백초월의 항일운동과 一心敎

Abstract

This paper has organized the Ilsimgyo [One spirit religion], the secret fraternity of Chowol Baek who was the Buddhist monk unfolding the anti-Japan movement in the Japanese ruling period. Chowol Baek had unfolded fierce anti-Japan campaign from the March 1st Movement until he died in the prison in 1944. However, his achievement, independence movement detail, and character have not been known well Such an achievement of Chowol Baek attracted the attention of mass media when his independence movement materials including Taegeuk flag [Korean national flag] that had been used in the March 1st Movement were discovered in the Jingwansa Temple in 2009. It has been verified that Chowol Baek was the Buddhist monk who had unfolded the anti-Japan campaign actively next to Yongseong Baek and Yongwun Han. The author has organized the whole aspect of Ilsimgyo in this paper, which is the secret fraternity that was used by Chowol Baek to unfold the anti-Japan movement for about 20 years. Chowol Baek noticed the Ilsim in the Hwaeumgyeong [one Buddhism Sutra], and thought that it could be utilized for the independence movement. He recognized the necessity of secret fraternity while propelling the independence movement of the central level of Buddhism world right after the March 1st Movement. He founded the Ilsimgyo, therefore, opened the office in the propagation center of Jingwansa Temple, established the general principles, expanded the fraternity, unfolded the recruit of death-defying corps, and so on. However, the whole figure of Ilsimgyo was disclosed as it was revealed to the Japanese government that he had led the scribbling incident inspiring the racial consciousness on the military train bound for Manchuria in 1939. About 80 persons related to the Ilsimgyo were arrested, and three of them were killed by torture. Chowol Baek also was captured and died while being arrested in the Cheongju Prison. The anti-Japan movement of Chowol Baek and the details related to Ilsimgyo have been organized, but it is necessary to enlist it in the Buddhist independence movement history and to collect the relevant data and testimony.