Donghak Peasant Revolution The Donghak Peasant Revolution ( Hangul : 동학 농민 운동 , " Donghak Nongmin Undong " , Hanja : 東學 農民 運動 ) , also known as the Donghak Peasant Movement , Donghak Rebellion , Peasant Revolt of 1894 , Gabo Peasant Revolution , and a variety of other names , was an armed rebellion led by aggravated peasants and followers of the Donghak religion , a panentheistic religion viewed by many rebels as a political ideology . In 1894 , the magistrate of Gobu , Jo Byeonggap , had created various bogus laws and forced the peasants to build reservoirs and settle in unowned lands in order to get rich from taxes and fines . In March , angered peasants allied under Jeon Bongjun and Kim Gaenam , beginning the Gobu Revolt . However , the Gobu revolt was suppressed by Yi Yongtae , and Jeon Bongjun fled to Taein . In April , Jeon gathered an army in Mount Baek and recaptured Gobu . The rebels then proceeded to defeat governmental forces in Hwangto Pass and the Hwangryong River . Jeon then captured Jeonju Fortress and fought in a siege with Hong Gyehun ' s Joseon forces . In May , however , the rebels had signed a truce with the governmental forces , and built agencies called " Jibgangso " that handled affairs in rebel - controlled areas . This somewhat unsteady peace continued throughout the summer . The frightened government asked the Qing Dynasty for help , and it sent 2 , 700 soldiers to Korea . Japan , angered that the Qing government had not informed Japan as promised in the Treaty of Tientsin , started the Sino - Japanese War . Growing Japanese dominance in the Korean peninsula had caused anxiety for the rebels . From September to October , the Southern and Northern leaders negotiated over the plans for the future in Samrye . In October 12 , a coalition army of Northern and Southern Jeobs were formed , and the army , numbering 25 , 000 ~ 200 , 000 ( records differ ) , went on to attack Gongju . After a number of battles , the rebel army was decisively defeated in the Battle of Ugeumchi , and the rebels were again defeated in the Battle of Taein . Hostility continued deep into the spring of 1895 . The rebel leaders were captured in various locations in the Honam Region , and most were executed by a mass hanging in March . Background . 19th - century Korean society was extremely unstable , due to a high number of rebellions . The series of revolts began with the Gwanseo Peasant War and effectively ended with the Donghak Peasant Revolution . Gwanseo ( 관세 ) Peasant War . The first large revolt was the Gwanseo Peasant War ( 1811 - 1812 ) . The rebel leader Hong Gyeongnae prepared for the rebellion since 1801 . By September 1811 , Hong Gyeongnae had gathered an army in Chudo Island , gathering support from the rich landowners . The revolt began on December 18 , with the writing of the following message in Jeongju Fortress : I , the Great Leader of Western Pyongan , write this message with haste . Since old , the Gwanseo Region was the abode of Dangun ( Mythical founder of Korea ) , and Gwanseo was the key to the two wars ( Japanese . Manchu invasions of Korea ) . Is it not injust , how the government treats us ? There is a young king ( King Sunjo ) , and corrupt officials are everywhere around him . As Kim Josun and Park Jonggyeong rule the country as if it is theirs , the government is in chaos , and the people are poor . But thankfully , a man has emerged who shall save the world . Open your doors wide and meet our army . If any foolishly resist , we shall crush you with our 5 , 000 swords . . . Hong Gyeongnae captured most of the Gwanseo Region in ten days . However , his army was defeated in the Battle of Songnim , and by January 1812 was isolated in Jeongju Fortress . Governmental forces finally collapsed Jeongju by using eleven tons of explosives . All male rebels above the age of ten were executed . Imsul Peasant Revolt . Another large - scale revolt was the Imsul Peasant Revolts ( 1862 ) , in which 71 towns revolted simultaneously . The government often taxed for dead people or infants , although only those over fifteen were to be taxed . Moreover , most of the remainder were given to the landowner . The revolt began in February 10 , Jinju . The people of Jinju captured the magistrate Baek Nakshin , and burned at stake landowners Jeong Namseong , Seong Buin , and Choe Jinsa . Their sons were killed as well while attempting to save their fathers . The revolts soon spread to most of Southern Korea , and continued until January , 1863 . The people of Gwangju even rode to Seoul . The revolts were extremely severe in Jeolla Province , the later abode of the Donghak Revolution , in which 38 of 54 towns actively revolted . Donghak Founding . Other than the rebellions , various secret societies formed . They included the Salbangye , ' Association of the killers of the Yangban ( aristocrats ) ' , the Saljugye , ' Association of the killers of the ( slave ' s ) masters ' , the Salryakgye , ' Association of killers and robbers ' , the Geomgye , ' Sword association ' , the Judogye , ' Association of the drunk ' , the Yudan , ' League of Wanderers ' , and the Nokrimdang , ' Group of the Green Woods ' ( Nokrimdang were ' noble thieves ' , who stole from the rich and gave to the poor ) . It was in this turbulent age that the Donghak religion , the later Cheondoism , formed . Its founder , Choe Jeu , described the founding of the religion , which was later transcribed by Choe Sihyeong , the second Donghak leader : By 1860 , I heard rumours that the people of the West worship God , and not caring for wealth , conquers the world , building temples and spreading their faith . I was wondering whether I , too , could do such a thing . In an April day , my mind was unnerved and my body trembled . . . Suddenly a voice could be heard . I rose and asked who he was . " Do not fear nor be scared ! The people of the world call me Hanulnim . How do you not know me ? " Said Hanul . I asked the reason he had appeared to me . " . . . I made you in this world so that you could teach my holy words to the people . Do not be skeptical of my words ! " Hanulnim replied . " Do you seek to teach the people with Christianity ? " I asked again . " No . I have a magical talisman . . . use this talisman and save the people from disease , and use this book to teach the people to venerate me ! " Donghak was a mixture of various religions . Its core tenets and beliefs ( monotheism , sacred book , organized religion ) were derived from Christianity . Choe himself said that " the meanings [ between Christianity and Donghak ] are the same ; only the words are different " . The Donghak conversion rite , in which hundreds of people would gather in an open place and kneel before a cup of clean water , was somewhat influenced from the Christian baptism ritual . However , many direct influences were from shamanism and folk beliefs . Witnesses record that Choe Jeu participated in animistic rituals to mountain deities . His incantations and the Sword Dance were also derived from shamanism . Certain beliefs were unique to Donghak . Choe Jeu said that " All humans are Hanulnim " . Choe promoted human equality , and created certain ideologies such as the belief that the world was a cycle of 5 , 000 years ( " Jeoncheon " and " Hucheon " ) , and that this cycle was ending to make way for a new world . This made Donghak potentially dangerous to the Joseon Dynasty , which banned the religion and executed Choe in 1864 . Choe Jeu was executed in 1863 for ' Tricking and Lying to the Foolish People ' . Nevertheless , Donghak spread all across Gyeongsang Province by the 1870s , causing need for a better organization . Donghak was organized into ' Jeob ' and ' Po ' . A ' Jeobju ' administered a ' Jeob ' . For example , Jeon Bongjun , the leader of the revolution , was Jeobju of Gobu . Under a Jeobju was a ' Myeonjeobju ' . In large towns ( such as Taein or Jeonju ) were a ' Great Jeobju ' , as Kim Gaenam was the Great Jeobju of Taein . Various Jeobs were organized into a ' Po ' , and a ' Poju ' led a Po . The ' Gyoju ' , at the time Choe Sihyeong , led the whole Donghak religion . Yi Pilje ' s Revolt . In 1871 , Yi Pilje , Jeobju of Yeonghae , revolted using the Donghak infrastructure . The revolt failed , but proved that Donghak was a danger to the feudalistic Korean society . Yi Pilje ' s Revolt seriously undermined Donghak in Gyeongsang Province , causing Choe Sihyeong to spread the religion to the populous provinces of Chungcheong and Jeolla . Choe wandered around these two provinces , spreading Donghak . Son Hwajung was one of the first to convert in 1881 , and he converted Jeon Bongjun in 1891 . Son Byeongheui was converted in 1882 by Choe himself , as was Kim Gaenam in 1890 . As seen below , he claimed conversion in 1891 . Gyojo Shinwon Movement . By the 1890s , Donghak believers began a petition to overturn the 1863 Choe Jeu ' s execution charges . By this time , the religion was split into the ' Northern Jeob ' and the ' Southern Jeob ' . Seo Inju , leader of the Southern Jeob , asked Choe Sihyeong , the Gyoju , for a petition . Choe did not answer the request , presumably remembering the effects of Yi Pilje ' s Revolt on Donghak in Gyeongsang . Seo Inju and the Southern Jeob independently held a petition to free imprisoned Donghak believers and to restore the honor of Choe Jeu , which was not easily granted . In November 1892 , Jeon Bongjun led the Samrye Petition , petitioning for : In December , there was another petition in the market of Boeun . Many Southern Jeob believers thought they should march into Seoul and petition before the king , but Choe Sihyeong finally quelled the Boeun petition , instead penning a letter to King Gojong : We . . . are determined to follow this new doctrine ( Donghak ) only because we want people to reform themselves , to be loyal to their king , to show filial piety to their parents , to respect their teachers , and to show friendship to their fellow men . In response , King Gojong ordered the Northern messengers to " go to your homes . If you do , I may grant your plea " . Meanwhile , Seo Inju and the Southern Jeob were threatening Westerners and Japanese with bodily harm , saying " If you do not flee by March the seventh , we shall all kill you . You are causing injustice in a foreign land . " This was attached to American , French , and Japanese legations , Christian churches and schools , and districts with a large number of foreigners taking residence . Jeon Bongjun , meanwhile , led his followers into Boeun , which became the most violent and revolutionary petition in the Gyojo Shinwon Movement . His followers all wore blue clothes with red gloves . About 80 , 000 believers , with the flags " Expel Westerners and Japanese " , gathered in the market and built an earthen fortress . Revolutionary thoughts , such as " In other countries , the people hold councils and decide upon the government . This petition is like that . Why suppress it ? " formed . The petiton was also more extreme . The requests were : Northern Jeob leaders , such as Choe Sihyeong and Son Byeongheui , feared that the government would execute Donghak believers , and stopped the petition within three days . Jeon Bongjun returned to Gobu . Gobu Revolt . The rebellion ' s immediate cause was the conduct of Jo Byeonggap , the ruling official of Gobu . After his capture , Jeon gave a detailed account of Jo ' s misdeeds : Of these , the construction of Manseokbo reservoir caused the most fury . Yedeung Reservoir had caused the Baedeul fields to not suffer from starvation ever since Yedeung was built . However , the construction of the new reservoir blocked creeks in the region , causing widespread damage through flooding . Donghak believers and angered peasants began forming a rebel army . They used the Sabal Tongmun , in which names were written around a circular cone as to form a circle . The Sabal Tongmun made the leader of the writers unclear ( because it was impossible to know who had signed their name first ) . On January 10 , 1894 , a thousand rebels gathered in an abandoned horse ranch . Splitting into two armies , they destroyed three of the four gates of Gobu and occupied the government office . Jo fled Gobu to Jeonju ( he was exiled after the war ended , and returned from his exile to become a judge ) . For a week , the rebels destroyed prisons and freed innocent prisoners , armed themselves with weapons from the local armory , punished corrupt officials who had been captured , returned taxed and fined property to original owners , and destroyed Manseokbo Reservoir . However , the crisis ended when Jo was replaced by Park Wonmyeong , who convinced rebels to disband . The First Revolt . Jeon and Kim went south to Mujang , where they met Son Hwajung . The rebels properly organized in Mujang , and in March 20 , the 4 , 000 rebels of Mujang turned towards Mount Baek , Gobu . While camped in Mount Baek , the army grew to tens of thousands . Choe Deokyeong ' s 300 peasants joined them from the north . Here , the aphorism came : " When sitting , a white mountain ; when standing , a bamboo mountain " . ( rebels mostly wore white , and used bamboo spears . The term may have appeared earlier , however , as Mount Juk , meaning ' bamboo mountain ' , could only be seen when standing , as it was covered by smaller Mount Baek , ' white mountain ' . ) In March 22 , the rebels destroyed the reservoir and burned down governmental offices and storages . The rebels camped for four days in Gobu , and new rebels joined them every day . After making Jeon Bongjun as the leader and Kim Gaenam and Son Hwajung as generals , the rebels occupied Taein ( April 1 ) and Buan ( April 4 ) . The leaders also ordered the rebels to follow the four guidelines : The rebels also " did not seek alcohol and women and did not smoke tobacco " . They did not forcefully take food , but paid for them in money . The government sent Yi Gyeonghyo to quell the rebellion , and made an emergency army of 700 soldiers and 600 merchants . The 10 , 000 rebels lured governmental forces into Hwangto Pass . In the dawn of April the 7th , the governmental soldiers charged into the rebel camp , but found it empty . Soldiers were in chaos . Suddenly , the rebels , moving under the cover of fog , emerged from the mountains and attacked the governmental forces , killing a thousand soldiers . Most of the rebels were unharmed in the thus concluded Battle of Hwangtojae . By April 17 , however , Jeon turned south to Yeonggwang , where Hong Gyehun ' s governmental troops were waiting . Jeon attempted to lure the troops to Jangseong , and the general Yi Hakseung chased after them . Yi Hakseung attacked while the rebels were camped on the Hwangryong River , eating lunch . The rebel leader Yi Bangeon envisioned a new strategy . The rebels fled to the mountains , then ran downhill rolling thousands of " Jangtae " , or chicken cages . The Jangtae blocked most bullets , thus rendering the government ' s superior weapons useless . Moreover , Jeon placed the rebel army so that they would divide Yi Hakseung ' s troops into three separate divisions . Yi Hakseung ordered the troops to use their cannons , but they did not work because the pro - rebel villagers had put water inside the cannons ( following the incident , rumours spread throughout the government forces that a ghost had destroyed