In 1894, a peasant uprising swept across the Korean Peninsula, like a spark, igniting the fire of reshaping the pattern of East Asia. This popular uprising, known as the "Donghak Party Uprising", not only shook the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty, but also became the fuse of the struggle between China and Japan. When the cries of the peasants resounded through the mountains and fields of Korea, who would have thought that this would be a prelude to changing the fate of East Asia? Why can a local peasant uprising spark a war between two great powers? What exactly is the philosophy of the Donghak Party? Why did they rise to prominence in that particular historical period? What are some of the lesser-known stories that took place in the course of the uprising?
In the middle of the 19th century, a new trend of thought quietly emerged on the Korean Peninsula: Donghak, founded by Choi Ji-woo. In 1860, in Gyeongju, Gyeongsang-do, Choi Ji-woo put forward the core idea of "man is heaven", emphasizing the equality of all people and opposing social hierarchy. This idea was like a clear stream, and it aroused great repercussions in the Korean society of the time, which was rigid in the feudal system at that time.
The background of Choi Ji-woo's founding of Donghak was closely related to the internal and external troubles faced by the Korean Peninsula at that time. Internally, the Joseon dynasty was increasingly corrupt, the bureaucracy and aristocracy were expropriating and expropriating, and the people were struggling to make a living. Externally, Western powers and Japan were eyeing each other and constantly infiltrating Korea by various means. Under these circumstances, Choi Jiyu hoped to revitalize the national spirit and resist foreign aggression through Dongxue.
The core ideas of Oriental Studies incorporate elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, while also absorbing some Catholic ideas. It advocates "serving God" and believes that everyone has a "heaven" in their hearts, and as long as they practice sincerely, they can become one with heaven. This kind of thinking broke the traditional class concept and brought hope to the people at the bottom. At the same time, Dongxue also advocated "assisting the country and securing the people", emphasizing the need to achieve the prosperity and stability of the country through self-cultivation and family harmony.
The spread of Oriental studies on the Korean Peninsula can be described as a spark. Choi began preaching in the Gyeongju area, which soon attracted a large number of believers. Most of them were oppressed peasants and lower-class scholars, and they deeply resonated with Dongxue's idea of equality. The way of spreading Dongxue is also unique, adopting a "Taoism" system similar to that of modern pyramid schemes, that is, each believer can develop a downline and form a huge network.
However, the rapid development of Donghak also aroused the vigilance of the Joseon Dynasty. In 1864, Cui Jiyu was arrested and executed on charges of "confusing the public with the left way". But this did not stop the spread of Dongxue, but rather made it gain more sympathy and support. Choi Ji-woo's disciple Choi Si-hyung took over the leadership and continued to promote Dongxue.
Under Choi Si-hyung's leadership, Donghak began to spread across the country. They established a tight organizational system, divided into three levels: central, provincial, and county, each with fixed leaders. Togaku also founded a shodo (private school) to disseminate ideas through education. This way of organization laid the foundation for the later uprisings.
As Japanese infiltration of Korea deepened, Donghak gradually evolved into an organization with strong nationalist overtones. They put forward the slogan of "warding off evil and upholding righteousness," and the spearhead was aimed directly at Japan and the Western powers. This anti-foreign stance has enabled Dongxue to gain wider support among the people.
By the early 1890s, Donghak had developed into a force to be reckoned with on the Korean Peninsula. It is estimated that there were hundreds of thousands of Dongxue believers at that time. They not only influenced the people ideologically, but also helped the peasants resist the exploitation of the government in practical actions. This ability to organize at the grassroots level laid the groundwork for the later uprisings.
However, the development of Oriental Studies has not been smooth sailing. In 1892, the Joseon Dynasty again carried out a large-scale crackdown on Donghak, which led to a split within it. One faction advocates armed resistance, while the other tends to cooperate with the authorities. This split also had far-reaching effects in later uprisings.
In general, the rise of the Donghak Party was a product of the intensification of social contradictions on the Korean Peninsula in the 19th century. It not only reflects the people's dissatisfaction with reality, but also reflects the intellectuals' anxiety about the fate of the nation. Donghak provided the ideological foundation and organizational network for the later uprisings, and became an important force in changing the pattern of Korea and even the whole of East Asia.
