繭紫掖模偃疇濠

5. THE CHONDOGYO PEOPLE＊S MOVEMENT, NATIONAL MOVEMENT, AND CULTURAL MOVEMENT

The New Korea Society (Singanhoe, 蜪庌𨗴) and Chondogyo

   Socialist radicals had joined with the "Old Faction?狫艬) hard-line nationalist policy of Chondogyo to plan the June 10th Independence Movement. Although the plans for the movement were never put into action, the union of these two groups proved instrumental in the creation of a new "One National Party? Following the orders of Venerable Teacher Chunam, Chondogyo members Gweon Dong-jin, Yi Jong-rin, Bak Nae-heung, Bak Wan, and Yi Byeong-heon became active in the "One National Party, or the "New Korea Society?(Singanhoe, 蜪庌𨗴). After going through numerous prepa-ratory and developmental stages, on the fifteenth day of the second month in the 68th year of Podeok(1927), the nationalist united front "New Korea Society?was formed. One could say that the New Korea Society?was inaugurated as a kind of representative body for the nationalist movement resolutely prosecuted by the joint forces of nationalism and socialism. Factions represented in the "New Korea Society?included the Joseon Daily's Sin Seok-u faction, the Chondogyo "Old Faction? the Socialists, the "Promotion of the People Society?Minheunghoe, 硠㷨𨗴), and leaders from various religious organizations.
As a united front nationalist movement, the New Korea Society firmly united the nation in its disillusionment with political and economic conditions, and strengthened national solidarity, and until it disbanded in the 72nd year of Podeok(1931) it never abandoned its uncompromising hard-line stance, directly resisting Japanese policies of repression against the people.
However, systematic organized suppression by Japan, coupled with continual modification of the goals of the movement eventually led to calls for the dissolution of the New Korea Society. Four years after its formation the curtain was lowered on the organization that had originated as a united front of nationalists and socialists intent on securing national independence. Approximately 120 Chondogyo members participated at some time or other in the New Korea Society. Holding fast to their uncompromising nationalist line, they were very active in the movement. The New Korea Society was a movement to secure national independence in which Chondogyo leaders, holding fast to their uncom-promising nationalist line, actively participated by erecting a nationalist united front.

The "My Mind Party"(Osimdang, 賧裶衾) Secret Fraternity

   After the Samil Independence Movement Chondogyo was actively organized and participated in so-called secret societies. The most representative examples of such a secret society was the My Mind Party and Revered Teacher Chunam's "Muin Prayer for the Destruction of Japan?movement.
   Following the Samil Movement the main Chondogyo leaders were imprisoned, and most activities had come to a standstill. At this time some young Chondogyo members formed the Chondogyo Youth Indoctrination Division and other groups like it, and their activities rapidly spread and grew in intensity. However, this fraternity was hit by dissension and fell into disarray. During the maelstrom that was the 64th year of Podeok(1923) the ?ot Not Party?Bul-buldang, 楙楙衾) was formed in mid-June with the purpose of bringing unity to the youth leadership. Later, in the 70th year of Podeok(1929) the Not Not Party joined with the My Mind Party whose organization was centered in Pyeongyang, assuming its name in the process.
   The My Mind Party, having been linked in this way, sent many of its leaders to such countries as the Soviet Union, China, and Japan in order to inspect and analyze the world situation from a broader perspective, with the nucleus of the leadership specializing in economics, society, and Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Chinese Kuomintang party. As a result, predicting a economic and political crisis for Japan during the 76th and 77th years of Podeok(1935~1936), they started to plan for sweeping demonstrations at that time.
   Members of the My Mind Party united with devotees of church throughout the country, placing special emphasis on carrying out their duties in absolute secrecy, sharing the burden of donating funds towards the effort, and living in strict accordance with one's faith.
   However, in the eighth month of the 75th year of Podeok, under circumstances not clearly understood, Japanese police stumbled upon a discovery in Anju. Subsequently, after conducting a secret investigation, they began to make sweeping arrests beginning from the nineteenth day of the ninth month. Within three days they had taken 230 people into custody. Later, in consideration of international opinion, Japan released all but 71, whom they kept for further questioning. However, after conducting a three-month long investigation, on the twentieth day of the twelfth month, Japan, still sensitive to negative international opinion regarding Korean independence, they took the special measure of releasing the remaining seventy-one on their own recognizance.
   As a Chondogyo secret society, the My Mind Party managed to maintain strong unity over a period of eleven years. It is regarded therefore, as having made a major contribution to the youth groups and their various activities during that period and by guiding them in flawless, unassailable unity. Although discovered before realizing its plans for an independence movement, the My Mind Party is highly regarded for having carried forward the spirit of the Gabo Donghak Revolution and the Samil Movement and for its spirited resistance to Japan, strength of organization, and exacting preparedness.

