천도교인 차상찬의 역사인식—『별건곤』기사 분석을 중심으로—

Abstract

This article reviews Cha Sang-chan’s historical narrative and historical awareness with focus on his identity as a Cheondoist. Historical articles written by Cha Sang-chan mainly focused on the activities of reformist figures who resisted the ruling power in the late Joseon period. This is in line with the fact that Chondogyo-affiliated intellectuals mentioned Lee Jing-ok, Lee Gwal, Lim Gyeong-eop, and Hong Gyeong-rae as important, and highly evaluated ‘Donghak’ as a people’s movement and reform movement while viewing the creation of Donghak as an important turning point. The important underlying goal of Cha Sang-chan’s historical awareness was, first, the Great Opening of the Latter Heaven, which is the doctrine of Cheondogyo and the theory of political and cultural movements, and second, it emphasized the fact that history evolves through human practice. The above was meaningful as a practical historical awareness to open a new world, but historical narrative is limited in terms of value, and it revealed the limitations of the falter of historicity, which hardly considers historical changes and accumulation of capabilities in the Early Heaven period, a past that needs to be liquidated.