About
Donghak: The Eastern Learning
The Foundation of Modern Korean Spirituality
Donghak (Eastern Learning) was founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u (1824–1864) as a response to the spiritual and political crises of 19th-century Korea. It represented a synthesis of Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions, emphasizing the inherent dignity of all people and the direct experience of the Divine.
The Connection to Jeung San Do
Jeung San Do stands in continuity with the Donghak tradition while offering a more complete revelation for the age of Gaebyeok. Where Donghak proclaimed the equality of all people before Heaven, Jeung San Do reveals the concrete pathway by which humanity can realize this equality in the coming civilization of the Later Heaven.
Sangsaeng: Mutual Life-Giving
A central principle inherited from Donghak is sangsaeng (mutual life-giving) — the understanding that all beings flourish when they support one another. This principle stands in contrast to sanggeuk (mutual conquest) and forms the ethical foundation of the new civilization.