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49-605: Gang Il-sun was born in Gobu County, Jeolla Province (present-day Deokcheon Township of Jeongeup , North Jeolla Province , Korea) on September 19, 1871, according to the Lunar calendar mostly used by his followers, or November 1, 1871, of the Gregorian calendar . There is a hagiographic literature written by his followers, which describes miraculous phenomena surrounding his early years. For instance, hagiographical accounts record that "at

98-523: A Seodang in the home of his brother-in-law Jeong Nam-Gi(鄭南基). He acquired a reputation for his knowledge of Buddhism , Confucianism , Taoism , and Korean folk religions , and gathered a few disciples. Reputedly, he also visited Kim Il Bu (金一夫; 1826–1898), the well known scholar who introduced the Jeong-yeok (正易) , i.e. a new interpretation of the Chinese I Ching (Book of Changes). Kim is said to have offered

147-478: A "reordering of the universe" through his mission and rituals. The religion is characterised by a universal message, millenarianism , and a method of healing meditation. A number of branches of Jeungsanism trace their origins to Goh Pan-Lye (Subu, literally "Head Lady," 1880–1935, although in Kang's circle there was more than one "Subu"), a female disciple of Kang Jeungsan. Around September 1911, Goh gathered around her

196-630: A New Age. According to Daesoon Jinrihoe , the largest movement recognizing Gang as Sangje, his ascetic practices in the Moaksan mountain were performed to open the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and to exercise judgement on the divine beings and were, thus, more than ascetic practices. The followers also claimed that he judged all deities in charge of the Former World, opened the way to the Later World and, through

245-751: A female disciple, emerged as the leader of one of the largest factions, which eventually came under the control of Goh's male cousin, Cha Gyeong-Seok (1880–1936). Cha's branch, known as Bocheonism (Bocheob-gyo), according to some scholars "had more followers during the Japanese colonial period than any other religion, more than an estimated 6 million adherents." However, it declined quite rapidly. Goh had separated from Cha in 1919 and established her own organization, which in turn divided into several rival factions after her death. Kim Hyeong-Ryeol (1862–1932), another leading disciple of Gang Il-sun, originally supported Cha but left him in 1914 and established yet another branch with

294-602: A new arrangement of the I Ching Chinese trigrams , together with other diagrams and an explanatory text, including insights he had received in a mysterious vision. His re-balancing of the trigrams had a profound influence on many Korean new religions, including those derived from Gang. In 1860 Choe Je-u , concerned about the growing influence of the West, the increasing Japanese presence in Joseon Korea, widespread corruption in government and established religion, and abuse of power by

343-614: A number of Kang's followers. Eventually, Goh's male cousin, Cha Gyeong-Seok (1880–1936), a leading disciple of Kang, became the leader of Goh's branch. Dissatisfied with this situation, Goh separated from Cha in 1919 and established her own new religion. In the 1920s, Cha's branch, known as Bocheon-gyo , became the largest Korean new religious movement and possibly the largest religion in Korea, with some 6 million followers. It declined rapidly after Cha's death in 1936, and fragmented into several competing group, as did Goh's organization. Jeung San Do

392-671: A revelation from him in 1917, eight years after Gang Il-sun's death. Jo Jeongsan's followers claim, however, that in 1909 Gang Il-sun saw a train passing, which had Jo Jeongsan, then a teenager, aboard with his family, heading to Bongcheon , Manchuria , to live in exile there, and stated: “A man can do anything at the age of 15 if he is able to take his identification tag ( hopae ) with him.” Jo Jeongsan's disciples later claimed that these words amounted to an endorsement by Gang Il-sun of Jo Jeongsan as his successor. Gang's only daughter, Sun-Im (1904–1959), originally accepted Jo but later established her own branch, known as Jeung San Beob Jong Gyo, which

441-596: A sizable number of followers. According to these followers, during the Summer of 1901 he achieved enlightenment on the Moaksan mountain, after forty-nine days of ascetic practices and fasting. In fact, the followers claimed for their spiritual leader much more than enlightenment, as they accepted his claim that he was Sangje, the Supreme Lord, who had bestowed a revelation upon Choe Je-u and had than incarnated in this world to initiate

