Gochang-gun's 'Donghak Peasant Revolution Records' Approved for Inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register

The spirit of Uihyang Gochang is embodied in the Donghak Peasant Revolution’s ‘Armed Proclamation,’ which has finally been registered as a UNESCO Memory of the World heritage.

This is another great achievement following the designation of the Armed Proclamation Site as a national historic site, and it is expected to play a significant role in solidifying its status as the starting point of the Donghak Peasant Revolution.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration and Gochang County on the 19th, the UNESCO Executive Board held a general meeting in Paris that morning and approved the registration of the ‘Donghak Peasant Revolution Records’ as a Memory of the World heritage.

Declaration of Armed Uprising of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, a World Heritage Record.
[Photo by Gochang-gun]

The ‘Donghak Peasant Revolution Records’ registered as Memory of the World consist of a total of 185 items. Among these, three items related to Gochang County include the Armed Proclamation, the Minutes of the Assembly (lists of the defense troops that suppressed the peasant army in Heungdeok-hyeon and Gochang-hyeon), and the Geoui Records (records of the defense troop organizational activities by the Confucian scholars of Heungdeok-hyeon and Gochang-hyeon).

The ‘Armed Proclamation (held by the Cheondogyo Central Headquarters)’ clearly stated the reasons and objectives of the uprising at the time of the armed proclamation in 1894.

The proclamation begins with “The reason people are most precious in the world is because of human relations” and continues with “We raise the righteous flag and swear to live and die for the country and the people.”

At that time, the proclamation was announced when the leadership of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, including Jeon Bong-jun, declared a nationwide peasant uprising at the armed proclamation site in Mujang-hyeon (currently Gong-eum-myeon, Gochang County) following the Gobu Peasant Uprising.

It encapsulated the just cause of the Donghak Peasant Revolution and triggered the joining of peasant armies nationwide by sending proclamations not only to the Jeolla Province but across the country.

Furthermore, the Donghak Peasant Revolution transcended regional limitations to grow into a nationwide large-scale rebellion and is evaluated as a declaration that became the foundation of Korea’s national and popular resistance history.

The county has currently begun the reproduction work of the handwritten copy of the Armed Proclamation held by the Cheondogyo Central Headquarters.

In the future, a memorial hall will be built at the armed proclamation site, and the handwritten copies of the proclamation will be exhibited to enhance the status of the starting point of the Donghak Peasant Revolution.

Also, around the end of this year, a statue of General Jeon Bong-jun (funded by residents’ donations, etc.) will be erected opposite the county office square, a central urban area, to boost residents’ pride.

With this Memory of the World registration, the county now possesses seven treasures of the world recognized by UNESCO: the World Cultural Heritage Dolmen, the Natural Heritage Gochang Tidal Flat, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Pansori, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Nongak, the entire administrative district as a Biosphere Reserve, the Global Geopark, and the Memory of the World Donghak Peasant Revolution Records.

County Governor Shim Deok-seop said, “The Donghak Peasant Revolution, which grew with the power of Gochang, was the beginning of the modern popular movement that sought to establish autonomy, equality, and democratic procedures. Taking this UNESCO Memory of the World registration as an opportunity, we will honor the noble patriotism and love for the nation of the ancestors who participated in the Donghak Peasant Revolution and proudly preserve its value as a precious cultural heritage.”

He added, “By achieving both the Global Geopark certification and the Memory of the World registration simultaneously, the county has become the ‘first in the nation’ city to possess seven treasures of the world recognized by UNESCO. Through the ‘Visit Gochang World Heritage City Year,’ we will confidently showcase everything about our Gochang to the whole world and use this as an opportunity to invigorate the region.”

Gochang = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Jae-gil baekok@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.