Even casual followers of Buddhist history are aware that the diverse roles assumed by monastics went beyond simply fasting and meditating in search of a more righteous path. Empire of the Dharma reveals that while the military activity in which they engaged in ancient times did not necessarily disappear, the monks’ political activity became more prominent around 1876, when Japan began to extend its influence across the Korean peninsula. Hwansoo Ilmee Kim portrays Buddhists in both Japan and Korea as observing a relationship that, while appearing colonial, carried the intention of serving the interests of both parties. Ironically, the Japanese administration in Korea dashed these aspirations soon after Japan’s political annexation of Korea as it sought leverage over religious groups by promulgating the 1911 Temple Ordinance. Kim’s efforts make an important contribution to Korean colonial studies by addressing the hitherto neglected area of religious studies during this period.1
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