the cannons ) . More than 300 governmental forces but only two rebels died in the Battle of the Hwangryong River . After the Hwangryong , a royal messenger came to Jeon with bribes to quell the rebellion . Jeon killed the messenger , but took the needed money . Jeon then turned north and occupied Jeonju , the largest city in Jeolla province at the time . not choosing to take Naju to the south . Hong Gyehun quickly returned north , beginning the Siege of Jeonju Fortress . In May 1 , Hong Gyehun began to fire cannons into Jeonju , killing and burning civilians and civilian properties . In May 2 , however , King Taejo of Joseon ' s portrait was burned down by Hong ' s incessant bombing , ceasing the attack . In the morning of May 3 , Jeon led an attack on Hong ' s camp , but was defeated by superior firepower . The " Jangtae " only hindered the rebels in Jeonju ' s mountainous location . Jeon himself had a shrapnel lodged in his shoulder from this attack . Meanwhile , in April 29 , the administrator of Jeonju , Kim Munhyeon , had appeared in Gongju and told the government of the fall of Jeonju . In response , the government asked for foreign help . In May 3 , 1 , 500 Qing Dynasty forces appeared in Incheon . The same day , 6 , 000 Japanese forces also landed in Incheon . The Japanese inquired why Qing had not notified the Japanese government in accordance to the Convention of Tientsin , and soon caused the Sino - Japanese War . In May 7 , Kim Hakjin , the new administrator of Jeonju , ordered Hong to make peace with the rebels . The rebels , suffering from lack of food ( The Jeonju Bibimbap cuisine formed in the Siege of Jeonju ) , accepted . This came to be called the Jeonju Truce . Hong accepted twelve rebel requests : Following the truce , the rebels climbed out of the fortress using ladders , and Hong entered the empty fortress . Both sides celebrated their ' victory ' . Hong held a feast with his soldiers inside Jeonju Fortress , while the rebels sang the " Geomgyeol " , a Donghak religious hymn which begins : " Good times , good times , these are good times . These are the best times to come . What must be done if not to use the Thousand Dragons Blade . " Summer of 1894 . The summer of 1894 was marked by rebel rule over most of Southwest Korea . Jeon Bongjun established the Jeollajwaudo Daedoso ( " Great Capital of the Two Jeolla Province s " ) in Jeonju , and built " Jibgangso " in most towns . In Naju , Namwon , and Unbong , however , the rebels met fierce resistance from landowners . Jeon had not subdued these southern cities , as he went north after the Battle of the Hwangryong . Choe Gyeongseon attacked Naju with 3 , 000 rebels , and the landowners of Naju began to fortify Naju against rebel attacks . Jeon himself met the Naju landowners and convinced them to allow Jibgangso construction in Naju . However , Naju was still not under complete rebel control , and later became the center for rebel persecution . In Namwon , Kim Kaenam also battled landowners with 3 , 000 rebels , took the fortress , and hanged Kim Yongheon , the anti - rebel leader . Unbong surrendered at the sight of the rebels . Remaining Jibgangso include Daechang High School in Yecheon , Jinnam Office in Yeosu , Geumseong Office in Naju , Mujang Hall in Mujang ( preserved by Mujang magistrates as a historical relic ) , and Yeosan Office in Yeosan ( now a town hall ) . The Jeobju of the town and his assistant , the Jeobsa , administered a " Jibgangso " agency . Under the Jeobju were the Seogi , the Seongchal , the Jibsa , the Posa , and the Dongmong . For deciding on matters , there was a council , with the Jeobjang and Jeobsa at its head , who voted on town matters . Yi Yihwa sees this as rudimentary democracy . Among the Seogi , Seongchal , the Jibsa , and the Dongmong , the Seogi were scribes who kept records of the activities and decisions of the " Jibgangso " . They also reprinted orders and publications from the rebel leaders , and displayed them on marketplaces and gave them to the people . Most Seogi were progressive Yangban , as the scribes had to have literacy . Meanwhile , the Seongchal were town police , who administered the law and reported corrupt officials or Yangban to the Dongmong and Posa . Most Seongchal were killed in the Second Revolt . Dongmong were teenaged slave boys , who arrested , imprisoned , or even flogged those reported by the Seongchal . They also had a powerful hatred for Yangban , often castrating them and using Yangban women to light candles or pour water . Dongmong also led to a curious marriage practice called ' three - day marriage ' . Dongmong , searching for partners , hung white scarves on the door of a house of a Yangban who had an unmarried daughter . This meant that the daughter had to marry the Dongmong . To escape the forced marriage , fathers often found another suitable young men and made the daughter marry the man within three days in secret . By November , three - day marriage had become so prevalent that the only virgins left were girls under fourteen years of age . Meanwhile , the Posa were mostly tiger hunters who served effectively as soldiers , cooperating with the Seongchal and Dongmong to fight against Yangban resistance . The rebels referred to their cause as the " Dongdo " ( another name for ' Donghak ' ) and to their army as the " Dongdo Euibyeong " , the " Righteous army of Donghak " . Rebels called themselves ' Hajeob ' , after the lowest Donghak initiate , and called any other person , even children , ' Jeobjang ' , a rendering of Jeobju . The Second Revolt . While the Sino - Japanese War raged on , Japanese troops occupied Seoul and made a pro - Japanese government there . Before the Battle of Pyongyang , Jeon ' s strategy seems to have been that he would crush the fleeing Japanese from the south while the Chinese soldiers chased them from the north . However , his prediction proved wrong , with a major Chinese defeat in Pyongyang . Jeon decided that he should defeat the Japanese by taking control of Korea and severing Japanese supply lines . However , knew he would have to get the support of the Northern Jeob , who commanded all Donghak outside " Jibgangso " - controlled areas . Choe Sihyeong was staunchly anti - rebel , as he feared that a large - scale rebellion based on the Donghak religion would end with the destruction of Donghak . To escape persecution , the Northern Jeob had to fight against the largely Southern Jeob rebels . Here is an excerpt of his words : The government does not know the difference between medicine ( Northern ) and poison ( Southern ) . They will burn both the stones ( Southern ) and the jade ( Northern ) . . . Hence , we must prove our allegiance to the king by conquering the South . On September 14 , Northern and Southern leaders gathered in Samrye . It is said that Jeon rode a white horse in this meeting . The Northern flags said ' Conquer the South ' , while Southern ones said ' Conquer the Foreigners ' or ' Protect the Nation ' . After a month of negotiations , on October 12 , Choe Sihyeong finally cried out to the Northern Jeob : " Shall we die while seated ? " . The Northern leader Son Byeongheui led 10 , 000 - 100 , 000 Northern Jeob followers as the General of the Northern Jeob . Jeon also led 12 , 000 - 100 , 000 Southerners as the General of the Southern Jeob ( most recent estimates give a total army of about 50 , 000 ) However , Kim Kaenam was not present ; he was leading 5 , 000 rebels in an attack of Cheongju . Together , they marched north to Gongju , the capital of Chungcheong Province . As they marched , Jeon said : We shall not eat dog or chicken . The meat of a dog weakens and maddens us , and we are born