490-657: Is 4,973,834 as of January 2024. During the Samhan era of Korean history, the area of Jeolla was controlled by the Mahan confederacy and the Tamna kingdom on Jeju. Fifteen of the 45 Korean tribes had their bases in this region. When Baekje overtook Mahan by the 5th century, the Three Kingdoms era began and the region became part of southern Baekje. Jungbang was the center of the province during this period. When Silla conquered Baekje with

539-399: Is Korean food streamer vessel for cooking Korean rice cakes, Tteok ( 떡 ). It signifies a vast vessel by metaphor that can contain everything in the world. To conclude, " jeung " (甑) denotes the process of rising, maturation, fruition or growth. " Jeung san " is also a traditional Korean descriptive term for the highest mountain in a region or "steamer mountain". " Do " (道) denotes Tao ,

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588-454: Is better reserved for a larger family of movements, is a new religious movement founded in South Korea in 1974. It is one of more than 100 Korean religious movements that recognize Gang Il-sun (also known as Kang Jeungsan, or Chungsan), an early 20th century religious leader, as the incarnation and personification of Sangjenim ( 上帝任 , the "governing spirit of the universe") and performed

637-405: Is headquartered in Korea's North Jeolla province, and after protracted litigation with other branches obtained the mortal remains of Kang, which are currently at its headquarters. Be it as it may be, and although statistics are in turn a matter of contention, there is little doubt that a large number of Koreans, perhaps as much as several millions, are today connected with one or another branch of

686-629: Is the Butterfly Effect in Edward Lorenz 's Chaos Theory. According to that theory, a butterfly flapping its wings in America could cause or prevent a tornado in Indonesia. This of course illustrates the improbability of predicting any event in a highly complex system due to the difficulty of knowing all variables. But, what if someone were enlightened to the point of omnipotence? What if someone did know all

735-511: Is the largest among the branches claiming a lineage originating from Goh. It was founded by Ahn Un-san (born in 1922), who established his first religious organization in 1945. After further divisions, Ahn founded Jeung San Do in 1974 together with his son, Ahn Gyeong-jeon (b. 1954). Jeung San Do believes that, as Kang was God the Father, Goh, revered with the title of Tae-mo-nim, was God the mother and between 1926 and 1935 performed her own reordering of

784-594: The yangban (aristocratic social class), alleged he had a revelation from the Supreme God Sangje ( Shang-ti in Chinese) and attained enlightenment. Choe Je-u became the founder of the Donghak (Eastern Learning) movement, the prototype of many subsequent Korean syncretistic new religions. Donghak culminated in the unsuccessful Donghak Rebellion of 1894, which was fueled by a combination of religious fervor centering on

833-551: The Empire of Japan completed the annexation of Korea in 1910, they were merely pawns or workmen ( ilkkun ) of Sangjenim; racial brothers who saved Korea from domination by the Western great powers . The Japanese, according to this narrative, provided the "service" ( pongsa ) of modernizing Korea as penance for the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) . Accordingly, resistance against Japan

882-475: The Korean peninsula and ended with the crushing defeat of the farmers and Japan's annexation of the country. After observing the death and misery brought on by these events, Jeung San Sangjenim resolved to save the world from suffering. He traveled for three years to observe human behavior and the shape, qi , and spirit of the land. In 1901, after a period of intensive meditation he attained perfect enlightenment into

931-563: The "Renewal of Heaven and Earth". The Jeungsanist theory stresses the concept of Tao , the way of nature. Jeungsanism is often understood as having stemmed from Korean Sinism and Chinese millenarian Taoism , and is defined as one of the Korean indigenous religions . Jeung San Do means "the Way [ dao/do/ Tao , 道] of the Jeung (甑)[ siru ] San (山)[mountain]". The word " jeung " is siru in Korean, which