The Prayer for the Destruction of Japan

   In the 1930's, having overrun Manchuria and developing plans to invade China, Japanese colonial policies towards the people of Korea became much more severe. At this time, Chondogyo, which had led the Samil Movement, carried out the Muin Prayer for the Destruction of Japan Movement, with the two objectives of praying for Japan's defeat and Korea's independence, and to collect funds for independence activities.
On the fourteenth day of the eighth month in the 77th year of Podeok(1936), the fourth supreme leader of the Cheon-dogyo, Venerable Teacher Chunam, in consistent faithfulness, assembled the main leaders of the church and ordered them to carry out a demonstration prayer for the destruction of Japan, national independence and the restoration of a national consciousness.
   Telling the assembled leaders that the destruction of Japan was nigh, he cited a teaching from the canonical writings whose contents are as follows: "With infinite serenity I will, in the space of one night, destroy the invading Japanese dogs and exact revenge on them by the sweat of my brow? Venerable Teacher Chunam then gave the secret order to sincerely pray in this way for one day and night.
   Thereupon, throughout the country prayers were secretly given for the destruction of Japan, while at the same time special donations for an independence movement emergency fund were collected. It was thought that, after war between China and Japan had erupted, an opportunity existed to reclaim national sovereignty, and funds for such a purpose were secretly collected in advance by dividing collection efforts into four districts throughout the country.
   On the seventeenth day of the second month in the 79th year of Podeok(1938), in the sexagenary cycle year of Muin, facts behind this movement were exposed in a Sincheon police station in Hwanghae Province, whereupon there ensued a wave of arrests of religious workers throughout the country. As a result, many hundreds of religious cadre were arrested and imprisoned, beginning with Hong Sun-eui and elder Choe Jun-mo.
   Revered Teacher Chunam, ill and advanced in years, suffered interrogation while sick in bed, while many religious workers were severely tortured in prison. Four who died soon after release from prison, where they had been brutally tortured, were Gim Jae-kye of Jangheung, Son Pil-kyu of Nonsan, Yi Gang-u of Haenam, and Gim Jeong-sam of Sincheon. In addition, many more suffered from chronic illnesses that were an unhappy legacy of their having been terribly maltreated in prison.
   Japanese police reported that hundreds of religious workers in their custody several times wrote down the prayer for Japan? destruction, and more than a hundred times throughout the day and night they would, in loud voices, recite the prayer in unison. They recall that, as the sound of praying voices spread inside the station, police would express surprise, and their complexion would change. This was an indication of their spiritual defeat.
   Japanese newspapers reported on these events with headlines reading "Underground Activity on all Sides? "Secret Plans for Subversion? "Visions of Korean Independence? "Chondogy's Grand Plot? and "Special Voluntary Fund Raising?
   However, judging that fueling this incident with further arrests and imprisonment would negatively affect their prosecution of the war in China, Japan released most of the religious workers, retaining only the five leaders Choe Mun-ho, Gim Jae-gye, Han Sun-heui, Gim Gyeong-ham, and Hong Sun-eui, who in turn were released after seventy days. Although the Japanese police considered the nature and gravity of this plot to be potentially greater than the Samil Movement, their resolution of the matter by releasing all those arrested and imprisoned was a sophisticated stratagem employed to minimize any influence or detrimental shock it might cause during a time of war.
   The Muin Prayer for the Destruction of Japan Movement is not widely known, remaining hidden in the folds of history. However, its import and significance was indeed great. In the history of the struggle for national independence, this movement demonstrated an indomitable resolve that helped revive a nation? soul during the painful time when Koreans?very identity was threatened with annihilation.

