Gang Il-Sun
Encyclopedia
Gang Il-Sun also known as Chungsan Kang Il-sun and known to his followers as JeungSan SangJeNim, is the founder of a religion that lead to the Korean religions Jeung San Do
and Daesun Jinrihoe
. He was born in a small town near the city of Gimje
in what was then the Jeolla
province of Korea. Jeung San Do
, like Korean new religions (sinheung jonggyo, literally, "newly emerged religions") in general is a syncretism of Buddhism (Bul-gyo), Confucianism (Yu-gyo), Taoism (Do-gyo), certain elements borrowed from Christianity (Gidok-gyo) and an underlying Korean shamanism
(Musok-Sinang).
, concerned about the growing influence of the West, the increasing Japanese presence in Joseon, widespread corruption in government and established religion and abuse of power by the yangban
(aristocratic social class), alleged he had a vision of SangJe (Shang-ti in Chinese). Choe Je-u became the founder of the Donghak
(Eastern Learning) movement, the prototype of many subsequent Korean syncretistic new religions. Donghak culminated in the unsuccessful Donghak Rebellion of 1894, which was fueled by a combination of religious fervor centering around the millennial visions of a coming messiah
and Seoul's high taxes on rice. Central to Choe Je-u’s teachings was a belief in Hu-Cheon Gaebyeok, the Great Opening (Gaebyeok
) of the Later Heaven (Hu-Cheon), the new age paradise of Donghak and later of Gang Il-sun’s millenarian vision.
in this world to initiate a New Age. Gang Il-sun was believed by his followers to have been the fulfillment of the Donghak Promise, the incarnation of SangJe prophesied by Choe Je-u. The religion of Gang Il-sun, on whose teachings JeungSanDo is based, arose in large measure from the Donghak movement.
Jeung San Do
Jeung Sando or Jeungism is a new religion founded in Korea in 1974. This movement is characterised by a universal message, millenarianism and a method of healing meditation...
and Daesun Jinrihoe
Daesun Jinrihoe
Daesun Jinrihoe is a Korean new religious movement, founded in April 1969 by Park Han-gyeong . It is a splinter of the syncretic religion founded by Gang Il-Sun . Another splinter is the religion Jeung San Do, which was founded in 1974...
. He was born in a small town near the city of Gimje
Gimje
Gimje is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea.-History:Gimje area has been cultivated since ancient times.Nations of early date ascend in year 200...
in what was then the Jeolla
Jeolla
Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...
province of Korea. Jeung San Do
Jeung San Do
Jeung Sando or Jeungism is a new religion founded in Korea in 1974. This movement is characterised by a universal message, millenarianism and a method of healing meditation...
, like Korean new religions (sinheung jonggyo, literally, "newly emerged religions") in general is a syncretism of Buddhism (Bul-gyo), Confucianism (Yu-gyo), Taoism (Do-gyo), certain elements borrowed from Christianity (Gidok-gyo) and an underlying Korean shamanism
Korean shamanism
Korean shamanism, today known as Muism or sometimes Sinism , encompasses a variety of indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Korean people and the Korean area...
(Musok-Sinang).
Donghak
In 1860 Choe Je-uChoe Je-u
Choe Je-u was the founder of Donghak, a Korean religious movement against foreign invasions and critical of Joseon Dynasty government policies of the time. He was from Gyeongju and his pen name was 'Suun'. He was martyred March 10, 1864 by order of the Daewongun.-External links:*...
, concerned about the growing influence of the West, the increasing Japanese presence in Joseon, widespread corruption in government and established religion and abuse of power by the yangban
Yangban
The yangban were part of the traditional ruling class or nobles of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The yangban were either landed or unlanded aristocracy who comprised the Korean Confucian idea of a "scholarly official." In reality, they were basically administrators and bureaucrats who...
(aristocratic social class), alleged he had a vision of SangJe (Shang-ti in Chinese). Choe Je-u became the founder of the Donghak
Donghak
Donghak is a Korean religion founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u. Donghak venerated the god Haneullim and believed that man is not created by a supernatural god but man is instead caused by an innate god...
(Eastern Learning) movement, the prototype of many subsequent Korean syncretistic new religions. Donghak culminated in the unsuccessful Donghak Rebellion of 1894, which was fueled by a combination of religious fervor centering around the millennial visions of a coming messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
and Seoul's high taxes on rice. Central to Choe Je-u’s teachings was a belief in Hu-Cheon Gaebyeok, the Great Opening (Gaebyeok
Gaebyeok
In the Korean religion of Jeungism, the term Gaebyeok refers to a sudden change in nature, society and human beings.-Great Opening 開闢:Jeungism calls a sudden change in culture, human and nature, Gaebyeok...
) of the Later Heaven (Hu-Cheon), the new age paradise of Donghak and later of Gang Il-sun’s millenarian vision.
Donghak Promise
SangJe allegedly promised Choe Je-u that He would soon incarnateIncarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
in this world to initiate a New Age. Gang Il-sun was believed by his followers to have been the fulfillment of the Donghak Promise, the incarnation of SangJe prophesied by Choe Je-u. The religion of Gang Il-sun, on whose teachings JeungSanDo is based, arose in large measure from the Donghak movement.
External links
- Jeung San Do - English homepage
- The Dojeon - English