Choe Si-hyeong

Choe Si-hyeong (born 1827, Korea—died 1898, Seoul [now in South Korea]) was the second leader of the Korean apocalyptic antiforeign Donghak (Cheondogyo) religion and helped organize the underground network that spread the sect after the 1864 execution of its founder, Choe Je-u, for fomenting rebellion.

After Choe Je-u’s death, Choe Si-hyeong took over the important task of realigning the sect’s ranks through a series of underground networks. In 1880 and 1881, he published the first two Donghak scriptures, thus giving the religion an intellectual basis. In these scriptures he expanded his predecessor’s idea that all men are not only equal before heaven but that they also must serve heaven. Moreover, he translated these principles into social action by teaching that people ought to “serve Man as they serve heaven.” Meanwhile, he continued to preach the necessity of Korea’s becoming as strong as the Western imperialist powers. In 1892 he mobilized tens of thousands of his followers to stage a peaceful demonstration under the banner of “Expel the West, Expel the Japanese, and Inculcate Righteousness,” claiming the innocence of the Donghak founder and calling for administrative reform. In 1894 he led the so-called Donghak Revolt against the “corrupt government.” The uprising was viciously suppressed, and in 1898 Choe Si-hyeong was finally arrested and executed, but not before Donghak had spread throughout Korea.