The New Culture Movement

   Following the Samil Independence Movement, in order to cultivate the national consciousness through a greater awareness of, and advocacy for, a new national civilization and culture, Chondogyo carried out on nation-wide scale the New Culture Movement. Effected mainly after the Samil Independence Movement, it was a multi-faceted cultural movement involving people from all walks of society. It included a youth movement, publishing movement, farmer's movement, children'smovement, and women's movement.
Details of these various movements follow.

1) The Youth Movement

   For some time after the Samil Independence Movement, with the majority of religious workers arrested or in prison, Chondogyo experienced an unavoidable void that made it hard to continue its activist agenda. At this time, young Chondogyo members continued in the spirit of those who had been martyred and searched for new courses of action.
   This resulted, on the second day of the ninth month in the 60th year of Podeok (1919), in the inauguration of the Cheon-dogyo Youth Indoctrination Division (蘢堀敁鐔珒敁逤侄歶搎), which church youth members had organized with the objective of disseminating results of their findings on creating a new national culture, new enlightened thinking, and religious doctrine.
   This youth organization expanded to include chapters in every part of the country, and in the fourth month of the following year its name was changed to the Chondogyo Youth Society(蘢堀敁鐔珒𨗴). An editorial bureau was set up under the name "Creation Office?(Gaebyeoksa, 刳隀碇). As a result, for the first time in the nation's history a comprehensive general magazine called "Creation?(Gaebyeok, 刳隀) entered monthly publication. They also carried on lecture tours, and their athletics bureau was active in organizing a baseball league and in introducing a new gymnastics. In the 63d year of Podeok the juvenile bureau organized the Chondogyo Children's Society for young people's activities.
   Later, in the ninth month of the 64th year of Podeok, the Chondogyo Youth Society was dissolved to make way for the new founding of the Chondogyo Youth Party(蘢堀敁鐔珒衾). The Chondogyo Youth Party expanded rapidly so that, by the 66th year of Podeok(1925) 30,000 party members were distributed throughout 120 regional chapters. The party divided its activities into seven categories: the farmer's movement, the labor movement, the young people's movement, the women's movement, the student movement, the youth movement, and the common people's movement. They stood at the forefront of enlightenment efforts, demonstrating a dazzling array of activity in every category, and deciding that, on an annual basis, the first day of the twelfth month would be observed as Podeok day.
   Furthermore, from the fifth month of the 67th year of Podeok(1926) they established the "Self-Taught New Person?(蜪嬣忺簏鱹) system, and in the twelfth month of the 68th year of Podeok they oversaw the setting up the Korea Love of Form Research Center(蟭雸擼𡘾篎牳廑).
   Later, on the sixteenth day of the second month in the 72nd year of Podeok (1931), the youth party united with the Chondogyo Youth Alliance(蘢堀敁鐔珒婞崶) that had been active in other areas, together renaming themselves the Chondogyo Pure Friends Party(蘢堀敁鐔橏衾), whereupon they became even more active. In the 73d year of Podeok they established a group study system. In the following year this was developed further with the opening of Korea's first college-level correspondence school, the "Self-Training College?簏摷豇鱹). In the 75th year of Podeok they continued in their efforts at enlightened education by issuing the bulletin "Group Sounds?Dangseong, 衾屣).
   During all of this, in the 75th year of Podeok(1934), the secret anti-Japan society, the My Mind Party, was created out of this youth party. While planning national independence demonstrations they were discovered by the Japanese police, and 170 of their members were arrested and imprisoned. Later, in the 78th year of Podeok(1937), along with the increased environment of suppression accompanying Japan's invasion of China, the Pure Friends Party was forced underground.

