Tonghak, or Eastern Learning, was a religion created for Korean peasants to escape their hardships and to promote stability and equality throughout the nation. The Tonghak religion was supposed to save the small nation of Korea, and create a paradise of equality for anyone in great anguish; however this excluded their two best allies, the Japanese and the Chinese, and turned them into their two worst enemies.(1)

It's been over a decade since the fatal and devastating Tonghak Rebellion and the unanswered question still remains; what ever made those poor Korean farmers so hostile towards the Chinese and Japanese? So many of us are oblivious to the true problems that this poor forgotten nation faced with regards to foreign imperialism and even within their our own county. They were tossed around like an old shoe, unheard and disregarded, and completely taken advantaged for their fertile land and hard workers. It was just a matter of time before the people of Korea decided that they mattered. It was inevitable that angry inhabitants would revolt sooner or later.

The Chinese government used them as the easy solution to all their problems. When money was scarce, they hiked their taxes; when exports were decreasing, they increased Korean forced labour; and when food was not plentiful, they caused the Koreans to experience great famines.(2) This was only the start of the hatred that grew within their own boarders, that lead our nation toward the push for independence.

Based on pro-democracy and human rights "Tonghak is pure ideology, void of any organizational and tactical expertise," claims creator Choi Jae Wu.(3) Tonghak's only real concern was to create a Paradise on Earth, and with the conditions that the peasant farmers faced at this time; Tonghak was a "salvation to farmers in distress."(4) They began with peaceful protests but having proven ineffective, the farmers soon resorted to violence. This small, weak rebellion didn't even last a year before the Chinese got involved in stopping them. To China, the farmers were nothing more than a pitiful nuisance. One Tonghak member expresses, "The Chinese don't take us seriously. Yes, perhaps we may not be organized and powerful like them, but our values should matter and our voice should be heard by our own government."(5)

The Japanese decided to lend a helping hand to the defenseless Korea for reasons not of sympathy, as you shall soon learn. Although the Korean's were in desperate need of assistance, Japan was definitely not who they wanted help from. Japan not only monopolized the Korean market, but they took Korea's agriculture to feed their growing and hungry population. A Korean farmer of the time said, "This outflow of grains devastated us peasant farmers and that is what created the ever-lasting anti-Japanese mindset that still holds true today." (6) The Koreans were fully aware of the sole reason for Japan helping us out: imperialism. However, Japan was competing with the all-powerful Russia to gain our rich crops.

While Korea was struggling for independence, Japan and Russia were fighting over Korea and didn't even consider the fact that they didn't want or need them to modernize the Korean nation. (7) China also chose to ignore them when they wanted to separate. Even today they do not receive the proper respect from any country that comes in contact with them. Its unknown when, or even how, this tiny nation will become the paradise they always dreamed of. It is hoped, however, that by understanding their mistakes, Korea can learn from their history and past experiences and overcome their problems, becoming the appreciated nation they deserve to be.

Sources

(1) "Learn About Korea," [http://www.korea.net/learnaboutkorea/aboutkorea.html], January 26, 2002

(2) "Cundoism - A Korean Religion," [http://kimsoft.com/korea/chundo.htm], January 26, 2002

(3) Ibid., 1.

(4) Ibid., 1.

(5) "Learn About Korea," [http://www.korea.net/learnaboutkorea/aboutkorea.html], January 26, 2002

(6) "Cundoism - A Korean Religion," [http://kimsoft.com/korea/chundo.htm], January 26, 2002

(7) David I. Steinberg, The Rebublica of Korea (Boulder and Londen: Westview Press, 1989), 253

Images

(1) "Korean War Photos," [http://rt66.com/~korteng?SmallArms/kwphotots.htm], January 31, 2002

(2) "Cundoism - A Korean Religion," [http://kimsoft.com/korea/chundo.htm], January 26, 2002

(3) "Japanese Culture,"[http://japanesetutor.cc/Japan/Culture/Pictures.html], January 30, 2002

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