| Donghak | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 동학 |
| Hanja | 東學 |
| Revised Romanization | Donghak |
| McCune–Reischauer | Tonghak |
Donghak (lit. Eastern Learning) is a Korean religion founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u. Donghak venerated the god Haneullim ("Lord of Heaven") and believed that man is not created by a supernatural god but man is instead caused by an innate god. Koreans have believed in Haneullim from ancient times, so Donghak would be an endogenous Korean religion, unlike Buddhism or Christianity.
In 1898, following the execution of Choe Si-Hyeong, the leader of Donghak, Son Byong-Hi, sought political asylum in Japan. After the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, he returned to Korea and established the Chinbohoe ("progressive society"), a new cultural and reformist movement designed to reverse the declining fortunes of the nation and to create a new society. Through Donghak he conducted a nationwide movement that aimed at social improvement through the renovation of old customs and ways of life. Hundreds of thousands of members of Donghak cut their long hair short and initiated the wearing of simple, modest clothing. Non-violent demonstrations for social improvement organized by members of Donghak took place throughout 1904. This coordinated series of activities was known as the Donghak Peasant Revolution.
Donghak called for veneration of god, called Haneullim ("Lord of Heaven"), and holding the belief that man is not created by a supernatural God, but man is instead caused by an innate God. Koreans have believed in Haneullim from ancient times, so Donghak could be seen to be a truly Korean religion, unlike Buddhism or Christianity.
Choe was alarmed by the intrusion of Christianity (천주교, Cheonjugyo Catholicism), and the Anglo-French occupation of Beijing. He believed that the best way to counter foreign influence in Korea was to introduce democracy, establish human rights and create a paradise on Earth independent of foreign interference.
Donghak was not accompanied by a specific agenda or systematic doctrine. Choe believed in improvising as events occurred. He had no practical plans or visions of how one would go about establishing a paradise on Earth, let alone what paradise meant except that all people were equal. Nevertheless, Choe's advocacy of democracy, human rights and nationalism struck a chord among the peasant guerrillas and Donghak spread across Korea rapidly. Progressive revolutionaries waded in and organized the peasants into a cohesive fighting unit.
Choe's songs were a blend of traditional elements from Korean Confucianism, Buddhism and Songyo (teachings of Silla's Hwarang), and to these he added modern humanistic ideas. Exclusionism was another characteristic of his religion, which incorporated an early form of nationalism and rejected alien thought.
In 1892 the small groups of the Donghak movement were united into a single Peasant Guerrilla Army or Donghak Peasants' Army. The peasants worked in the fields during the day, but during the night, they armed themselves and raided government offices and killed rich landlords, traders, and foreigners. They confiscated their victims' properties for redistribution.
Choe Jeu (1824–1894) was executed as a criminal by the government. The movement was continued by Choe Si-Hyeong (1829–1898), who systematized its doctrine. He too was executed.
Members of Donghak were severely persecuted by the colonial government, and so, on December 1, 1905, Son Byeong-hui decided to modernise the religion and usher in an era of openness and transparency in order to legitimise it in the eyes of the Japanese. As a result he officially changed the name of Donghak to Cheondoism ("religion of the Heavenly Way"). During the waning days of the Joseon Dynasty, King Gojong himself embraced Cheondoism and promoted it nationwide. The King added Buddhist and Christian rituals and codices to the new religion, which was organized into a formal organizational hierarchy similar to that of Roman Catholicism with Pope, Papal Nuncio, formal ceremonies.