980-516: The 8 do system with a 23 [[Provinces of Korea#Districts of Late Joseon| bu ]] district system and Jeolla was replaced by the districts of Jeonju ( Korean :  전주부 ; Hanja :  全州府 ; RR :  Jeonjubu ) in the northwest, Naju ( 나주부 ; 羅州府 ; Najubu ) in the southwest, Namwon ( 남원부 ; 南原府 ; Namwonbu ) in the east, and Jeju ( 제주부 ; 濟州府 ; Jejubu ) on Jeju-do . On August 4, 1896, Emperor Gojong issued Royal Order 36, repealing

1029-404: The 9th year of the reign of Hyeonjong of Goryeo , the country was again reorganized into 5 do , and the provinces of Gangnam and Haeyang were merged to form the province of Jeollaju (全羅州道). The name derived from the names of the principal cities of Jeonju (全州) and Naju (羅州). (The difference between na- and -la is due to the ( initial sound rule of modern Korean). This was the first time

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1078-551: The Donghak movement, not only ideologically but also geographically," as the village where Gang lived was only four kilometers away from the location where the first uprising of the Donghak revolution began. Later, Gang gathered a number of followers in the North Jeolla province , where he lived, and among them where some members of Donghak. Although he was interested in the religious ideas of Donghak, Gang Il-sun predicted, quite correctly,

1127-417: The Japanese, Gang Il-sun again advised against "any form of violence" and "stressed reconciliation and peace," insisting also that this period of Japanese rule in Korea would bring resolution to the grievances that Japan had in history. His peaceful attitude, however, did not protect him from the suspicions of the Japanese authorities. On December 25, 1907, he and a number of his followers were arrested, based on

1176-527: The affairs of Heaven, Earth, and humanity. About this he said: Since ancient times, a few have mastered the writing of the Heavens, a few have mastered the principles of Earth, but no one has mastered the nature of humans. I am the first to master the nature of humans. In that year, Sangjenim began a spiritual work that cannot be easily explained or understood. It was called the work of renewing Heaven and Earth ( 天地公事 ). For 9 years, he conducted works of renewal in

1225-423: The age of seven, Sangjenim attained a sudden spiritual awakening while watching a performance of traditional music and dance. When he was twenty-four, he witnessed the tumultuous events of the Donghak (Eastern Learning) Uprising in which an ill-equipped but determined army of farmers fought the troops of both the Korean government and the Japanese. This insurrection sparked a war between China and Japan fought on

1274-419: The area currently known as Jeolla was united under one administrative division, and it would remain this way for nearly eight centuries. In 1413, during 13th year of the reign of Taejong of Joseon , the territories were once again reorganized into 8 do . This is the era of the historic Eight Provinces. Jeollaju-do was variously known as Gwangnam, Jeongwang, and Jeonnam, but the original name persisted, and

1323-419: The defeat of Donghak's peasant militia, and advised his followers not to join it. He believed that the problems of Korea, and human society in general, would be solved through spiritual awakening rather than armed rebellion. After the bloody defeat of Donghak, Gang Il-sun wandered around Korea for three years, surveying public sentiment. In 1900, he returned home and, starting in the years that followed, gathered

1372-459: The district system and restoring the province system. Jeolla was divided north-south into North Jeolla Province and South Jeolla Province . Also divided were Chungcheong Province , Gyeongsang Province , Hamgyong Province and Pyongan Province , bringing the total to 13 provinces. North Jeolla Province consisted of the Jeonju and northern Namwon districts, while South Jeolla Province consisted of

1421-527: The form of rituals, proclamations, and conversations with humans and spirits and utilized the qi of various places and people. He established a federation of gods called the Creative Government, composed of regional gods, the founding spirits of family lines, gods that founded and advanced civilizations, enlightened spirits, spirits with unresolved bitterness and grief, and the spirits of revolutionaries. With this assembly of spirits, he intended to correct

1470-494: The help of Tang China in 660, it became a territory of Later Silla during the 16th year of the reign of Munmu of Silla . Silla reorganized this territory into nine ju ( 주 ) and five gyeong ( 경 ), three of the ju belonging to the former Baekje. The northern territory of former Baekje, Ung ( Ungju ; 熊州), corresponds to modern-day South Chungcheong Province . The middle area consisted of Wansan (完山州) and Namwon , which correspond to modern-day North Jeolla. Wansan

