Bocheon-gyo is a religion

Religion

Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...

 of Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

. It was founded by Cha Gyeong-seok on Ibam Mountain in Daeheung-ri, Ibam-myeon, Jeongeup

Jeongeup

Jeongeup is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. The city limits include Naejang-san National Park, a popular destination particularly in autumn due to its foliage...

, Jeollabuk-do

Jeollabuk-do

Jeollabuk-do is a province in the southwest of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Jeolla province, and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea...

, in 1911. Today this site is part of Naejangsan

Naejangsan

Naejangsan is a mountain located on the border of North Jeolla and South Jeolla provinces in southwestern South Korea, approximately three hours drive south of Seoul. It has an elevation of .-National park:...

 National Park.

Cha Gyeong-seok was originally a Donghak

Donghak

Donghak is a Korean religion founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u. Donghak venerated the god Haneullim and believed that man is not created by a supernatural god but man is instead caused by an innate god...

 priest, who converted to Jeung San Do

Jeung San Do

Jeung Sando or Jeungism is a new religion founded in Korea in 1974. This movement is characterised by a universal message, millenarianism and a method of healing meditation...

 after meeting Gang Il-Sun

Gang Il-Sun

Gang Il-Sun , also known as Chungsan Kang Il-sun and known to his followers as JeungSan SangJeNim, is the founder of a religion that lead to the Korean religions Jeung San Do and Daesun Jinrihoe. He was born in a small town near the city of Gimje in what was then the Jeolla province of Korea...

. After Gang's death in 1909, Cha established his own separate faith. Cha prophesied that the unification of the world would take place beginning in Korea. The name Bocheon-gyo was not adopted until 1921, at a great ritual held in Hamyang County, Gyeongsangnam-do

Gyeongsangnam-do

Gyeongsangnam-do is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Changwon. It contains the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. Located there is UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana and attracts many...

.

During the Japanese occupation

Korea under Japanese rule

Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....

, Bocheon-gyo may have claimed as many as 6 million followers, including leading activists in the Korean independence movements. Today its followers are much fewer.

Bocheon-gyo is credited with encouraging local culture in the Jeongeup region, including the pungmulgut performance tradition. http://jeonju.museum.go.kr/en/05culture/sori-0306.htm

See also

• Cheondogyo
• List of Korea-related topics
• Okhwangsangje
  Okhwangsangje
  Okhwangsangje is a deity of Bocheon-gyo....
  
  
• Religion in Korea
  Religion in Korea
  Religion in Korea encompasses a number of different traditions. Traditional Buddhism, Mugyo with a background of Korean Confucianism and later Christianity all play a role in Korea's religious tradition...
  
  

External links

• Jesusi profile, in Korean