from the power of Mount Gyeryong , the Rooster Dragon mountain . Eating chicken shall weaken that power . Although the army had started with 200 , 000 rebels , when they camped at Non Stream , 12 kilometers south of Gongju , the army was 220 , 000 ; peasants had joined them as they marched . There were also 50 Chinese soldiers , who had fled from the Sino - Japanese War . Inside the Fortress of Gongju were perhaps 3 , 000 governmental forces led by Gu Sangjo , Seong Hayeong , Jang Yongjin , and Yi Gidong , and some 400 Japanese soldiers led by Colonel Moriya . The Donghak army ' s strategy was to surround Gongju from Buyeo and Nonsan . In October 23 , a rebel battalion took Yiyin and Hyopyo , four kilometers south of Gongju . On October 24 and 25 , the Battle of Ung Pass , or Ungchi , occurred between rebels and a coalition army of Japanese soldiers , governmental forces , and anti - rebel guerrillas . Ungchi was a pass that led straight to Gongju , and a crucial location for the rebels . However , the rebels were not able to take Ungchi . Most were armed with only bows and arrows , spears , swords and seventeenth - century style muskets , which could not defeat the superior firepower of the coalition . The Northern Jeob experienced severe casualties in Ungchi , because they lacked proper training in war . The rebels retreated south to Nonsan . Jeon and Son decided that they would capture Gongju through a different pass ; Ugeum Pass , or Ugeumchi . On November 8 , two battalions lured governmental forces , so that the major rebel forces would not meet a large governmental army in Ugeumchi . In 3 : 00 in the afternoon , the rebels concentrated the governmental forces in Yiyin and Hyopyo , where 10 , 000 rebels were . The other 200 , 000 rebels were crossing Ugeumchi . However , they encountered a Japanese battalion of 280 soldiers . The Japanese gathered the Korean forces into Ugeumchi . After night passed , the two armies clashed in Ugeumchi in the dawn of November 9 . Jeon placed his army so that the rebels stretched sixteen kilometers , from Panchi to Mount Bonghwang . Jeon was at the center of this line , surrounded by flags and riding on his white horse . The government forces defended the sides ( Hyopyo , Ungchi , Mount Bonghwang ) , while the Japanese were stationed in Ugeumchi proper . In 10 : 00 in the morning , the rebels charged at Ugeumchi . Because of their weak weapons , they were unable to cross Ugeumchi . The Japanese used cannons and rifles , and had proper military training . Although small groups of rebels crossed the ' death line ' more than forty times , they were all shot down . After one charge at the Japanese , only 10 , 000 of the original 200 , 000 rebels were left . After the following charge , there were 3 , 000 rebels left . When the rebels finally retreated in November 10 , only 500 rebels out of an army of 200 , 000 remained . Meanwhile , in Hyopyo , the 10 , 000 rebels captured various peaks , but whenever the governmental forces seemed to break , they were instantly reinforced by the Japanese . By November 10 , both armies retreated to Nonsan . The Battle of Ugeumchi was over . The battle was expressed by a spectator of the battle : And we finally destroyed the thieving raiders . . . It was as if the stars themselves were falling from the sky , and the autumn leaves were being scattered on the lands . Jeon led the 500 remainder south into Taein , the rebel center . There , he gathered an army of 8 , 000 rebels . On November 25 , the Japanese caught up with the rebels , camped in Mount Gumi . Despite rebel strategic superiority , the Japanese firepower annihilated both the rebels and the city of Taein . A historian , Park Eunsik , recorded that there was " nothing left in Taein for 40 kilometers " . 40 civilian houses , along with perhaps 400 rebels , were killed . After the Battle of Taein , in November 28 , 1894 , Jeon formally dissolved the Donghak Army . The rebels cried : " We thought Jeon Nokdu ( Jeon ' s nickname ) would save us , but now we are all going to die " . Jeon answered : " War is a game of luck . Why is it that you blame me " . He then dressed up as a peasant and headed east . Battles outside the main front . Jeolla . Jeolla Province was the revolution ' s center , and were completely seized by the rebels . They formed the core of the Anti - Japanese Frontier , and often aided Gyeongsang and Chungcheong rebels . Kim Inbae of Gwangyang and Yi Bangeon of Jangheung formed the core of South Jeolla rebels . Namwon and Unbong . Namwon and Unbong were ruled by Kim Gaenam ' s rebels . However , Kim Gaenam had gone to attack Cheongju far to the north , and with his absence , the governmental soldiers attacked Namwon . In November 13 , the rebels were driven away from the outskirts of Namwon in a small battle . The 3 , 000 rebels fled to Namwon Fortress . Jo Byeongho , the governmental leader , led 2 , 000 soldiers armed with modern weapons to besiege Namwon . Although the fortress was bombed and shelled , the rebels did not come out . Finally , the governmental troops stacked hay around the east , west , and south walls , and burned the hay . The wooden doors burned along , and the rebels fled through the north door . Hundreds of rebels were killed in the Siege of Namwon . Jindo . In Jindo , the third largest island of Korea ( after Jeju and Geoje ) , Na Chihyeon of Naju converted the population to Donghak in January 1892 . After the fall of Jeonju Fortress , the Jindo magistrate Yi Heuiseung ( who , like Jo , built two monuments to himself ) fled . However , Confucian scholars maintained order in the island through an army called Suseonggun . In July , Son Haenggwon assaulted Susseonggun bases , taking matchlock rifles , swords , bullets , gunpowder , and tridents . At a similar time , Park Jungjin attacked the Suseonggun at Shimijang village . He was killed , and his daughter captured ; descendants destroyed the family tree and burned down the house . After arrivals of new officials , the Jindo rebels joined the Naju rebels . Most were captured and sent back to Jindo . In October 10 , 1 , 322 soldiers , composed mainly of slaves and lower officials , were sent to defend Jindo against possible rebel attacks . In December , rebels who had fought under Yi Bangeon hid into Jindo after the Battle of Seokdae Fields . However , the rebels had lost all military power , and were captured and imprisoned . In December 27 , Japanese soldiers executed fifty rebels . Cheondoism remained in Jindo until the 1950s . Gyeongsang . Gyeongsang Province had a strong Confucian influence , and the casualties of Yi Pilje ' s Revolt in 1871 were still fresh . It took until August for Gyeongsang rebels to begin revolting . Suppression of revolts were an organized effort , with " Toposa " officials specializing in anti - rebel campaigns . Jinju . The forces of the Southwest coasts of Korea were special in that the forces of Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces cooperated to attack Jinju Fortress . They are collectively termed under the name ' Jinju Rebels ' . In May 7 , Kim Inbae , the Great Jeobju of Geumgu , built a " Jibgangso " in Suncheon , Jeolla Province . In September 1 , Kim crossed the Gyeongsang - Jeolla boundary . His strategy was to charge through the southern coastline to Busan , and thus grasp the Japanese - Korean borderline . Meanwhile , Hadong and Jinju , which were Kim ' s target , were experiencing rebel activities . Hadong rebels were chased west by the government , joining Kim Inbae . With the guidance of the Hadong rebels , Kim Inbae captured Hadong in September 7 . In Jinju , the leadership recruited rebels by sending out public documents in major markets . In September 8 , 1894 , 7 , 000 rebels gathered in Sugok Market and established the Chungyeong Daedoso , a center of rebel activities . By September 17 , a joint army of Suncheon and Jinju rebels had captured Jinju fortress . The rebels held flags signaling their own Po and Jeob , and spread manifestos titled " To the People of the Towns of Gyeongsang " throughout nearby villages . The manifesto said the following . In response to the fall of Jinju Fortress , the government sent Ji Seokyeong as " Toposa " of Jinju , a government official who specialized in the suppression of Donghak revolutions . In October 10 , 400 rebels gathered in Mount Geumo , a few kilometers west of Jinju , where they were ambushed by Japanese forces . Although the rebels lost more than seventy men in the consequent Battle of Mount Geumo , the rebels still held Jinju Fortress . In October 14 , 5 , 000 rebels defended Mount Goseong Fortress against the Japanese . The rebels , using the fortress , fought fiercely against Colonel Suzuki ' s Japanese battalion , but were ultimately defeated by Japanese firepower . 