1519-404: The help of Gang Il-sun's widow, Jeong. Again, this branch split into several independent groups. Ultimately, around one hundred different groups claiming the legacy of Gang Il-sun came into existence, although few of them survive to this day. The largest one is Daesun Jinrihoe , which originates from Jo Jeongsan (1895–1958), who was not a direct disciple of Gang Il-sun but claimed to have received

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1568-613: The millennial visions of a coming messiah and anger regarding Seoul's high taxes. Central to Choe Je-u’s teachings was a belief in Hu-Cheon Gaebyeok(後天開闢), the Great Opening ( Gaebyeok ) of the Later World (Hu-Cheon), the new age paradise of Donghak, which also later characterized Gang Il-sun’s millenarian vision. Gang Il-sun, in fact, insisted that he was Sangje himself who, prior to incarnating on earth, had bestowed that revelation upon Choe Je-u. Gang "had considerable connections with

1617-466: The religious movement started by Gang Il-sun and recognize him as a divine incarnation, the majority of them belonging to Daesun Jinrihoe. Both Daesun Jinrihoe and Jeung San Do have also started a missionary activity abroad, particularly in the United States. Certainly, Gang Il-Sun did not believe that his message of salvation was restricted to Korea and indeed he explicitly taught that it was intended for

1666-539: The rituals he performed between 1901 and 1909, achieved a complete “Reordering of the Universe” ( Cheonji Gongsa ,天地公事). Daesun Jinrihoe believes that there was a residual work of reordering, to be completed by his successors in the religious orthodoxy, Jo Jeongsan (趙鼎山; 1895–1958) and Park Wudang (朴牛堂; 1918–1996). Another branch of Jeungsanism, Jeung San Do , believes that, as Gang was God the Father, his female disciple Goh Pan-Lye (高判禮; 1880–1935), revered by Jeung San Do with

1715-483: The southern Namwon districts, Naju district, and Jeju island. Jeonju was retained as the capital of North Jeolla, with Gwangju being made the capital of South Jeolla. The capital of South Jeolla was later moved to Namak in 2005, and Gwangju was designated a Special City . Jeolla Province was bounded on the north by Chungcheong Province, on the east by Gyeongsang Province, on the south by the East China Sea , and on

1764-669: The suspect that they intended to raise an army against the Japanese. Reportedly, "even in prison, he made peaceful gestures" and "did not protest against the authorities in any way." He was finally released on February 4, 1908, continued his rituals and preaching, and died on June 24, 1909, at the Donggok Clinic he had established in 1908. Gang Il-sun chose Goh Pan-Lye as his successor, and after his passing his movement split into many different factions. In 1911, Goh Pan-Lye (Subu, literally “Head Lady,” although there were two "Subus" in Gang's circle),

1813-445: The time of his birth (...) two female fairies (仙女) descended from heaven into the delivery room," filling it with a "sweet-smelling aroma." Later, it is claimed that he "learned Chinese classics at a Seodang and mastered them to the point of memorizing and reciting all of them by heart," through a complete understanding of their meaning. In 1891, Gang married Jeong Chi-sun (鄭治順; 1874–1928), a lady from Gimje County. In 1894, he opened

1862-575: The title of Tae-mo-nim, was God the Mother and between 1926 and 1935 performed her own reordering of the universe. After the Donghak rebellion, Japan had a growing presence in Korea, and this culminated in the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910 and the formal annexation of Korea by Japan. Gang Il-sun maintained an attitude similar to the one he had exhibited when confronted with the Donghak movement. Although critical of those Koreans who sided unconditionally with

1911-578: The universe. Jeung San Do is the movement within Jeungsanism with the most visible presence abroad, although it is not the largest branch in Korea. The central text of Jeungsanism, the Dojeon, was first published in Korean in 1992. The name "Dojeon" is used by other branches of Jeungsanism for their own, different sacred texts. Jeung San Do's version contains detailed description of Jeungsan Sangjenim 's and Taemonim's ("Great Mother") lives and of Cheonjigongsa ,

