Interview Details
Interviewee(s):
Rev. Jeong So WonGong
Interviewer(s):
Luke Davis
Date of Interview:
December 2, 2023
Communities:
About
The interview begins with discussion of Rev. WonGong’s early life: her childhood in small town South Korea, her relationship with her mother, and her early experiences with Won Buddhism. She then describes life at seminary and her eventual move to the United States (Rockville, Maryland). Later, while recounting her search for a new temple site, she describes the “vibes” during her travels in North and South Carolina. She then recalls moving to Raleigh, working as a social worker for Durham Child Protective Services, and starting small meditation classes in Raleigh and Chapel Hill. This leads to discussion of her impressions of Triangle cities, and the attendees of her meditation classes. She later describes the difficulties of Korean-English translation and explaining Eastern philosophy to a Western audience. Daily and weekly routines are discussed. Finally, Rev. WonGong reflects on change, tradition, and the relationship between the material and the spiritual.
Rev. WonGong is currently a reverend with Won Buddhism of North Carolina.
Listen to Rev. WonGong’s oral history here: