Taiping Tianguo und Donghag: Eine religionswissenschaftliche Studie über den Entstehungsprozess der beiden neuen religiösen Bewegungen

Taiping Tianguo and Donghag are the new religious movements, which had taken place since the 19th century in China and Korea respectively. For both China and Korea, the 19th century was a historical turning point. The traditions that the two old nations had kept so far were shaken by the unexpected threat of the dominant western powers. The founders of Taiping Tianguo and Donghag tried to build up their religious beliefs based on such unique contextual-concerns: first, the faith of the people (korean shamanism); secondly, the cultivated theory of the neo-Confucianism; and thirdly, the Christianity as "imported" ideology or religion. Among these three spiritual challenges, the Christianity played a decisive role in formulating the structure of the new religious movements. The Taiping founder singled out the substantial elements of Taiping Tianguo doctrine from the Christianity. Yet, he integrated them into the intellectual world of Confucianism, without thereby the mentality of the popular belief would have been disregarded. In Donghag movement, on the other hand, the founder Choe developed and formed his new religious thought as a counter proposal of Korean religiosity to the Western Christianity. To see briefly the similarities and differences between the two religious movements: (1) Both religious movements arose in the similar historical crisis caused by the forcing power of incoming Western ideas, and they gained supports from the class of peasantry. (2) Against the dominating Western influence, the two religious movements played a significant role in bringing up nationalism in both countries. (3) They tried to make the use of the revolutionary measures in China and in Korea by practicing a new land-managing system designed by Taiping philosophers and by establishing "jibgangso " (local directorates) according to Donghag philosophy. 4) They were also more or less influenced by the Christianity. The differences are as follows. (1) Interpretation of their own traditions: Whereas the Taiping rejected the Confucian tradition of China and accepted Christian teaching as its main ideology, the Donghag understood the Christianity as a threat to the Korean traditional culture and social-order. This Donghag attitude led them to taking armed actions against the Western religion. (2) Goals in religious movements: The Taiping movement had the intention of opening a new dynasty of the Han people by destroying the Manchurian, Ching Dynasty. They actually established a new dynasty which lasted about 14 years in South-China. Therefore, we may consider the Taiping movement as a political conflict between the peoples of Han and of Manchuria. However, Donghag movement was not originated from any political intention. There took place several peasants' revolts, but they were rather a class struggle. In the organized spirit of Donghag, farmers and Confucian scholars gathered together to strike down and reform the corrupted royal-government in Korea. There?s no intention to establish a new dynasty in the Donghag movemnt. Taiping Tianguo and Donghag were important features in history, for these religious movements opened a new era for modern times in China and Korea. Therefore, it will be even greater if we continue to examine these religious movements with a broad perspective that includes the historical, social, economic and religious environments in Eastern Asia.