일제강점기 후반 불교계의 당면한 과제는‘자주권 확립’과‘민족해 방운동’이었다. 주류적 흐름이었던‘불교계의 자주권 확립’은 전통 불교 생존의 측면은 물론이거니와, 왜색불교에 맞선 우리불교 정체 성의 수호와 함께 불교의 대중화 및 활성화라는 측면, 더 나아가 사 찰령 등에 맞서서 우리나라의 전통 불지(佛旨)를 잇고자 하는 노력이 었다. 그러나 대다수의 불교계 인물과는 달리 만해는‘민족해방운동’ 에 보다 중점을 두었다. 만해는 꺼져가는 불법을 되살리고 그 대중화 및 활성화에 천착했지만, 보다 큰 안목으로 일제로부터의 조선 독립 에 더 큰 의미부여를 하였다. 하지만 그렇다 하더라도‘자주권 확립’ 의 차원에서 한국불교의 주체적 발전 방향을 끊임없이 모색하였다. 초기의 저작인『조선불교유신론』에서 만해는 불교적 계몽주의자로 서의 모습을 보여주고 있다. 만해는 이 글에서 불교사상에 기반을 두 지만 서구의 사회진화론을 수용하여 봉건적인 불교의 개혁을 주장한 다. 하지만 사상의 원숙기에 이르면서『십현담주해』를 완성하고『유 마경』을 번역한다. 요컨대 여기에서 볼 수 있는 만해 사상의 요체는 실천불교인‘대중불교’이다. 만해는 한편으로는 불교를 통해서 세상을 구하겠다는 강렬한 구세 의식을 가지고 있으며, 다른 한편으로는 조선불교계의 출세간적인 면모에 대해서 강렬한 비판의식을 가지고 있다. 뿐만 아니라 그의 구 세의식은 깨달은 자의 우월의식이 아니라 저자거리에서의 동참의식 이다. 이런 의미에서 만해의 선은 대중들이 행할 수 있는 선이며, 그 가 표방하는 바의 보살행은 구원(救援)이나 시혜(施惠)이 아니라‘더 불어 삶’이다. 만해는 이러한 입장에 대한 구체적 실천을 위한 안을 제시하는데, 그것이「조선불교의 개혁안」이다. 그는 이 개혁론에서 초기의『조선불교유신론』을 계승하면서도 당시 변화된 불교계의 동 향에 유의하여 개혁의 당위성, 그리고 대상과 방법을 제시하였다. 만해를 근·현대 한국불교계를 대표할 수 있는 가장 뛰어난 선지식 중의 한 분이라고 하는 것은 그에 대한 적당한 표현이 아니다. 오히 려 그는 한국근대사의 중심에서 민족이 가야할 길을 묵묵히 걸어간 지사였다. 만해가 민족운동가, 독립운동가, 선사, 선생 등의 여러 가 지 명칭으로 회자되는 이유는, 그가 항일민족운동에 매진하였을 뿐 아니라 하나의 명사로는 그를 제대로 표현할 수 없을 정도로 문학, 사상, 불교, 지성 등 각 분야에서 주목할 만한 행적을 우리에게 남겼 기 때문이다. 더 나아가서 만해의 개혁은 불교 개혁을 포함하여 철저하게 대중보 다 한 발 앞서 갔다는 점에서 아주 특별하다. 그뿐만 아니라 수많은 저작과 실천을 통하여 봉건불교의 개혁 그리고 일본 제국주의 식민 지 상태를 극복하기 위한 다양한 투쟁의 행적을 우리에게 남겨 놓았 다는 점에서도 만해는 우리에게 아주 의미심장하다.