2) The Publishing Movement

   After the Samil Independence Movement, Chondogyo, beginning with the publication of the monthly journal 's reation?Gaebyeok, 刳隀), placed great importance on publishing as it concerned the cultural movement, and became Korea's undisputed leader in the Publishing Culture Movement. "Creation?first entered publication in the sixth month of the 61st year of Podeok(1920), producing 72 issues before its forced to closure by the Japanese in the eighth month of the 67th year of Podeok. "Creation?has claim to being Korea's first general interest magazine representing contemporary culture and ideas of the 1920's. As its name suggests, the motive for the publication of "Creation?was to express Chondogyo thought on creation and, while giving concrete expression to its religious doctrine, concentrate on the education of the general public, keeping its religious coloration below the surface.
   Furthermore, as it was aimed at the general public, "Creation?was regarded as a publication for the people and by the people. However, because it was also a publication of anti-Japanese nationalist resistance it had to endure innumerable troubles. As a result, 34 issues, beginning with extra editions, were confiscated and their sale prohibited. Added to this were repeated fines, suspensions of publication, and censorship. In the first four years of publication alone, of the 434,000 copies printed no less than 112,000(25%) were confiscated and withdrawn from circulation.
   "Creation?was a cultivated general interest magazine, but it also maintained a strong literary focus and contributed greatly to the development of contemporary literature.
   Following the forced closure of "Creation?in the 67th year of Podeok(1926), Chondogyo continued to turn out numerous periodicals and occasional publications listed as follows: "Unique Heaven and Earth?Byeolgeongon, 頇呠俅), Podeok 67-75, 103 editions; "Fise Star?Hyeseong, 媫僤), Podeok 72, 13 editions, ?rontline?Jeilseon, 藋擩鉌), Podeok 73, 11 editions, "Student?Haksaeng, 鱹蛺), Podeok 70, 12 editions, "The People? Voice?Chungseong, 儴屣), Podeok 64, 18 editions, and "New Friend?Saebeot, 億慇), Podeok 70, 49 editions. Chondogyo also targeted publications for a specific readership, such as "Children's Magazine?Eoriniji, 橫萼檜), "Farmer's Magazine?Nongminji, 砵硠羆), and "Women's Magazine? (Yeoseongji, 澇僛羆).

3) The Farmer's Movement

   The Chondogyo Farmer's Movement generally began with the establishment, on the 29th day of the tenth month in the 66th year of Podeok(1925), the Korean Farmer's Company (Joseonnongminsa, 蟭雸砵硠碇). The Korea Farme's Company began with the name "Friends?Commune?Sauje, 碇橏薴) but on the fourteenth day of the second month in the 69th year of Podeok, it was reorganized, with regional and local branches reporting to a central office. The number of such farmer's cooperatives grew from 23 to 150 between its beginnings in Podeok 69 to Podeok 74(1933), with the number of staff reaching 200,000. The Korea Farmer'sCompany introduced Korea to its first magazine devoted to farming issues, beginning with the monthlies'sorean Farmer?Joseonnong-min, 蟭雸砵硠), Podeok 66-71, 30 editions, and "Farmer?Nongmin, 砵硠), Podeok 71-74, 42 editions. It also emphasized the introduction of modern farming methods with pocket-sized booklets entitled "The People's Reader?Daejungdokbon, 豇儴埡塓), "The People's Arithmetic?Daejungsansul, 豇儴蓱禋), "A How To On Fertilizer? and "A How To on Sericulture?
   Such specialized targeting of farmer's issues represents a pioneering effort in the role of farmer's education during what was, at the time, a cultural wasteland of ideas and initiative. Chondogyo worked to awaken the heretofore socially neglected farmers to the importance of strengthening the economic base of the farming sector and of elevating their social position. It also sought to inculcate in farmers a sense of self-sufficiency, industry, and cooperation, and further, to awaken within them their consciousness of nation, by introducing them to scientific agricultural methods, emphasizing the importance of maintaining rational life styles by discarding pre-modern, unscientific attitudes. By teaching the Korean writing system(フ旋) Chondogyo also made a great contribution to the eradication of farmer illiteracy.
   Other activities in which Chondogyo stood at the forefront in working to defend and improve farmers?interests were the giving of public lectures and the starting up and running of over 3000 "Farmer? Night Study?Nongminyahak) schools.
   In the 72nd year of Podeok(1931) it opened the separate "Farmer's Cooperative?砵硠侺蛺謪╪), and by the 74th year of Podeok the number of regional farmer's cooperatives had grown to 180, with a total membership of over 50,000, and boasting total cash assets of 300,000 Weon. Meriting special mention is the establishment by the Pyeongyang branch of the Farmer's Cooperative in the 72nd year of Podeok of the Farmer's Rubber Factory capable of daily producing 15001 pairs of rubber shoes(堅鼠褐) specifically designed for farm use. By further introducing collective tilling and harvesting and other methods of community labor, the farmer's cooperative proved very helpful in initiating Korea's democratic cooperative farmer's movement.

