Founding of Donghak
Choe Je-u founded Donghak (“Eastern Learning”) at Yongdamjeong near Gyeongju; its teaching that every person embodies heaven spread fast among peasants.
Hardship under in-law clan rule and the breakdown of the tax system, the appearance of foreign ships and the spread of Western Learning (Catholicism) bred unrest. Choe Je-u, from an impoverished yangban family, founded Donghak, “Eastern Learning”, as a counter to Western Learning, blending Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism with folk belief.
Its ideas of bearing Heaven within (sicheonju) and of man being Heaven (innaecheon) taught that all people are equal, and it proclaimed a coming new age and the protection of the nation and people. The government executed Choe at Daegu in 1864 for deluding the people.
His successor Choe Si-hyeong compiled the scriptures Donggyeong daejeon (in Chinese) and Yongdam yusa (Hangul verses) and spread the organisation through a network of local units. The movement went on to petition for its founder’s exoneration and led to the peasant revolution of 1894.