The outbreak of the Donghak uprising was not accidental, but the result of a combination of factors. At the end of the 19th century, the Korean Peninsula was plagued by increasingly acute social contradictions, infiltration by external forces, and corruption and oppression by local officials, which eventually led to the peasant uprising that changed the landscape of East Asia.
The intensification of social contradictions on the Korean Peninsula was the fundamental reason for the outbreak of the Donghak uprising. With the decline of Joseon Dynasty rule, the contradictions between various social strata intensified. Peasants, as the lowest group, bear the heaviest pressure. Not only did they have to pay high taxes, but they also had to bear all kinds of forced labor. In the face of frequent natural disasters, many farmers have fallen into extreme poverty.
In 1862, a large-scale popular uprising broke out in Korea, known as the "Imxu Civil Rebellion". Although the popular uprising was eventually suppressed, the social problems it exposed were not resolved. On the contrary, these problems become more serious over time. Land annexation intensified, and a large number of peasants lost their land and became tenant farmers or displaced people. At the same time, the development of the commodity economy also broke the traditional social structure, leaving some middle and lower classes (the Korean aristocracy) and the common people in a difficult situation.
At the same time, Japanese infiltration into Korea deepened, which became another important factor in triggering the Donghak uprising. In 1876, Japan forced Korea to sign the Treaty of Ganghwado, which opened the door to Korea. Since then, Japan's influence in Korea has expanded rapidly. Japanese merchants poured into Korea and controlled most of the foreign trade. They buy large quantities of North Korean grain and raw materials, causing prices to skyrocket, further burdening ordinary people.
More seriously, Japan began to interfere in the internal affairs of the DPRK. After the 1882 Inwu Rebellion, Japan took the opportunity to station troops in Seoul (present-day Seoul) and sent military advisers to reorganize the Korean army. In 1884, the pro-Japanese faction staged a coup d'état in Koshin, and although it failed, Japan's influence did not wane. Instead, through the Treaty of Tientsin in 1885, Japan gained equal power with the Qing on the Korean Peninsula.
This situation triggered strong anti-Japanese sentiment among the North Korean people. As a local religious organization, the Dongxue Party naturally became the carrier of this sentiment. They put forward the slogan of "warding off evil and upholding righteousness" and regarded opposing the aggression of foreign forces, especially Japan, as their important mission.
However, what directly led to the outbreak of the Dongxue uprising was the harshness and oppression of local officials. In 1892, Cho Byung-jia was appointed as the county warden of Gufu County, Jeolla Province. After he took office, he wantonly looted the people's fat and ointment, and expropriated them violently. Not only that, but he also bought low-quality rice at a low price and handed it over to the state treasury, making huge profits from it. This behavior has provoked strong resentment among the local population.
At the beginning of 1894, the Gufu area suffered from continuous drought, and the people's livelihood became even more difficult. In this case, Zhao Bingjia not only did not reduce the burden on the people, but increased the expropriation. This became the straw that broke the camel's back. On February 15, the peasant masses, mainly Dongxue believers, under the leadership of Quan Qizhun, captured the Gufu County Ya, opened the arsenal, and formed their own army. This marked the official outbreak of the Donghak uprising.
The uprising soon spread. In just a few months, the number of rebels increased rapidly from 2,000 to more than 100,000. They put forward the slogan of "exterminating the Japanese and exterminating the elites," indicating their dual goal of opposing foreign aggression and domestic oppression.
It is worth noting that although the Dongxue Party uprising was mainly based on the peasants, it was also supported by some middle and lower classes and merchants. This reflected the widespread discontent among all segments of North Korean society at the time. At the same time, the rapid growth of the rebel army also illustrates the broad base that the Donghak Party has built up among the people over the years.
In general, the outbreak of the Donghak uprising was the result of a combination of factors. It is not only an inevitable product of the intensification of internal contradictions on the Korean Peninsula, but also an instinctive reaction to foreign aggression. The corruption and oppression of local officials became the trigger for the uprising. This uprising not only shook the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty, but also became an important factor in triggering the Sino-Japanese War, which ultimately changed the pattern of East Asia.
The course of the Donghak uprising can be described as ups and downs, from the outbreak of the Gufu Incident to the eventual defeat, this peasant movement that swept the Korean Peninsula had a huge impact on the society at that time.