4) The Children's Movement

   The Chondogyo Children's Movement was born on the first day of the fifth month in the 62nd year of Podeok (1921) at a Chondogyo Youth Society meeting, where it was decided that a Chondogyo Children's Society would be established, to be organized around lecture tours offered nation-wide. The initiators of the Children's Movement, Gim Gi-jeon, and Bang Jeong-hwan, wanted to remain consistent with the Chondogyo principle of "Human beings are God?(Innaecheon, 嬣珙蘢), stating that the purpose of this children's organization was to cultivate and nurture a child's feelings and sentiments?and to promote the ethical treatment and overall betterment of young people.?
   The following year, on the first day of the fifth month in the 62nd year of Podeok-the first anniversary of the Chondogyo Children's Society's founding-came the historic declaration of"Children's Day?Eorininal), which was widely observed throughout the country. The "Children's Day?that our country observes each year has its origins in this Chondogyo Children's Movement. Later, on the seventeenth day of the fourth month in the 64th Year of Podeok(1923), so that it might grow into a movement involving the whole of Korean society, the Chondogyo Children'sSociety joined with children's groups organized by other religions to form the Korean Children? Movement Federation(蟭雸幓珒糌╪𨗴), with the federation's office set up within the walls of the Chondogyo church. In addition to declaring the first day of the fifth month "Children's Day? it announced what may be called the world's first children charter? namely ?asic Articles and Provisions of the Childre's Movement?
   The monthly publication of the magazine "Child?(橫萼檜) formed part of this children's movement, beginning with the printing of its first issue on the twentieth day of the third month in the 64th year of Podeok(1923). In all, 122 monthly editions were printed until its forced closing in the seventh month of the 75th year of Podeok(1934). After liberation,"Child?re-entered circulation to produce another 137 editions before finally shutting down.
   Based on the Chondogyo principle "Human beings are God? this monthly "Child?magazine contributed greatly to the children's movement and to the development of a children's literature in harmony with its goals, by affirming humankind's basic dignity, equality, and liberty, by recognizing that children were the future heroes of the nation, and by working to eliminate common unhealthy and anti-social behavior in children.