187 rebels were killed , causing Mount Goseong to be called Mount Gosireong , after the sound that a decomposing corpse makes when it rains . The remnants of the rebels fled to Mount Jiri , where they became the Righteous Army . Chungcheong . Chungcheong rebels were under the command of Son Byeongheui , who led the Northern Jeob into battle at Ugeumchi . After defeat at Ugeumchi , Son continued the rebellion until the Battle of Jonggok , December 18 . Chungcheong was the location of the December battles . Cheongju . In October 9 , before the Council of Samrye had reached its conclusion , there was a minor skirmish in Daejeon , at the time a small village called Hanbat , between rebels and governmental forces . This came to be called the Daejeon Massacre . 78 governmental soldiers were given alcohol by rebels , then killed while drunk . Meanwhile , the city of Cheongju was the Donghak division commanded by the Great Jeobju , Son Cheonmin . Kim Gaenam and Son Cheonmin cooperated to attack Cheongju in the Battle of Cheongju , December 9 , 1894 . Because Kim did not fight at Ugeumchi , his army of 25 , 000 was still strong . When Jeon and Son gathered the rebel forces in Samrye , Kim did not cooperate . He began his own attack only after the Battle of Ugeumchi , and by December 9 reached Cheongju Fortress . Kim ' s opponent was Kuwabara Eiziro and his Japanese battalion , along with governmental troops with little morale . Kim ' s 15 , 000 men attacked from south , while Son Cheonmin ' s 10 , 000 men attacked from the north . The defenders of Cheongju lacked morale due to the Daejeon Massacre , and Kim nearly broke through the south door . Eiziro suddenly assaulted the rebels , and Kim retreated to Muneui . 200 rebels were killed in the Battle of Cheongju . The rebels also lost large amounts of weaponry , including many rebel banners , thousands of bows and arrows , 140 rifles , 2 , 000 flintlock muskets , 150 kilograms of gunpowder , 2 cannons , and 50 horses . After the Battle of Cheongju , Kim went south to Muneui , but were defeated once more . He went in hiding , just as Jeon Bongjun did . Northern Chungcheong . Although Choe Sihyeong had banned rebel activities among the Northern Jeob during the spring of 1894 , many Chungcheong rebels were Northern Jeob . By March 22 , rebels of Hoenggang , Yeongdeung , Cheongsan , Boeun , Okcheon , Jinjam , Muneui , Goesan , and Yeongpung were already giving the wealth of the rich to the poor , and beat and castrated corrupt Yangban . However , the Chungju rebels temporarily stopped activities due to the beginning of the Sino - Japanese War . The Battle of Pungdo and the Battle of Seonghwan were both fought in Chungcheong Province , and the war sparked anti - Japanese sentiment among the former rebels . In July , 1 , 000 rebels wandered through various towns , building earthen fortresses in preparation for a Japanese invasion of Chungcheong . The rebels took weaponry from the governmental storages and trained themselves . In August , there was a small battle between the Northern and the Southern Jeob . In October 12 , Choe Sihyeong ordered the Northern Jeob to revolt . The rebels of Northern Chungcheong organized under the Jeob and Po , and began active revolts . There were more than a hundred battles that took place in Northern Chungcheong in this period . The Gwandong Po won against a Japanese battalion in the Battle of Goesan under the leadership of Sim Songhak . The rebels then reached Boeun , thus severing all direct roads between Seoul and Jeolla . The revolt flared even greater when Son Byeongheui joined the Northern Chungcheong rebels . Survivors among the Battle of Taein joined the rebels as well . In December 18 , 2 , 600 rebel forces gathered in Jonggok . The rebels included the great Northern leader Son Byeonghui , whose family lived near Jonggok , and the patriarch of Donghak , Choe Sihyeong . Japanese sources report that the rebels were cooking meals when the Japanese attacked them . Because of the surprise attack , the rebels were not able to put up a suitable defense , leading to 2 , 500 rebels out of 2 , 600 being killed . ( Some scholars prefer the term Jonggok Massacre . ) Both Choe and Son survived , but fled towards the south . Minor skirmishes continued in this region until December 28 . Battle of Mount Seseong . The rebels of Cheonan , Hongseong , and northwestern Chungcheong were defeated in the Battle of Mount Seseong . This battle was also the key to Jeon Bongjun ' s plan to capture Seoul . In August , 1 , 500 rebels revolted in Cheonan , and took governmental weapons . After organizing their army in Mount Soto , the rebels camped in Mount Seseong with their newfound weaponry . Mount Seseong was more of a low hill , 22 meters high , defended by a low wall , which was in use since the Proto - Three Kingdoms Age . The rebel leaders were Kim Yongheui , Kim Hwaseong , Kim Seongji , Kim Bokyong , Kim Yeongu , and Won Keumok . In November 18 , two Japanese platoons were located in the northern slopes , another platoon to the northeast , and another to the southeast . In dawn , the southeast platoon ambushed the rebels , who resisted for two hours , aided by their superior knowledge of the terrain . However , they were forced to retreat to the west , where they were ambushed again by the two northern platoons . 370 rebels were killed , 770 were wounded , and 17 were captured . The rebels also lost 140 guns , 2 trumpets , 228 spears , 26 , 500 Chinese bullets , 30 flags , 226 sacks of rice , and 13 sacks of barley . Kim Bokyong was captured and executed on the spot , and the other leaders were executed in November 24 and 27 . The hill was known as Mount Siseong , meaning ' Mountain washed with blood ' . Gyeonggi . Because Gyeonggi was very close to Seoul , rebel activities in Gyeonggi were few . The largest Gyeonggi rebel groups , numbering 1 , 000 rebels , were in Yicheon , Yeoju , Anseong , and other parts of Southeastern Gyeonggi . The Gyeonggi rebels retreated south to Chungcheong , joining the rebels of Northern Chungcheong . Most were killed in the Battle of Jonggok ( see above ) . Gangwon . Gangwon rebels can be divided into two groups : the rebels of Gangneung and the rebels of Hoengseong and Wonju . Rebels from Northern Chungcheong or Gyeonggi occasionally crossed into Wonju . Gangwon rebels were especially marked by guerrilla warfare . Gangneung and Pyeongchang . In these regions , rebels would occupy Gangneung , then flee to mountainous locations such as Pyeongchang , then return to Gangneung . In September , more than 1 , 000 rebels attacked Gangneung , which lacked defenses . The rebels gave one sack of rice to each peasant by taking the wealth of the rich , and built strongholds in most marketplaces . The rebels formed their own court , lowered taxes , and punished corrupt Yangban and rich Sangmin . In September 7 , an anti - rebel battalion led by Yi Hoewon assaulted the sleeping rebels in the rainy dawn . 