Heung-gil.

Since 2021, the Hyeondae Buddhist Writers' Association has also presented a Seon literature award to monks who combine meditative practice with literary achievement. Earlier recipients include monks Jeonghyu, Seongu, Hamhyeon and Cheonghwa.

The award ceremony will be held Nov. 14 at Biseulsan Youth Hostel in Daegu. Each winner will receive a citation issued in the name of the Jogye Order's head of general affairs and a cash prize of 10 million won ($7,460).