5) The Women's Movement

   Based on the principle 'I serve God within me?Sicheonju, 蒮蘢颸), the Chondogyo tenet "Human beings are God?Innaecheon, 嬣珙蘢) connotes the belief in the equality of all people regardless of class, gender, or age. To that extent one can naturally conclude that the women's movement for equality with men began with Chondogyo. Especially significant is the sermon by Master Haeweol entitled "Essay for Women?Naesudomun, 珖摷堀湞), for it reflects the importance with which women's position in society was held in Chondogyo thought.
   Chondogyo continued forward Master Haeweol's teaching by forming, in the 65th year of Podeok(1924), the Chondogyo Women's Cultivation Association(蘢堀敁珖摷茈), which engaged in sweeping and substantial women's activities. The association was organized to help women participate more actively in society. In later days the name of this Chondogyo women'sgroup has changed several times, from Women's Sincerity Association(珖嶀衾), to Wives Society(嫆嬣𨗴), to Women'sSociety(澇僛𨗴). During the so-called Dark Period of our nation this organization stressed the importance of women and of the need for their active participation in society. Today this organization can boast a history of more than eighty years.
   This Chondogyo organization, with its nation-wide regional branches, was active mainly in improving the daily lives of women, and of achieving the image of the "new woman?蜪澇僛). It has also played a leading role in Korea's women's movement by publishing the women's monthly magazines "Wife?嫆嬣), and ?ew Woman?蜪澇僛). The magazine "Wife?began publication just before the forming of the "women's Cultivation Association? in the sixth month of the 63d year of Podeok(1922), by a branch of the Chondogyo Youth Society entrusted with issues of the women's movement. The magazine continued on in this fashion, publishing a total of 16 editions until the ninth month of the 64th year of Podeok, when its name was changed to "New Woman? From that time until the eighth month of the 75th year of Podeok(1934) 38 more editions of the magazine were published (including the period from Podeok 67-Podeok 71, when it was published as "Unique Heaven and Earth?頇呠俅). The magazines "Wife?and "New Woman?devoted their attention to 1. reform and improvement of daily life, 2. making the home an idyllic place, 3. inculcating virtuous and refined behavior, 4. the education and cultivation of son's and daughters 5. elevating and refining women's interests, and so on. In so doing they played an important pioneering role in lifting Korean women out of their relatively backward position, extending women's rights, and heightening women's consciousness.

6) The New Education Movement

   Conservative nationalism persisted in the traditional pursuit of learning that emphasized study of the Chinese Classics. It narrow-mindedly and mistakenly scorned as mere imitation of the West the "new education?and its receptiveness of more advanced civilization. By contrast, Chondogyo's progressive nationalism places it head and shoulders above all others in its enthusiasm for the New Education Movement.
   During the time of his exile in Japan, Revered Teacher Euiam, the third supreme leader of Chondogyo, arranged for 64 talented young people in Korea to study abroad there. To get an idea of the zeal with which Chondogyo regarded this type of education one only needs to look at the editorial comments that appeared in the February 14, 1906(10th year of Kwangmu-Kojong's tenth year on the throne) issue of the "Capital Gazette?Hwangseongsinmun), which gave thanks to Son Byeong-heui(Revered Teacher Euiam's name at birth) for his devoted efforts in(new) education("sasonbyeongheuissi yeoleuigyoyuk?.
   Beginning with Boseong Technical School and Dongdeok School for Girls, and on to Yangyeong School and Seondeok School for Girls in Yongsan, Pochang School and Samhoboseong Primary School in Mapo, Munchang Normal School in Cheongpadong, Jonghak School in Cheongju, the Bongyang Education Center in Andong, Bomyeong School in Seoncheon, Changdong School in Jeonju, Gyonam School and Myeongsin School for Girls in Daegu, Chondogyo contributed to the operation of a total of 31 schools. What is more, Chondogyo greatly contributed to the people's, that is to say, the nation's education by offering literacy courses and other programs in its night learning centers throughout the country.
   In this way Chondogyo's New Education Movement for national education was important in raising the nation out of the depths of the "Dark Period?and awakening it to the new world in which it found itself. The brief discussion of the significance and special character of the Chondogyo New Culture Movement offered in the preceding pages can be summarized as follows:
   First, the movement attempted to dissolve and discard the antiquated and obsolete culture of the past and make way for the creation of a new national culture, to relinquish old habits, old systems, and old ways of thinking, and to reform and renew its culture by establishing new values and new expectations for humanity.
   Second, under the principle of "Human beings are God?(Innaecheon), the movement stood to the fore in seeking to create a humanity-centered new culture that could throw off mundane and spiritless materialism and restore humankind's innate individual liberty. Thus it rejected pre-modern "feudal?thinking, and took the position that both capitalism, with its worship of money, and socialist materialism, were inequitable and unjust systems. Third, based on the principle of "supporting the nation and comforting the people?Bogukanmin, 嗝玿颭硠), it naturally assumed a nationalist stance, and while thoroughly embracing those parts of Korea's traditional culture that preserved its national identity it also revealed its position of progressively accepting the civilization of the West.
   Fourth, it showed its special character in carrying forward the People's Cultural Movement that kept the people as its focus and foundation.