충청남도 서남부 지역의 동학여당(東學餘黨)과 서양종교

Abstract

This study examines the trends of Donghak peasants after the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894, in relation to western religion. While the remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army entrusted themselves to the Catholic Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Protestant Church, or gained personal benefits through such religions, they sought a revolutionary movement. As Western ships had previously entered the southwestern region of Chungcheongnam-do Province, the residents retained memories of the West. The region had remained as a blank area of missions in terms of religion. In response, the remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army acted vigorously in promoting Western religion in that region. This subject is also examined in this study. As for the Catholic Church, the remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army in Hansan county (Chungcheongnam-do Province) joined the Catholic Church in 1895 to wreak acts of personal vengeance, which led to a dispute. The governor of Hansan-gun County attempted to arrest and punish them. However, a French missionary protected the remnants as the members of the Church, which led to a confrontation between Korea and France. These remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army accepted the protection of the Catholic Church and eventually became true Church members. The situation was difficult for the remnants of Donghak Peasants’ Army to pursue its reform movements under heavy control of the Catholic Church. The activities of the remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army using the Russian Orthodox Church and the Protestant Church are related to the Younghak-dang Movement that took place in Jeollabuk-do Province in 1899. The remnants of the Younghak-dang crossed the Geumgang River to that region, and disguised themselves as the members of the western religion, creating trouble. In autumn 1900, in collusion with a woman named ‘Jeong-gil-dang’ of the Russian Orthodox Church, the remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army in Imcheon county (Chungcheongnam-do Province), constructed the Russian Orthodox Church, erected a cross flag, and established local churches in many neighboring places, thus giving troubles to the residents. They called their own organization ‘Sasong-amun (semantically, the Judicial Departments)’ and tried to take control of the local administration. Subsequently, in 1902, the remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army in Boryeong county and Nampo county (Chungcheongnam-do Province), constructed a Protestant Church under the flag of a cross, and called the church ‘Songsil (semantically, the Judicial Office)’ to take control of the local administration as well. The leaders of these two cases were not protected because they had no relation to the orders of Western religions. Their confrontation with conservative Confucians is reminiscent of the situation of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in 1894. It is likely that these remnants of the Donghak Peasants’ Army, who were the remnants of the Younghak-dang, had the willingness to achieve a revolution.