Jeon Bong-jun | |
---|---|
Born | [1] | December 3, 1855
Died |
Seoul, Joseon | April 24, 1895
Other names | Jeon Yeong-jun "General Mung Bean" |
Spouse(s) | Lady Song of the Yeosan Clan Lady Yi of the Nampyeong Clan |
Children | 4 |
Parents |
|
Jeon Bong-jun | |
Hangul | 전봉준 |
---|---|
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Jeon Bong-jun |
McCune–Reischauer | Chŏn Pongjun [a] |
Art name | |
Hangul | 해몽 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Haemong |
McCune–Reischauer | Haemong |
Courtesy name | |
Hangul | 명숙 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Myeongsuk |
McCune–Reischauer | Myŏngsuk |
Jeon Bong-jun (1855–1895) was a Korean peasant revolutionary who was a prominent leader of the Donghak movement. During the Donghak Peasant Revolution, he led the initial revolt in Gobu and later led the Southern Jeob rebels. After his defeat at the Battle of Ugeumchi, he was captured and was later executed in April 1895. Due to his short physical stature, he was called "Nokdu Janggun" (녹두장군, General mung bean).
Jeon Bong-jun was born on December 3, 1855 [b], in Jeolla Province(now North Jeolla Province), as a member of the Cheonan Jeon clan . Previously, Korean historians have suggested various places, including Wanju, Jeongeup, and Gochang as his specific place of birth. [4] Following the discovery of compelling evidence from a genealogy book of the Cheonan Jeon clan [1], many historians now agree that his exact place of birth was Dangchon village, Jukrim-ri , Gochang-eup , Gochang. [4] [5]
Jeon Bong-jun's father, Jeon Chang-hyuk(전창혁; 全彰爀), was a neo-Confucianist scholar who was a member of the Hyanggyo of Gobu. [6] Jeon learned classical Chinese from his father, and occassionally wrote poetry. [7] In 1940, writer Oh Ji-young published a book containing a poem titled Baekgusi(백구시; 白鷗詩), which he claimed was written by Jeon when he was a child. However, this claim has been discredited by the historical community. [8]
According to the genealogy book, Jeon's first spouse was Lady Song of the Yeosan Clan, the daughter of Song Du-ok(송두옥; 宋斗玉). When Song died in 1877, he remarried Lady Yi of the Nampyeong Clan, daughter of Yi Mun-ki(이문기; 李文琦). He had two daughters with Lady Song and two sons with Lady Yi. [1] Recent studies on Jeon Bong-jun's family lineage have also suggested that Jeon may have been the brother-in-law of renowned Seon Buddhist monk Gyeongheo, whose father's name was also Song Du-ok. According to historian Hong Hyeon-ji, a letter, written and sent by Gyeongheo himself to Jeon Chang-hyuk, was discovered. The letter discussed matters over the marriage between his sister and Jeon. [9]
Throughout his lifetime, Jeon migrated around various regions of Jeolla Province, including Taein and Gobu. He first met Kim Gae-nam in Taein. [4] Jeon made a living as a medicine seller, farmer, and village teacher. [6] During an 1895 interrogation, Jeon recounted that he and his family had lived in poverty before his involvement in the revolt, and were barely able to "have rice as breakfast, and porridge as dinner." [10]
According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Jeon Bong-jun first joined Donghak around 1890. He was soon promoted as the regional leader of the movement of Gobu by Choe Si-hyeong. [6] According to the March 6, 1895 issue of the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun, Jeon claimed in an interrogation that he was introduced to the Donghak movement by Kim Chi-do(김치도; 金致道) in 1892. He detailed that he participated in the movement as he was moved by its principles and wished to "achieve the goals" of "driving out corrupt officials" and "protecting the nation and bringing comfort to the people", rather than due to religious motives. [11]
In 1890, Jeon visited Unhyeongung palace to see regent Heungseon, who had been residing there since his return to the palace in August 1885. [12] There, Jeon was appointed by Heungseon as his retainer. Jeon exchanged ideas of national reform with him during his career. [13] The close relationship between Jeon and Heungseon brought suspicion among several members of Donghak.[ citation needed]
In 1892, Jeon concluded his career as a retainer and returned to Gobu. [14]
In December 1893, a group of Gobu peasants, who were enraged by the harsh policies enacted by Gobu magistrate Jo Byeong-Gap , pleaded the lifting of heavy taxes and the return of extorted property. Jeon acted as the head of the protesters, with his name cited on the head of the written complaint. This plea was rejected, and Jeon and the peasants were forcefully dismissed from the local Gwan-a. [4] In response, Jeon gathered a group of 20 revolutionaries who pledged to gather forces and initiate a general revolt, with their names signed on the Sabal Tongmun code. On January 10, 1894, a total of 1000 peasants revolted and attacked the Gwan-a under Jeon Bong-jun's leadership.
The revolt was successful. The local rice storage was destroyed, and most of the illegally taxed rice was retrieved. Jo Byeon-gap fled to nearby Jeonju. The Joseon government appointed hyeongam [c] of yong-an Pak Won-myeong(박원명; 朴源明) as the new magistrate of Gobu, and ordered the investigation and management of the incident. Most of the rebels returned to their households following the successful revolt. However, Jeon took hold of his forces and relocated them to Baek Mountain . [4]
On April 28, 1894, Jeon Bong Jun's revolution became anti-Western and anti-Japanese because of the oppressive and brutal actions of the Japanese army in punishing the Korean farmers. This revolution spread from town to county as the peasant army vowed to eradicate the entirety of the Korean ruling class and expel all Japanese and western parties. By September his peasant revolt came to a violent end as his army of farmers were decisively defeated by a well trained, better equipped Japanese military in the Battle of Ugeumchi. Jeon Bong-jun was arrested by the governor of Jeolla province, Yi Do-jae, [15] and was executed by hanging on 24 April 1895.
Lew, Young Ick. "The Conservative Character of the 1894 Tonghak Peasant Uprising: A Reappraisal with Emphasis on Chŏn Pong-jun's Background and Motivation." Journal of Korean Studies 7, no. 1 (1990): 149-80.