Mystery of Donghak Movement

Eugene Lee

Whenever I meet people to ask them about the past, inadvertently our interaction veers off to a talk about traditional values and, specifically, the influence of the Donghak Movement (Eastern Teaching, if translated literally). I did know a fair share about the movement since my grad years, but a better understanding and a proper feel of its connection to the present would require extra effort. After a brief glance through several books, an apparent story emerged — the one I’d like to share with you, especially in light of the events we hear about today. So, buckle up — I’ll take you for a trip into the past.

After dialing to exactly 160 years back, we arrive in 1864, the year Choi Je-u, a figure cloaked in white robes and righteous fury, was put to death. Four years earlier, this unassuming scholar turned revolutionary ignited the flames of the Donghak Movement, a rebellion that threatened to scorch the rigid Confucianist hierarchy and illuminate the path towards a more equitable Korea. A crumbling Joseon Dynasty, amid whispers of discontent and of a burdened peasantry, was challenged by his teachings, a potent blend of Buddhist and Christian tenets laced with a revolutionary fervor for social justice. It resonated with the masses amid the stifling stillness of the regime. He spoke of divine intervention, of equality for all and of a utopia where land belonged to the tiller, not the rapacious landlords who leeched off their livelihoods.

His words took root in the hearts of the ostracized and the exploited. Farmers, weary of backbreaking labor under the oppressive elite, rallied to his banner. The Donghak followers, wearing their symbolic white robes and armed with their meager farming tools, swelled in number with each village they visited, their ranks a tide of white washing over the Korean countryside. Their demands were simple, yet radical for their time: land reform, debt forgiveness and an end to the systemic exploitation by the elites. The court, initially dismissive, soon found itself staring into the abyss of a full-blown rebellion.

The Donghak Uprising, though ultimately quelled, left an indelible mark on Korean history. It exposed the deep-seated inequalities of Joseon society and planted the seeds of a nascent nationalism that would eventually lead to Korea's independence. Choi Je-u, captured and executed by the Joseon court, became a martyr, his legacy inspiring future generations of revolutionaries who fought for a more just and equitable Korea.

The Donghak Movement, characterized by its fusion of religious, social and political elements, aimed to address social injustice, inequality and the grievances of the common people against the ruling class. In the West no analogous movement had such a wide spectrum of demands — the closest probably could be Shaking Quakers, who settled in the U.S. escaping from Liverpool in 1774, the Populist movement in Agrarian revolts in the U.S. beyween 1886 and 1889, and the revolts by the Chartist movement in Britain between 1838 and 1857, but none were as broad as the ones led by the Donghak.

If we jump 40 years forward to 1904, we would find ourselves in a very different Korea. In that year, Son Byeong-hui, the third leader of the movement, turns it into a religion called Cheondogyo, (or Cheondoism, which actually is followed today in both North and South Korea). A unique blend of Korean traditions and Western influences allowed Cheondogyo to connect with both domestic and international audiences, garnering support for the independence cause, thus laying the foundation for the independence movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period. Cheondogyo leaders like Kim Kyu-sik played key organizational roles in independence movements, including the March 1st Movement (1919), and even Kim Gu of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (1919-1945) had been a Cheondogyo practitioner in his earlier years. Later Cheondogyo's network of churches and believers set communication, fundraising and recruitment of activists for independence campaigns. Many Cheondogyo followers were persecuted and imprisoned by the Japanese for their involvement in the independence movement.

Now we jump to the late 1960s, and we’ll find Korea in the midst of a political struggle led by the Minjung Movement against authoritarian dictatorship. The movement drew its inspiration from the ethos of Donghak in its fight against injustice. Concepts of equality, social reform and addressing the grievances of the common people were integral to both movements. The Donghak Movement's emphasis on empowering the marginalized and oppressed fed directly into the ideology of the Minjung Movement. The themes of popular resistance against oppressive structures that first sprung up in the Donghak Movement mobilized people, advocated for reforms and sought to empower the masses and eventually led to the creation of grassroot democracy movements in the 1980s.

Strangely enough, not the Donghak Movement of 1860s, nor the independence movement of the 1940s, nor the Minjung Movement of the 1980s have ever found any resonance with U.S. politics or government. Often seen as too alien, all these movements have been perceived by the U.S., and by the West in large, as too indigenous, too nationalist or even dangerously close to communist. But in fact, these movements were the people’s cries for freedom and equality. Finding itself on the wrong side of history, the U.S. to this day is seen with big distrust, even if it had always publicly supported ideas of democracy and human rights. As student I learned incorrectly that it was Christians who brought ideas of equality and freedom to Korea. In reality these ideas were here in plain sight, but the problem has always been deciphering and being vocal about them — Korean culture has always been about saying only good things while preserving one’s face. Maybe more attention to those unique aspects of cultures and their traditions in countries like Korea will bring more respect and understanding while executing foreign policy. Hence, here was my little story of Donghak as a little starter for you.

Eugene Lee (mreulee@gmail.com) is a lecturing professor at the Graduate School of Governance at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. Specializing in international relations and governance, his research and teaching focus on national and regional security, international development, government policies and Northeast and Central Asia.