1960-447: The variables? Such a person could not only predict the future, but with the rippling effect of seemingly small actions could actually change the future. About the method he used in the work of renewal, Sangjenim said: There are opportunities for human action ... There is a program for each heavenly principle. The work of renewal is based on creating the opportunity and establishing the program. If I were to abandon this method and perform

2009-525: The way. Considered as a whole, therefore, the name " Jeung San Do " signifies the highest truth that surpasses all existing religions and teachings. Sangjenim means "Highest Emperor", and is cognate of the Chinese Shangdi . It is the governing spirit of the universe, and Jeung San Do believe he was incarnated as Gang Il-sun , although God for Jeung San Do also exists as God the mother, incarnated on earth as Goh Pan-Lye. Jeung San Do teaches that, at

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2058-652: The west by the Yellow Sea . The region is bordered on the east by the Sobaek Mountains and is drained by the Yeongsan , Seomjin and Mangyeong rivers. The largest city in the region is Gwangju. Apart from Jeonju and Naju, other cities of note include Iksan (formerly Iri), Gunsan , Mokpo , Namwon, Suncheon , and Yeosu . Jeung San Do Jeung San Do ( Korean :  증산도 ), occasionally called Jeungsanism , meaning "The Dao/ Tao of Jeung-san", although this term

2107-478: The whole world. Jeolla Province Jeolla Province ( Korean :  전라도 ; RR :  Jeollado , [tɕʌ̹ɭɭa̠.do̞] ) was one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Kingdom of Joseon in southwestern Korea. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla , South Jeolla and Gwangju Metropolitan City as well as Jeju Province . The provincial capital

2156-487: The work forcibly, it would bring disaster upon the world and kill multitudes. That is not My intention. According to Jeun Sang Do, Gang Il-sun revealed to humanity that the universe embodies a four-fold cycle. A "cosmic year" contains four cosmic seasons corresponding to birth, growth, harvest, and rest. According to Jeung San Do, the History of Korea is that of a chessboard used by America, China, Russia, and Japan. While

2205-434: The wrongs of the past and chart a new course for the future. His work of renewing Heaven and Earth shifted the course of Heaven, Earth, and humanity and planted the seeds for a new enlightened and harmonious world of humans and gods. According to his followers, Sangjenim differed from other prophets in that he not only spoke about the future but, through his spiritual work, actually transformed it. One way of understanding this

2254-524: Was Jeonju , the current capital of North Jeolla. The entire inland region was called Honam ( lit.   ' south of the lake ' ), which is still commonly used today. Jeolla-do , including North and South Jeolla,was the first province/state out of the Eight Provinces system to have its 1000th year anniversary in 2018, as the name 'Jeolla-do' was established in 1018,during Hyeonjong of Goryeo's 9th year in power. The population of Jeolla-do

2303-555: Was eventually shortened to simply Jeolla-do (全羅道). The Donghak Peasant Revolution of 1894–1895 began in Jeolla-do, which was a peasant revolt fueled by the fervor of the believed coming of a local messiah and protests over Seoul's high taxes on rice and the increasing number of Japanese traders in Joseon. There was anti-Japanese sentiment due to the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) . On May 26, 1895, Gojong of Korea replaced

2352-423: Was later renamed Jeonju. The southern area consisted of Mujin ( Mujin-ju ), which was renamed Mu (武州) in 757, the 16th year of the reign of Gyeongdeok of Silla . Mu consisted of one gun and 43 hyeon , and corresponds to modern-day South Jeolla. In 983, during the second year of the reign of Seongjong of Goryeo , the country was reorganized into 12 mok . Jeonju became Jeonju-mok (全州牧), while Muju

2401-423: Was split into the two mok of Naju and Seungju. In 995, King Seongjong again reorganized the country, this time into 10 do (Korean:  도 ; Hanja:  道 ; lit.  province). Jeonju-mok was renamed Gangnam-do ( lit.   ' province south of the river ' ) while Naju and Seungju were reunited and renamed Haeyang-do ( lit.   ' ocean province ' ). In 1018, during

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