Donghak Peasant Revolution

Also called: Donghak Peasant Revolution

Peasant armies led by Jeon Bong-jun rose against corrupt officials and foreign powers, triggering the First Sino-Japanese War.

After the ports opened, rice flowed out to Japan while local officials squeezed the peasants. Donghak followers campaigned to clear their founder’s name, and at the Boeun rally they raised the slogan “Expel the Japanese and Westerners, rise for righteousness”, turning the movement political.

It began in the 1st month with the Gobu uprising against the magistrate Jo Byeong-gap. When the investigator Yi Yong-tae persecuted the participants, Jeon Bong-jun, Son Hwa-jung and Kim Gae-nam rose again at Mujang in the 3rd month and gathered at Baeksan (the first uprising). Proclaiming “Protect the nation and secure the people” and “Drive out tyranny and save the people”, the peasant army beat government forces at Hwangtohyeon and Hwangnyongchon and took Jeonju in the 4th month. With Qing and Japanese troops arriving, it made the Jeonju truce with the government in the 5th month and set up local directorates (jipgangso) to carry out reforms.

When Japan seized Gyeongbokgung and started the Sino-Japanese War, the peasants rose again in the 9th month to drive the Japanese out (the second uprising). The southern and northern branches, the latter under Son Byong-hi, joined at Nonsan, but were crushed by government and Japanese troops at Ugeumchi near Gongju in the 11th month; Jeon Bong-jun was caught at Sunchang and executed the next year. Some of its anti-feudal demands were taken up in the Gabo Reform, and surviving fighters joined the righteous armies.