Ch'oe Si-hyong

Ch'oe Si-hyong

(born 1827, Korea—died 1898, Seoul) Second leader of the Korean Tonghak (now Ch'ondogyo) religion. He organized the underground network that spread the apocalyptic, antiforeign Tonghak sect following the execution of its founder, Ch'oe Che-u (1824–64). He published the first two Tonghak scriptures in 1880 and 1881, adding public service to the founder's principle of human equality and obligation to serve heaven. Preaching the need for Korea to become as strong as Western imperialist powers, in 1894 he led the Tonghak Uprising, which was viciously suppressed. He was arrested and executed in 1898, by which time Tonghak had spread throughout Korea.