Hongcheon Pungamnidonghakyeongmyeonggun Books and Documents Site

This is the site of a battle fought in the late Joseon period between the Donghak Peasant Army and government troops. In 1894, the 31st year of Emperor Gojong's reign, the failure of the movement to restore the honour of the Donghak founder, together with the tyrannical rule of Jo Byeong-gap, magistrate of Gobu in Jeolla-do, led the Donghak leader Jeon Bong-jun to launch the Donghak Peasant Revolution, aiming to assist the affairs of state and bring peace to the people. At the time, the peasant movement also rose up strongly in the Hongcheon region: part of the peasant army came down from the mountains intending to attack the local government office and advanced as far as Jangya village, but in fighting against the government commander-in-chief Maeng Yeong-jae, some thirty Donghak soldiers were killed. The defeated Donghak army regrouped at Pungam-ri and, under the leadership of Kim Suk-hyeon, made its last stand against government troops at Jajak-gogae, but was ultimately defeated, bringing the Donghak Peasant Revolution to failure. In 1976, a mass of human remains was discovered at Jajak-gogae by local residents; the number of dead is estimated at around 800, though since the wounded are said to have been buried together with them, the actual figure is thought to be higher. Even today, many households in Pungam-ri hold memorial rites over several days from the twentieth day of the tenth lunar month for those who died fighting as Donghak followers in the battle. A monument to the Donghak army's battle now stands at the site.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Hongcheon, Gangwon

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물