The objects of this study are to find out (1) real situation of the food supply in prison under Imperial Government of Japan more cleary (historical meaning) and (2) which might help in understanding wrong present food consumption patterns in Korea which causes environmental as well as health problems. It is generally known that the length of the Japanese occupation for Korea is 36 years. However, it is concluded in this study that it was longer (70 years ; from 1875 to 1945 from when Japanese Army attacked and occupied Yungjongdo and Kanghwado island to e time when they were defeated on World War II.) Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910 then the Imperial Government of Japan dismissed the Korea Army, controlled the Office of Justice and the management of prison by force. Since then about 50% of all land was fell into Japanese Government ownership and 80% of Korean farmers became as tenant. After this change, Korea farmers were forced to pay extremely high rent (up to 80% of its harvest). Forced immigration, low price procurement of grain by Japanese government up to more than 30%of their production, was practiced. Accordingly, the food situation of Korean farmers became miserable, which may caused more violations of Imperial Japanese Law. Malnutrition, epidemic diseases, mortality rate of infants soared and average life expectancy shortened to 20-30 years old. This was the period of World Economic Crises and Food Crises in Japan. It was said then that if one Japanese comes to Korea then 200 Koreans will starved to death. Meanwhile, Proconsul Bureau of Chosun requested to the Department of Medicine, the Imperial University of Kyungsung to survey food supply situation of Koreans in prison throughout Korea. Objectives of the survey then was not only to find out scientifically whether it is agreeable in maintaining prisoner's health and also find out the possibility to save food during food crisis. Survey was started from 1923 and ended in 1945, and it focussed on prisoners in the Seodaemoon Prison. This report is the outcome of the first survey. They concluded that the food supplied was nutritionally (had) no problem, in compare with those of workers in the factory, students in the dormitory in Japan and with those of prisoners in Taiwan, France and Germany. Amount of grain supplied were different according to their work lord and was divided into 9 different levels. Total grain was consisted of 50% millet, 30% soybean and 20% indica rice(variety). However, there were no difference in the amount of supply of side dishes between work groups. For the highest working group, 3280g of boiled grain per day was supplied to make stomach full but as a side dishes, salty fermented bean paste, fermented fish and salty soups, etc. was supplied. Deficiency of animal protein were observed, however, high intake of soybean may possibly caused animal protein deficiency problem. On the contrary, the intake of water soluble vitamins were insufficient but the level of calcium and iron intake seems to be sufficient, however, imbalance of intake of nutrition may caused low absorbtion rate which might caused malnutrition. High intake of dietary fiber and low intake of cholesterol may possibly prohibited them from so called modem disease but may caused the defect in disease resistancy againist epidemics and other traditional disease. Over intake of salt(20-30g per day) was observed. Surveyors who attended in this survey, mentioned that the amount of food intake may nutritionally be sufficient enough but the quality of food(and possibly, the taste of food) were like that of animal feed. For the officials who received this report might consider that considering the war situation and food crisis, the supply situation of food in the prison may considered to be good enough(because they are not starving). But as a Korean who studied this report, one feel extremely pity about those situation because (situation of) those period were very harsh under the Imperi..

While ruling Chosun, with a view to making Chosun the primary supplier of food, Japan made the peasantry of Chosun go to ruin by leaving land from them through land enterprises, and the projects of increasing rice production. At the same time, Japan formed the higher classes comprising pro-Japanese capitalists, landlords and intellectuals, and protected them in order to carry out her colonial policies. Naturally there came into being a great gulf between the minority of high society and the majority of the poor in Chosun. As there was a great difference in food life between the two, I'm going to examine the literature of those days to grasp exactly the condition of their food intake. As for the staple food, out of thirteen provinces in Chosun, 13% lived on only rice and 27% on other minor cereals with no rice. As for the subsidiary food, about thirty percents did not take any animal protein. The examination of intake of nutrition by classes shows that the higher and middle classes took the necessary amount of calorie and protein and that the component ratio of calorie was comparatively properly distributed. The lower classes are defined as those whose monthly income was less than 100 won and the peasantry in general. And again the peasantry are classified into three-high, middle and low-according to their farming conditions. The tenant farmers in Kyeongguido and the peasants of Darli community took enough amount of calorie and protein, but much smaller amount of animal protein. Fire-field farmers led not less miserable food intake than the extremely poor peasants. They seldom lived on rice. Potatoes, oats and millets were their staple food. Lastly, Engel's coefficient for the Tomack-min (the residents in mud huts) who were among the three extremely poor classes, was 73.3%, which was much higher than that of the lower classes in then Japan. Rationed rice and barley were their staple food but the rationed amount was not sufficient to satisfy needs of physical labor. In conclusion, during the period of Japanese ruling of Chosun, the minority of higher and middle classes in Chosun generally took sufficient amount of nutrient, while the status of food intake with poor peasants, fire-field farmers and Tomack-min was extremely miserable.