Cheondogyo, formerly Tonghak (Eastern Learning), was founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u in Korea amid social crisis and mounting foreign pressure. Choe claimed revelation from Sangje (Supreme Lord) through a talisman and taught that human beings and heaven share one nature: each person embodies divine spirit (sinin). The movement combined Confucian ethics, Buddhist meditation, and indigenous shamanic elements with a message of equality across classes and genders, asserting that sincerity, service, and moral reform could transform society from within. Its slogan, Innaecheon (human is heaven), rejected rigid hierarchy and appealed to farmers, artisans, and marginalized groups seeking spiritual dignity and political justice. Choe's teaching responded both to internal corruption and to the challenge of Western and Japanese power at a moment of rapid change on the Korean peninsula.
Cheondogyo spread rapidly among peasants and became a vehicle for resistance to corruption and, later, Japanese colonial rule; its followers participated in the 1894 Donghak Peasant Revolution. The name Cheondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) was adopted in 1905 as leaders sought to present the movement as a modern religious institution. Core practices include daily prayer, incantation (sicheonnyeong), and rituals affirming mutual respect among believers. Scripture such as the Donggyeong Daejeon articulates the doctrine that cultivating the mind brings this heaven onto earth, linking personal discipline to collective renewal. Today the tradition maintains a significant presence in Korea and among diaspora communities, framed as a native Korean spiritual path distinct from imported traditions. Historians regard Cheondogyo as a pivotal expression of modern Korean nationalism, peasant mobilization, and popular religious innovation in East Asia.
The 'Classic of the Eastern Scripture,' the primary scripture of Cheondogyo compiled by Choe Je-u's followers. It records divine revelations received through incantation and presents the doctrine of Haneullim, the Lord of Heaven dwelling within all people. The text calls for moral reform, equality, and the realization of paradise on earth.
A collection of teachings, hymns, and narratives associated with Choe Je-u and early Cheondogyo leaders. It preserves the movement's origin story and its fusion of Confucian ethics, Buddhist practice, and monotheistic faith. The work remains central to Cheondogyo worship and Korean nationalist identity.