Ch'oe Che-u

Ch'oe Che-u, also known by his pen name Su-un, was a Korean religious leader and reformer who founded the Tonghak sect, a syncretic religion that combined elements of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Catholicism. He was born into an aristocratic family, but his mother died when he was six and his father when he was sixteen. He received a good education in Neo-Confucianism and possibly other traditions, but he was considered illegitimate and could not take the civil examinations to become a bureaucrat. He married in his teens, but his wife died soon after. He then devoted himself to studying various religions and philosophies, seeking the truth and a way to save the people from their suffering. He claimed to have received a revelation from God in 1860, and began to preach his new doctrine, which he called Tonghak, meaning Eastern Learning. He criticized the corruption and incompetence of the Joseon government, the exploitation of the peasants by the yangban aristocracy, and the foreign influence of Catholicism and Western culture. He advocated a return to the original values of Korean culture and a social reform based on equality, justice, and human dignity. He also emphasized the importance of self-cultivation and moral practice, as well as the worship of God as the Heavenly Parent of all beings. He attracted many followers, especially among the lower classes, who saw him as a savior and a great teacher. However, he also aroused the suspicion and hostility of the authorities, who accused him of spreading heresy and subversion. He was arrested in 1863 and executed by beheading in 1864. His death sparked a series of uprisings by his followers, known as the Tonghak movement, which culminated in the Donghak Peasant Revolution of 1894, a major event in Korean history that contributed to the end of the Joseon dynasty and the emergence of modern Korea.