The Gufu incident was the trigger for the uprising of the Dongxue Party. On February 15, 1894, under the leadership of Quan Qizhun, thousands of peasants surrounded the Gufu County Government and demanded that the corrupt official Zhao Bingjia be punished. The rebels soon took control of Gufu and established a peasant regime in the area. The news quickly spread throughout Jeolla Province, triggering an even larger peasant uprising.
The organizational structure and strategy of the rebel army deserve attention. They adopted the organizational system of the Dongxue Order and established an organization similar to that of the modern army. For every 1,000 people, there will be a principal and deputy leader; 100 people are a sentry, and there is a sentry chief; 10 people in a group, set up a gang leader. This organization allowed the rebel army to quickly mobilize and command large numbers of personnel.
Strategically, the Dongxue Army adopted guerrilla tactics, made full use of the advantages of the terrain, and avoided the real and made the imaginary. They also formulated the "three nos" discipline according to the local situation: do not harm civilians, do not destroy property, and do not invade foreigners. This discipline not only won the support of the population, but also avoided direct intervention by foreign powers to a certain extent.
Although the rebels were poorly armed and equipped, they were adept at taking advantage of the terrain and the masses. They often resort to "crowd tactics" to overwhelm government forces with numerical superiority. At the same time, the rebels were also good at setting up roadblocks and traps, causing a lot of trouble for the government army.
As the uprising expanded, Dong Xuejun put forward more specific political propositions. They demanded the abolition of the slave and maid system, the equal distribution of land, the abolition of the imperial examination system, and the punishment of corrupt officials. These propositions reflected the demands of the peasant strata for social reform, and also showed that the uprising of the Dongxue Party had gone beyond mere peasant revolt and had a certain revolutionary character.
The Joseon Dynasty was apparently caught off guard by this sudden uprising. At first, they tried to calm the anger of the peasants through negotiations. The imperial court sent Kim Byung-sik as minister plenipotentiary to Jeolla Province to negotiate with the rebels. However, negotiations soon broke down and the uprising continued to spread.
Faced with an increasingly dire situation, the Joseon Dynasty decided to suppress it by force. They mobilized a large number of troops, led by Hong Kye-hoon, and marched towards Jeolla Province. However, the combat effectiveness of the government forces was not strong, and they were repeatedly defeated in many encounters with the rebels.
On April 27, the rebels captured Jeonju, a sign of the climax of the uprising. Jeonju is the capital of Jeolla Province, and its fall meant that the rebel army took control of the entire Jeolla Province. By this time, the rebel army had exceeded 100,000 and had become a force to be reckoned with.
However, the victory of the rebel army also caused panic in the Joseon Dynasty. Under these circumstances, the North Korean government made a decision to change the pattern of East Asia: to ask the Qing Dynasty for help. This decision not only did not quell the uprising, but instead provided a pretext for Japanese intervention, which eventually led to the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War.
After the Qing army entered the dynasty, the situation of the rebel army began to become difficult. Although they were victorious in some local battles, they were generally on the defensive. In late May, the rebel army was forced to retreat from Jeonju and move into the mountains for guerrilla warfare.
At the same time, Japan also sent troops into Korea, under the pretext of "protecting Japanese expatriates", in fact, to compete with the Qing Dynasty for control of Korea. The arrival of the Japanese army further complicated the situation, and Donghak's army had to face pressure from the Qing army, the Japanese army, and the Korean government army at the same time.
In this case, disagreements arose within the Dongxue Army. Some are in favor of continuing the fighting, while others are inclined to reconcile with the government. Eventually, under the promise of the government and the pressure of the Qing and Japanese armies, most of the rebel army chose to surrender.
However, the Donghak uprising had a profound impact on Korean society. Although the uprising ultimately failed, it shook the foundations of Joseon dynasty rule and hastened the collapse of the feudal system. Some of the reforms proposed by the uprising, such as the abolition of slavery and the reform of the tax system, were partially implemented in the later Jiawu Reform.
More importantly, the uprising became the trigger for the Sino-Japanese War and completely changed the political landscape of East Asia. Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the war established its dominant position on the Korean Peninsula and paved the way for the later annexation of Korea. At the same time, the war also marked the collapse of the traditional international order in East Asia and the beginning of a new era.