20 rebels were killed , and Yi ' s forces took 7 guns , 157 spears , and 2 horses . The rebels passed the Daegwanryeong Pass into Pyeongchang . By late September , the rebels had reorganized and recaptured Gangneung . they also occupied Pyeongchang , Yeongweol , and Jeongseon . In response , the Japanese army sent Captain Ishimori against the Gangneung rebels in November 3 . In November 5 , 10 , 000 rebels had a two - hour - long battle against Ishimori ' s troops , but were ultimately defeated . The rebels fled to Jeongseon . In November 6 , the governmental troops killed 10 rebels in Jeongseon and burned down 70 houses . The rebels again fled to Pyeongchang . Ishimori fought against 3 , 000 rebels in Pyeongchang in December 1 , 1894 . The rebels scattered after an hour of battle . 70 rebels were instantly killed , 30 died from their wounds , and 10 prisoners were killed for attempted rebellion . The Gangneung rebels ceased to exist after this battle . Hoengseong , Wonju , and Hongcheon . Rebels of these regions were mostly guerrillas in a mountainous terrain . The rebel leader was the legendary Cha Giseok , the Great Jeobju of the Gwandong Region . He led 1 , 000 rebels , who punished corrupt Yangban and collected taxes from merchants . It is said that Cha killed hundreds of Yangban . In October 13 , Cha attacked Dongchang , where the taxes collected in Gangwon were brought to Seoul by boat . He burned down Dongchang and gave the taxes to the peasants . The magistrate of Hongcheon reports that after the destruction of Dongchang , more and more people joined Cha ' s army . The government asked Maeng Yeongjae , a Confucian scholar , to conquer Cha ' s ' crowd of roving thieves ' . Maeng , who was suppressing the rebels of Yicheon at the time , gladly obliged . In October 21 , Maeng and Cha battled in the Jangya Fields , in which more than 30 rebels were killed . The rebels fled to Seoseok , into a pass called ' Seonang Pass ' . It was so named because there was an altar to the deity Seonangshin in the pass . In October 22 , 2 , 000 rebels were killed in the consequent Battle of Jajak Pass , the largest battle in Gangwon Province before the Korean War . The rebels lacked guns , and they used birch branches as weapons . They also lacked pots , and cooked rice over cattle hide . Because of the narrowness of the pass , the rebels were crowded , and it was easy for Maeng ' s troops to fire into the camp and kill rebels . Maeng himself reports that " it was impossible to see how many died " , but descendants have given an estimate of 1 , 800 ~ 2 , 000 . Descendants also report that the battle continued for three or four days . The Seonang Pass was renamed Jajak Pass , because the blood made a ' Jajak ' sound as it rolled down the pass . In October 26 , the survivors , including Cha , regathered . In November 11 , they began the Battle of Mount Odae , in which Maeng ' s soldiers surrounded Mount Odae and began to climb it and defeat the rebels inside . 100 rebels were killed , and 40 houses were burned . Cha was captured in November 14 , and beheaded for treason in Chuncheon . Hwanghae . In 1893 , the Joseon Dynasty banned gold mining in Hwanghae Province . Although Hwanghae leaders , such as Kim Gu the ' Baby Jeobju ' ( Kim Gu was eighteen at the time , compared to the 40 - year - old Jeon Bongjun or the 32 - year old Son Byeongheui ) , were believers in Donghak , most of the rebels were gold miners . Lieutenant Suzuku classified Hwanghae rebels in three ways : Haeju . Haeju was one of the two provincial capitals to fall to the rebels ( the other being Jeonju ) . The defeat of the Haeju rebels are documented in Lieutenant Suzuku ' s " Conquest of the Donghak of Hwaghae " . By November 27 , the rebels had captured most of the Hwanghae cost , including Haeju , without a major battle . However , in the dawn of November 27 , 400 rebels camped on Pyeongsan were assaulted by governmental forces , and fled south to Nucheon . Knowing that the Japanese and the government troops were chasing them , they hurriedly fled Nucheon as well . Suzuku captured many Donghak food supplies in Nucheon , including " hundreds of sacks of millet " . In November 29 , Suzuku captured the town of Gajichon . However , there were no men in Gajichon . When the women of Gajichon were interrogated , they revealed that all grown men had been ordered to go to the town of Onjeong . Suzuku ' s soldiers burned four sacks of rice cakes in Gajichon . The Japanese reached Onjeong , only to find it empty . The magistrate of Onjeong said that the rebels had never come , and that they were to go to Haeju , rather than Onjeong . Haeju , too , was completely empty . The governor of Hwanghae said that " every town outside of Haeju is full of thieves . . . two - thirds of all towns in Hwanghae are full of the Donghak raiders " . With the guidance of the officials of Haeju , the Japanese defeated hundreds of rebels in the hour - long Battle of Gohyeonjang , killing " tens of thieves " . They also captured and beheaded a number of rebels , and burned five houses . Kim Gu and his rebels sought to reoccupy Haeju , and attacked Japanese scouts in 6 : 00 am of December 2 , 1894 . The battle continued until 8 : 00 , when the rebels finally fled . Tens of rebels were again killed , and many were captured . From the captured rebels , Suzuku discovered a manifesto written by Choe Sihyeong , the Donghak patriarch . The manifesto proved that the Haeju rebels were under the command of Choe Sihyeong and the Northern Jeob leaders . The rebels gathered in Cheongdan , 2 . 5 kilometers away from Haeju . 7 , 000 rebels were camped on the east and the south , and 400 were additionally hidden in the pine forests . 10 , 000 were camped 400 meters away , and 14 , 000 were camped a kilometer away . Because the rebels lacked rifles and other modern weaponry , they were crushed after three Japanese strikes . However , the rebels did not retreat . Because the Japanese also lacked ammunition s due to the large number of rebels , they finally directly charged at the rebels . Although the rebels only had old - fashioned muskets , the superior numbers of the rebels wore out the Japanese soldiers . The rebels fled , and were chased for 600 meters . Minor skirmishes continued until January 1895 , and Kim Gu hid in the house of An Taehun , a Catholic and the father of An Junggeun , until 1896 . Pyongan and Hamgyong . Pyongan Province had little rebel activity . It suffered extreme casualties in the Sino - Japanese War , especially at the Battle of Pyongyang . There were occasional reports of rebels killing magistrates or attacking Japanese support lines , but such instances were rare . Also , there were only two Jeobju for all of Pyongan , compared with seven for Hwanghae and Gyeonggi , ten for Gangwon , seventeen for Chungcheong , nineteen for Gyeongsang , and twenty - five for Jeolla . There were minor incidents of rebellions in Hamgyong : My grandfather died at thirty - nine . Our home was Haunseung Village , Suha Township in Dancheon County . There and in Samsu , my grandfather caused a Donghak rebellion . But [ he was defeated ] and fled to a village called Neuteulgol . . . where slash - and - burners lived . He hid in a potato container , but two Japanese soldiers opened the