The Enlightened Reform Movement

    Following close on the heels of the Donghak Revolution was the Sino-Japanese War, which resulted in Korea ending its tributary status with China. Korea was then placed into yet another critical situation, with Russia and Japan vying for power on the peninsula. Revered Teacher Euiam, who at the time was living in exile in Japan, could not idly stand by and wait for the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War. He therefore came to believe that the Enlightened Reform Movement was needed to move forward with the reorganization and mobilization of Donghak and the reform of government.
    To this end he had Yi In-suk petition the government and propose political reforms. However, the corrupt and ineffectual government authorities, far from realizing or even thinking of the fate of Korea that hung in the balance, merely had the petitioner Yi In-suk arrested.
    In the second month of the 45th year of Podeok(1904), war finally broke out between Russia and Japan. Understanding the urgency of the situation, Revered Teacher Euiam summoned key Donghak leaders to Japan where he directed them to organize a citizen's association. Upon returning to Korea these leaders named the association the Public Society(Daedonghoe, 大同會) and secretly began the work of organizing them in all regions of the country. Two months later Bak In-ho and Hong Byeong-gi returned to Japan to brief Revered Teacher Euiam on the current domestic situation at home. Upon hearing their report, Revered Teacher Euiam gave them the following directive: "Return to Korea and have every Donghak member cut off his topknot(sangtu, 상투) and wear his hair short. The reasons for having short hair are, firstly, because it is standard for those participating in world civilization, and it will strengthen our resolve and make our mind and will as one……Only after cutting our hair short will we succeed in our aspirations.?br>    In accordance with this directive, beginning in the seventh month, the Public Society? name was changed to the Neutral Society(Jungniphoe, 中立會), and efforts were made to strengthen its organization throughout all regions of the country. However, owing to increasingly extreme measures of government repression, these goals were not satisfactorily met. Seeing that things were going contrary to his wishes, Revered Teacher Euiam conferred with Gweon Dong-jin, O Se-chang, and Jo Heui-yeon, and issued the directive that the association's name would be changed to the Progressive Society(Jinbohoe, 進步會). Along with this came the order to dispense with the sporadic meetings that had been the norm up until then, and to rouse the million-strong Donghak membership to hold simultaneous convening sessions on the thirtieth day of the eighth month.
    Thereupon, with short hair and wearing modest clothing, society members, at the risk of their lives, clamored for the reform of both central and local government. The number of those who cut off their topknots exceeded ten thousand in one day. Within several days the number had reached roughly 200,000, and the banner of the Progressive Society flew over every region of the country. At the time approximately 360 regional chapters of the Progressive Society had been established. It created a major stir in political circles by calling for an end to the troubles of the people, the repeal of the many nameless sundry taxes levied on the citizenry, the denunciation of corrupt government, and a commitment to the revival of industry and education.
    However, when the government learned the true colors of the Progressive Society?hat it was a reincarnation of the Donghak that had led the Donghak Revolution?t mobilized the remnants of its confused and disorganized army. While resuming its suppressive efforts it negotiated with the Japanese military and, as in the past days of the Donghak Revolution, moved to eradicate Donghak. The frequent incidents of armed clashes, shootings, beatings, and killings contributed to a mood of fear. Especially grave was the tragedy that unfolded in Pyeongan Province in Taecheon, where several hundred church members were driven into the Gochigang River and drowned.
    At this time, the Japanese collaborationist group Advancement Society (Iljinhoe, 一進會), even with the support of the Japanese government, was just able to maintain the semblance of an organization. Seeing the tremendous rise of the Progressive Society, it tried to seduce its president Yi Yong-gu, by informing him of the government's plan to unite with Japanese forces to sweep away the Progressive Society using the same tactics it had exercised during the Gabo Donghak suppression, and that the only way for the society to survive would be for it to unite with the Advancement Society. Thereupon Yi Yong-gu betrayed Donghak, and in accordance with the wishes of the Advancement Society, on the thirteenth day of the tenth month of that year, the Progressive Society united with the Advancement Society and was transformed into a collaborationist organization under the latter? name. Having only belatedly discovered Yi Yong-gu betrayal, Revered Teacher Euiam, directed that all ties between Chondogyo and the Advancement Society be severed, and that Yi Yong-gu and others of his Japanese collaborationist entourage be expelled from the church. The directive came on the first day of the twelfth month in the 46th year of Podeok (1905), the same day that Revered Teacher Euiam proclaimed to the world that the name Donghak would be changed to Chondogyo.
 vAlthough this Gapsin Enlightened Reform Movement met with collapse at the hands of Yi Yong-gu? betrayal, once can cite its profound significance, for writ large during its short existence is the astonishing extension, for the first time in modern Korean history, of people? rights, and the reforming zeal displayed by this Cultural Revolution.