As the core figure of the Donghak Party uprising, Jeon Hyun-joon's leadership and personal charisma played a key role in the development of the uprising. As a commoner-born Donghak follower, Chun used his organizational skills and strategic vision to develop a local peasant revolt into a large-scale uprising that swept across the Korean Peninsula.
Jeon was born in 1855 as an ordinary farmer in Gubo-gun, Jeolla Province. He joined the Dongxue Sect as a young man and was soon put to good use for his talents, becoming an important member of the local Dongxue Sect. Before joining Dongxuejiao, Jeon had a deep understanding of the current social situation at that time. He witnessed the poverty of the peasants and the corruption of local officials, and these experiences laid the ideological foundation for his later leadership of the uprising.
In February 1894, when the peasants of Gufu County were preparing to revolt because they could not stand the harsh government of the county warden Zhao Bingjia, Quan Qizhun stood up. He organized a rebel army to surround the Gufu County Ya and demanded that Zhao Bingjia be punished. The operation was a success, not only winning the support of the local peasants, but also laying the groundwork for a large-scale uprising that followed.
In the early days of the uprising, Jeon showed great organizational skills. He quickly built up a well-disciplined peasant army based on the organizational structure of Dongxuejiao. Brigadier General Quan Qi divided the rebel army into several cadres, each with 1,000 people, and set up a chief and deputy commanders; For every 100 people, there is a sentry chief; For every 10 people, there is a team leader. This organizational style is not only convenient for command, but also conducive to maintaining military discipline.
Quan also established the famous "three noes" discipline: do not harm civilians, do not destroy property, and do not infringe on foreigners. These regulations not only won the support of the people, but also avoided direct intervention by foreign powers to a certain extent. All of this shows that he was not only a courageous leader of the uprising, but also a visionary strategist.
In terms of military command, Jeon also showed extraordinary talent. In the face of well-armed government forces, Jeon adopted flexible guerrilla tactics. He made full use of the terrain of Jeolla Province to avoid reality and make false ones, causing great trouble to the government army. Under Jeon Junjung's command, the rebels defeated government forces several times and even captured Jeonju, the capital of Jeolla Province, for a time.
Jeon was not only a military commander, but also a politician. He put forward a series of reform proposals, including the abolition of the slave system, the equal distribution of land, and the abolition of the imperial examination system. These propositions reflect the interests of the peasant strata and also show Quan Junjun's profound thinking about social reform.
However, with the intervention of the Qing and Japanese armies, the tide of the uprising began to reverse. In the face of this situation, Jeon Junjun showed superb political wisdom. Realizing that continuing the struggle would bring more suffering to the population, he decided to negotiate with the government. In May 1894, Jeon signed a peace treaty with government representative Kim Byung-sik in Jeonju, agreeing to disband the rebels in exchange for the government's commitment to implement reforms.
Although this decision caused some controversy at the time, in the long run, Jeon Jun's choice avoided more bloodshed. His decision also reflects the responsibility and wisdom of a true national leader.
However, shortly after the peace treaty was signed, the government reneged on its promises. Jeon was forced to revolt again, but this time the revolt was quickly suppressed. In March 1895, Jeon died heroically in battle at the age of 40.
Jeon Jun's sacrifice did not make his influence disappear. On the contrary, his deeds were widely circulated among the people, becoming a symbol of the Korean people's resistance to oppression and their pursuit of freedom. In the Korean independence movement that followed, Jeon Jun's spirit continued to inspire future generations.
Jeon Hyun-joon's leadership and contributions made the Donghak uprising one of the most important events in modern Korean history. Although the uprising ultimately failed, it shook the foundations of Korean feudal rule and accelerated the process of social change. Many of the reform proposals put forward by Quan Qizhuon, such as abolishing the slave system and reforming the tax system, were partially implemented in the later First Sino-Japanese Reform.
More importantly, the uprising of the Donghak Party, led by Jeon Hun-joon, became the trigger for the Sino-Japanese War and completely changed the political landscape of East Asia. Although this was not Quan's original intention, it objectively accelerated the collapse of the traditional international order in East Asia and promoted the process of modernization in the region.