lid and ordered him to come out . So he suicided by splitting his stomach open with a dagger . Fall . Although Jeon Bongjun officially disbanded the rebel army after the Battle of Taein , many of the other commanders did not disband their respective armies until December . In December 1 , Son Hwajung and Choe Gyeongseon disbanded their rebel armies in Gwangju and went in hiding . The same day , the great rebel leader Kim Gaenam was captured . Kim had been betrayed by a friend named Yim Byeongchan , and captured by 80 governmental soldiers who surrounded the house of Kim ' s brother - in - law . Kim was dragged to Naju . In December 13 , he was put to death by beheading , and his corpse was ripped apart in five . The magistrate of Naju ate Kim ' s intestines and liver . In December 2 , Jeon Bongjun was also captured in a village called Pinori in modern Suncheon ( see left ) , betrayed by his lieutenant Kim Gyeongcheon . Jeon suspected that Kim had betrayed him , and leaped out of the two - story house holding his musket . However , the house was surrounded by governmental soldiers , and he was hit many times with large sticks , causing him to break his legs . Jeon was imprisoned and taken to Seoul . Kim Gyeongcheon went into hiding , because he feared that the rebels would kill him . Trials were not held because the government wanted to put Jeon , Son Hwajung , Choe Gyeongseon , and Kim Deokmyeong to trial all at once . ( these four , along with Kim Gaenam , are known as the Five Donghak Generals ) Also by December , the Anti - Japanese Frontier had been pushed down to the southern coast of Korea . In December 7 , the Japanese finally killed Kim Inbae , the Great Jeobju of Geumgu who had aided the Jinju rebels , in the Battle of Gwangyang Fortress . Kim Inbae ' s head was tied to a pole and displayed in Gwangyang . However , in Jangheung , the rebel leader Yi Bangeon captured Gangjin in December 7 . In December 11 , Son Hwajung was also captured . Meanwhile , the Japanese were attacking Yi Bangeon and the Jangheung rebels , which formed the last organized rebel army in the region . In December 15 , the last major battle in Jeolla Province , the Battle of the Seokdae Fields , was fought between Yi Bangeon ' s rebels and Japanese . This battlefield is now one of the Four Battlefields of the Donghak Revolution . 30 , 000 rebels were present , and 2 , 000 were killed . As the 800 Japanese soldiers moved through Yeongam , Gangjin , Haenam , and Jindo Island , they engaged in a scorched - earth strategy , killing 600 civilians and burning villages and sacks of rice . Yi Bangeon was finally captured in Christmas 1894 and beheaded with his son in Seoul . With the death of Yi Bangeon , the rebels had been completely exterminated , except for 30 rebels who hid in Mount Daedun . Sometime in December , Choe Gyeongseon was also captured . In January 1 , 1895 , the last rebel leader remaining , Kim Deokmyeong , was captured in Wonpyeong . The four leaders were put to trial , and Jeon Bongjun ' s testimony during the trials forms the " Testimony of Jeon Bongjun " . In his testimony , Jeon emphasized his views that Donghak believers formed only a small fragment of the rebels , the majority being peasants seeking vengeance . However , he also explained the theology of Donghak to the court . He also denied connections with the Great Regent Heungseon . In March 29 , the four leaders were hanged for treason . Later , Confucian scholars stole the bodies , beheaded them , and displayed the heads on public . Only Choe Gyeongseon ' s body has been identified , and the locations of the other three are unknown . The last battle in the Donghak Revolution was the Battle of Mount Daedun , February 17 . The 30 rebels held the mountain for three days , until a Japanese battalion attacked them by climbing up the rocky cliffs . Only a young child survived . However , rebels were still killed into 1895 in various ways . Those included : The Northern leaders Choe Sihyeong and Son Byeongheui , meanwhile , had fled after the defeat at Jonggok . In January 1898 , Choe and Son escaped arrest because Kim Yeonguk had been misidentified for Choe Sihyeong . In April 1898 , however , Choe was captured and put on trial . Because the government wished to execute Choe before he died of disease , the trials were speedily done . Son Byeongheui and a group of other believers attempted to free Choe by bribing the judges with land , but Choe was executed after a month . He was buried in the cemetery with a small marker saying ' Donghak Ringleader Choe Sihyeong ' . That night , Son and the others secretly entered the cemetery and took Choe ' s body . Choe was reburied in Gwangju . Legacy . A part of the rebel requests , including the remarriage of widows and the freeing of slaves , was included in the Gabo Reform . However , the reform was not supported because it did not include land reform , which was the peasants ' greatest need . Many rebels later joined the Righteous Army . The 1895 Righteous Army were led by Confucian scholars who killed rebels when they attempted to join the Righteous Army . However , the rebels of 1905 and 1907 were almost entirely composed of rebels . For example , Yu Eunshik of Chungju killed his lieutenant when he revealed himself as a former rebel . Jeon Haesan , the most famous of the Jeolla Righteous Army leaders , was often called the ' son of Jeon Bongjun ' , and participated in more than 70 battles from 1905 to 1910 against the Japanese before he was hanged in 1910 . However , in his " War Diary of Jeon Haesan " , Jeon Haesan says that he " did not like to be called the ' son of Jeon Nokdu ' ( Jeon Bongjun ' s nickname ) " , presumably meaning he was not Jeon Bongjun ' s son . However , the current edition of the North Korean history textbook claims that ' the patriotic line ' descends from Jeon Changhyeok ( Jeon bongjun ' s father and Gyojo Shinwon leader ) through Jeon Bongjun to Jeon Haesan . The South Korean Ministry of Education claims that this is North Korean textbook revisionism , in order to glorify Kim Il - sung by comparing the Kim family to the Jeon family . Many former rebels became nationalists and independence activists . The tiger hunter Hong Beomdo , who was influenced by Donghak , became a guerrilla leader of Manchuria . Kim Gu the ' Baby Jeobju ' , who fought at the Battle of Haeju , became a profound nationalist and one of the most respected Korean leaders . The Donghak religion also experienced a profound change . With the death of Choe Sihyeong , Son Byeongheui became the third patriarch . In order to escape persecution as ' rebels ' , he renamed Donghak ' Cheondoism ' and fully established the ' Human is Hanulnim ' doctrine , thus making Cheondoism a fully pantheistic religion ( Choe Jeu seems to have been a panentheist ) . Cheondoism was legalized in 1905 , but Son was imprisoned in 1919 for leading the March 1st Movement and died in prison . Son ' s son - in - law , Bang Jeonghwan , was also a Cheondoist who became a famous child activist , and founded the Children ' s Day in Korea . The artist Suh Yong - sun drew a work titled " Donghak Peasant Revolution " on canvas using acrylic paint . Controversies . Role played by Donghak . There is an ongoing controversy about the naming of the revolution , connected to the exact role that the Donghak religion played in the revolution . Theories include : Role played by the Great Regent Heungseon . The role played by King Gojong ' s father , the Great Regent Heungseon , is open to controversy . Jeon Bongjun first met Heungseon in 1890 in Unhyeon Palace . Jeon actually lived with the Great Regent Heungseon from 1890 to 1892 , and revisited him