Cheondoism

Donghak Movement

• Based on 19th Century Donghak movement.
• But is a 20th century Korean Religious movement founded in 1812.
• Where is it rooted from?
• And where was it founded?

Founder

Path to Salvation

• founded by Choe je-u (1824-1864), in approx. 1861 in the country of Korea,
• due to the plight of the peasants during the Josean Dynasty which had started to collapse in Korea,
• Je-u felt a special kinship to “the common man”

Donghak

• - “He then departed to the Heavenly Mountain where he became a stone that could speak Yul-ryeo's message, constantly reminding men of their path to innocence.”
• Rules and Standards

1. "Do not kill or take the peasants' properties"

2. "Protect the peasants' rights"

3. "Drive out the Japanese and Western people and purify our sacred land"

4. "March to Seoul and purge the government"

• Interesting Facts on Donghak
• Beliefs?
• Unlike Christianity.
• Donghak imprinted those

Beliefs

• "religion of the heavenly way"
• heaven is the principle of good and evil
• man and humans are not created by a supernatural God
• improve your inner nature to become closer to the heavenly state

Roots

• North Korea and South Korea
• rooted in Korean shamanism and Korean Buddhism
• major religion of Korea, followed by 12% of the total population

Sacred text

• Dongkyeongdaejeon
• Mysterious
• inner nature
• Innacheon

Choe Je-u

Lock-up

• This is the symbol of Cheondoism.
• It was designated in 1905 and is called Geunguljang.
• The dot in the middle symbolizes the persons's heart
• The two bow-like figures surrounding it symbolizes the human body
• and the circular border symbolizes the human character.
• The Geunguljang symbolizes as a whole, human character communicating with the body using the person's heart.

• Je-u’s growing following soon attracted the attention of the corrupt local and federal government an investigation was soon launched into his activities,
• Je-u was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in an army camp
• was released after several hundred citizens signed a petition demanding his release
• Korean government officials directed the local governor to investigate Je-u for inciting rebellion among the local population,
• the report was surprisingly accurate portraying Je-u as a harmless spiritual leader

• worked as a farmer on the land he inherited from his father
• studied both Confucism as well as Christianity and saw elements of both religons that he thought applied to his budding theories

Cheondoist theology

• God resides in each of us
• strives to convert earthly society into a paradise on earth
• attempts to transform believers into intelligent moral beings with a high social consciousness
• seen as a humanistic, socialist religion

Execution

• Korean government officials decided to arrest him anyway
• Je-u and twenty of his followers were put on trial charged with holding catholic beliefs and planning an insurrection
• Je-u and his followers were found guilty and were sentenced to death
• on March 10th 1864 Choe Je-u was executed in Daegu, Korea.

Cheondoism

Malcolm Revely James Atkins Lizi Savage Tavious Adams