As the largest peasant movement on the Korean Peninsula at the end of the 19th century, the historical significance of the Donghak uprising went far beyond the scope of an ordinary peasant uprising. This uprising not only profoundly affected the internal affairs of North Korea, but also changed the international pattern of East Asia to a great extent, and became an important turning point in modern East Asian history.
First, the Donghak uprising shook the foundations of feudal rule in Korea. The rebels' demands, such as the abolition of slavery, the equal distribution of land, and the punishment of corrupt officials, directly challenged the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty's rule. Although the uprising was eventually suppressed, the social contradictions and people's demands revealed by it became an important driving force for social change in North Korea.
In the aftermath of the uprising, the North Korean government was forced to implement a series of reform measures. In July 1894, the Joseon government promulgated the "Hongbeom 14 Articles", which was the first modernization reform program in the history of Joseon. These included the abolition of the imperial examination system, the reform of the tax system, and the prohibition of the slave trade, all of which were closely related to the demands of the Dongxue uprising. It can be said that the Donghak uprising directly promoted the modernization process of Korea.
Second, the Dongxue uprising became the trigger for the Sino-Japanese War and completely changed the political landscape of East Asia. At that time, Korea was a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, but Japan had also coveted Korea for a long time. The outbreak of the Donghak uprising gave the Qing and Japanese an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of Korea.
In June 1894, at the request of the Korean government, the Qing Dynasty sent troops into Korea to help suppress the uprising. Japan also sent troops to Korea on the pretext of protecting overseas Chinese in Korea. The confrontation between the two armies on the Korean Peninsula eventually turned into a full-scale war. The result of this war was a crushing defeat for the Qing Dynasty, and Japan replaced the Qing Dynasty as the dominant power in East Asia.
The outbreak and outcome of the First Sino-Japanese War marked the collapse of the traditional international order in East Asia. The Qing Dynasty's dominance in East Asia was gone, and Korea lost its chance to become independent, eventually being annexed by Japan in 1910. It can be said that the uprising of the Donghak Party inadvertently became a key factor in changing the pattern of East Asia.
Thirdly, the Donghak uprising had a profound impact on the awakening of Korean national consciousness. Although the uprising failed, the deeds of Jeon Hyun-joon and other leaders of the uprising were widely circulated among the people, and became a symbol of the Korean people's resistance to oppression and their pursuit of freedom. This awakening of national consciousness laid the ideological foundation for the later anti-Japanese independence movement.
In the March 1st Movement that broke out in 1919, we can see the shadow of the Dongxue Party uprising. The March 1st Movement was also a nationwide mass movement, and its methods of organization and tactics of nonviolent resistance had some similarities with the Dongxue uprising. It can be said that the Donghak uprising set a precedent for the modern Korean national movement.
In addition, the Donghak uprising had an important impact on the religious and ideological sphere of Korea. After the failure of the uprising, Dongxue did not die out, but continued to develop under new historical conditions. In 1905, Donghakyo was renamed Cheondokyo, which became one of the most influential ethnic religions in modern Korea. Cheondogyo inherited the idea of equality from Donghakyoke and combined it with nationalism, which played an important role in the anti-Japanese independence movement in Korea.
In the long run, the revolutionary spirit of the peasant class, embodied in the Donghak uprising, had a profound impact on the later Korean revolutionary movement. Both the socialist revolution in North Korea and the democratization movement in South Korea have inherited to some extent the revolutionary tradition of the Donghak uprising.
At the cultural level, the Dongxue uprising also left a deep imprint. Jeon's story has been compiled into novels, plays, and films, and has become an important element in North Korean culture. These literary and artistic works not only inherit the history of the nation, but also play an important role in shaping the national identity and values.
At the same time, the Donghak uprising also provides us with an important window into Korean society at the end of the 19th century. By studying the process and demands of the uprising, we can better understand the social contradictions and living conditions of the people in Korea at that time. This is of great significance for understanding the twists and turns and complexity of the modernization process of North Korea.
Finally, as a peasant uprising, the Dongxue Party Uprising was rare in the modern history of the world because of its scale and profound impact. It not only changed the fate of a country, but also affected the pattern of international relations in the entire region. This makes the Donghak uprising an important case study for the study of the peasant movement, social change, and international relations.