in February 1893 . In the meeting , Jeon said to Heungseon : " I wish to die for the country and the people " . There were many rumours that Heungseon had secretly caused the rebellion in this meeting . It is also said that Heungseon ( or occasionally Gojong himself ) sent a messenger to Jeon after the Jeonju Truce , asking him to drive out the Japanese . This has not been confirmed . For evidence , the message of Mikhail Hitrovo , the Russian envoy to Japan who sent his message to the Russian envoy to Korea a month before the start of the revolution , is often cited : [ The Great Regent ] is planning for a great riot as its leader , which will begin in summer or autumn . Already , the leaders are buying weapons from China and Japan , and 4 , 000 rifles have already been bought . A few are from Japan , and a few Japanese have joined this scheme , of which the Japanese government knows nothing about . In " A History of Donghak " , Oh Jiyeong claims that the Great Regent attempted a massacre of pro - Japanese politicians in August 1894 , simultaneous with the time when Jeon had planned an attack on Seoul . During his execution , Kim Gaenam testified that Jeon had been secretly meeting the Great Regent Heungseon . However , the other four leaders refused to connect the Great Regent with the revolution . Connections with Genyosha . The Japanese historian Seito argued that the Donghak Peasant Revolution had been backed by a Samurai group named Genyōsha , who landed in Busan in June 27 , 1894 . The claim is however heavily contended by Korean historians . Seito ' s account is generally regarded as pseudohistorical by Korean historians . Jeon only had 20 followers in the beginning of the Gobu Revolt , compared with 600 in Seito ' s account . Also , Seito ' s list of battles and Jeon Bongjun ' s account in the " Jeon Bongjun Gongcho " are different . Additionally , Seito records that an alliance of rebels and Genyosha defeated governmental forces from June to August , in which Jeon would be installing " Jibgangso " agencies . However , certain Korean historians such as Yi Yihwa and Japanese historians generally regard Saito ' s account to be partially valid , especially as there were a large body of Japanese soldiers in Korea at the time . In " The Founding of Cheondoism " , it is recorded that two Japanese men named Danaka Jiro and Dakeda Hanshi and their fifteen followers , holding dynamite , gave Jeon a gold watch and a horse , and had a council with Jeon , which was done not with translation but by using written sentences ( both knew Chinese characters ) . The Japanese asked Jeon to ally with Japan and drive out China to make Korea truly independent . Later in 1895 , Danaka attempted to free the imprisoned Jeon and take him to Japan , but Jeon refused , calling Japan " my enemy " and saying " It is not my purpose to seek my petty life through the hands of an enemy " . He also said that " I am your enemy and you are my enemy " . However , Jeon also asked the Genyosha to attempt to protect the rebels from execution . The Great Regent Heungseon is known to have hired ronin , or former Samurai , in order to kill political enemies . It has also been speculated that it were Genyosha members who killed Queen Min , the last queen of Korea . Culture . Folk songs . The Donghak Peasant Revolution gave way for various folk songs . The most famous is the " Oh Bird , Oh Bird , Oh Roller " ( the ' roller ' being mentioned is the broad - billed roller ) . < poem > Oh bird , oh bird , oh roller Do not sit in the Nokdu fields For when the Nokdu flower falls The jelly seller weeps . Oh bird , oh bird , oh roller Why did you come out For the pine and bamboo leaves are green We thought it was summer But it is freezing with snow < / poem > In this song , the ' roller ' are the Japanese soldiers ( who wore blue uniforms ) . The ' Nokdu fields ' is Jeon Bongjun , and ' when the Nokdu flower falls ' is the execution of Jeon Bongjun . The ' jelly seller ' are the peasants of Korea . ' Summer ' refers to the " Hucheon " , the Donghak concept of Paradise , and ' winter ' refers to the persecution of the rebels . ' Why did you come out ' refers to the anger of the peasants at foreign intervention . This song is sung all over Korea , and seems to have been first sung at the execution of Jeon . There are many versions of this song , with different lyrics . Another song was sung in September , at the revolution ' s zenith , but was soon forgotten after the fall of the rebels . This is in contrast to the " Oh Bird , Oh Bird , Oh Roller " above . < poem > Gabose gabose Eulmijeok georida Byeongshin doemyeon Byeongshin nanda < / poem > This is a word play . The first line , ' Gabo ' , can mean both ' Let us go ' and ' 1894 ' . ' Eulmi ' refers to ' slow ' and ' 1895 ' , and ' Byeongshin ' refers to ' Destruction ' and ' 1896 ' . This song ' s literal meaning is ' Let us go in 1894 , for if we do not win by 1895 , we shall be destroyed by 1896 . ' Son Hwajung and the Buddha ' s Navel . The Dosol Cliff Buddha has been connected to Son Hwajung and the rebels , and the legend surrounding it appears in the 1940 " History of Donghak " , meaning that the legend was already existent at the time . It is one of the few legends relating to the Donghak Peasant Revolution . < poem > In 1820 , a few days after Yi Seogu became governor of Jeolla , Yi went south to Seonun Temple , Mujang , and see what was inside the navel of the Stone Buddha of Dosol Cliff . But as he was opening the navel , thunder struck , and he could not read the parchment inside , but had to seal the navel again . He had only read the first line : " Yi Seogu , governor of Jeolla , will read this . " No one dared read the parchment , for they feared the thunder . In August 1893 , in the Jeob of Jeongeub , there were words about the parchment of the Buddha . son Hwajung said he would like to read it , if only for the thunder . Then , the believer Oh Hayeong said that they should not worry about the lightning : " I hear that when such parchments are hidden , the hider casts spells of lightning so that people cannot read it . I do not think anything will happen . The lightning spell will already have been cast when Yi Seogu attempted to open the seal , and the spell will have been gone . We must open it when it is time , and I shall take all responsibility . " So they gathered thousands of coils of ropes and hundreds of hammers and crushed the navel of the Buddha and took out the parchment inside . They had imprisoned the Buddhists in fear of intervention , and they reported the Donghak believers to the government . That day , the magistrate of Mujang captured hundreds of Donghak believers , with Gang Gyeongjun , Oh Jiyeong , and Go Yeongsuk at their head . The magistrate of Mujang ordered the Donghak believers to hand over the parchment and reveal the location of Son Hwajung . They were beat and flogged until their bodies were hunks of flesh . But the parchment was with Son Hwajung to the north , as were the other leaders , and after ten days of torture , the three leaders were executed for murder and thievery and the others were flogged and sent away . < / poem > Later stories claim that the parchment in question was a secret guideline on revolutions that was written by Jeong Yakyong , a Silhak scholar , and that Jeon Bongjun modeled the revolution after the book . Others claim that the parchment ' s destiny was to bring the downfall of the Joseon Dynasty . The current Dosol Cliff Buddha has a squarely shaped hole in place of the navel . Bibliography . Books are sorted by author FAMILY name , called last - name in English . . . and the first coming part of a Korean name .