The Catholic Persecution of 1866, known in Korea as the Byeong-in Persecution (), refers to the large-scale persecution of Catholics that took place in Joseon in 1866 under the regency of Heungseon Daewongun during the third year of King Gojong 's reign. The persecution lasted for six years until 1872, during which more than 8,000 laypeople and many missionaries from the Paris Foreign Missions Society were executed.
Heungseon Daewongun originally had no antipathy toward Catholicism, so he had no plans to suppress it.Kang Jun-man (2011-03-31) "A Walk Through Modern Korean History 1", People and History of Thought, p93Jangro Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary Press. History of the Korean Christian Church (Volume 1). Page 80. In fact, he even tried to block Russia's southward expansion policy by seeking help from France through French missionaries. However, he implemented a policy of persecution of Catholicism in order to prevent his political position from being shaken by internal and external changes.
The anti-Catholic policy, which began in the spring of 1866, became more severe after the General Sherman Incident (August 1866), the Byeong-in Yangyo (October 1866), and was further entrenched when in 1868 German merchant Ernst Oppert attempted to take hostage the bones of the Daewongun's father in order to force him to open Korea to trade; and even further so after the 1871 American attack of Gwanghwado,Lee Eui-hwa "Korean History Story 17" Hangilsa 2009.4.10 p126 all of which strengthened the Heungseon Daewongun government's isolationist and anti-Catholic policies.[Naver Encyclopedia] Ernst Jacob Oppert (Doosan Encyclopedia)
Causes Daewongun and Catholicism In 1831, the Vatican designated Joseon as an independent diocese and in 1837, appointed Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert (who had been serving in China) to be Vicar Apostolic of the Catholic Church in Korea. In Joseon he joined Fr. Philibert Maubant, and ) to spread Catholicism, mainly among the fallen yangban. However, the yangban, the ministries and the ministers were concerned that Christianity was connected to the imperialism of the Western powers, so they banned Catholicism, and in 1839, they launched one of the persecutions of Catholicism, the , executing three French Catholic priests (Imbert, Maubant & Chastan) on September 21, 1839. However, despite this suppression, Catholicism continued to expand.
Heungseon Daewongun himself originally had no intention of suppressing Catholicism, and he had no antipathy towards it."Global World Encyclopedia" "Byeong-in Temple" Rather, he thought of interacting with Western powers such as France via Catholicism, a Western learning introduced from the West. Catholicism was also the religion of his wife, Lady Min of Yeoheungbu. One of the reasons why Heungseon Daewongun tolerated Catholicism was that he wanted to use Catholicism to broker a relationship with France and block Imperial Russia from advancing south. However, he had no choice but to deny Catholicism due to external events in Qing. This was because news was heard that the Qing Dynasty was suppressing Catholicism following the occupation of Beijing by British and French forces (the Second Opium War.Kang Jun-man "A Walk Through Modern Korean History 1" People and History of Thought 2011.3.31 p94 Thus, since Joseon was a vassal state of Qing, Heungseon Daewongun Lee Ha-eung had no choice but to also deny Catholicism.
Frustration with Russia's southward policy In 1864 (the first year of King Gojong's reign), when Russians came to Gyeongheungbu and demanded to trade, government officials including the Daewongun were surprised and embarrassed, but were helpless in coming up with countermeasures. On the other hand, some Catholics took a keen interest in this incident, thought of countermeasures on their own, and suggested them to the Daewongun. That is, if they could form a tripartite alliance of Korea, France, and England, they would be able to block Russia's southward expansion policy, and they thought that if this was accomplished, they would also be able to obtain religious freedom . Thus, they received a request from the Daewongun for a meeting with French missionaries. However, the request was not responded to.
Prince Daewongun's change of position The French Catholic missionaries, including Bishop Berneux, were not interested in politics and thus had no diplomatic value, while the Russians' border crossing and trade demands, which had been such important issues in the court, came to be thought of as unfounded concerns as time passed. The ruling class also opposed the expansion of Catholicism, which they regarded as " a heretical teaching that advocated heaven and hell and tyrannized the people," and furthermore, due to the Catholics' slow actions, incompetent mediation, and irresponsible remarks, rumors that "even Unhyeongung Palace is frequented by Catholics" spread throughout the capital, leading the government of Prince Daewongun to believe that the hoped-for results of this policy were not achievable.
At the same time, the high-ranking officials including Queen Dowager Jo, also began to criticize the Catholics' machinations. At that time, the persecution of Catholics was again becoming an issue in the Qing Dynasty because of its having been invaded by Western Powers, and Prince Daewongun reached a point where he did not want to take the risk of jeopardizing his political base. Thus, he gave up all expectations of Catholics and decided that it would be best to follow public opinion, and he changed his policy from acquiescence to persecution. Accordingly, an order was made for the persecution of Catholics .
Progression of events Persecution of Catholicism In January 1866 (3rd year of King Gojong's reign), when the Daewongun's decree to suppress Catholicism was promulgated,Lee Hwa "Korean History Story 17" Hangilsa 2009.4.10 p126 9 out of 12 French missionaries were executed, and over 8,000 Catholics in Korea were executed in just a few months. Countless women and children fled to the mountains, were chased away, or died of disease or starvation. Many non-believers were persecuted. Three French priests, including Daveluy, were beheaded in Suyeong, Chungcheong Province.
Large numbers of Catholics renounced their faith; Catholic books were confiscated and burned; and crosses and statues of the Virgin Mary were trampled. In October 1866, the Byeong-in Yangyo (the French expedition to Korea) occurred,[Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge] Byeong-in Persecution [丙寅迫害] (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, The Academy of Korean Studies).... In July, Father Ridel (李福明) escaped Joseon and went to Tianjin in the Qing Dynasty to ask for help from Admiral Roze (PG), commander of the French Oriental Fleet. In October, Roze led seven warships and staged an armed demonstration to hold French missionaries responsible for the massacre, resulting in the Byeong-in Yangyo (丙寅洋擾). As a result of this Byeong-in Yangyo, the persecution entered its second stage, and Prince Daewongun heightened the national sense of crisis and executed numerous Catholics by portraying them as a group of foreign recruits. and in May 1868, the German Ernst Oppert robbed the tomb of Prince Namyeon, the father of Heungseon Daewongun, and the persecution intensified.[Naver Encyclopedia] Namyeon-gun Tomb Robbery Incident [南延君墳墓盜掘事件] (Doosan Encyclopedia)..... Upon hearing the news, Daewongun ordered the pursuit of the foreigners, and at the same time concluded that such strange incidents were most likely caused by the internal collaborators and guidance of Catholics, and ordered a more severe crackdown on Catholics remaining in the country. The oppression of Catholicism continued for six years,[Naver Knowledge Encyclopedia] Byeong-in Persecution [丙寅迫害] (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Academy of Korean Studies)..... This persecution unfolded in four waves. The first was in the spring of 1866, the second from the summer to fall of 1866, the third in 1868, and the fourth in 1871, producing a total of more than 8,000 martyrs. The third persecution in 1868 is sometimes called the Mujin Persecution, and the fourth in 1871 the Sinmi Persecution, but since they were continuously promoted by Daewongun, it is customary to include them in the Byeong-in Persecution. Therefore, the Byeong-in Persecution does not refer to the persecution in just one year, 1866, but is a term that refers to the persecution over the following six years. and the areas where the oppression was severe were Hapjeong in Seoul, Ongjin, Pungcheon, Jangyeon in Hwanghae-do, Naepo in South Chungcheong Province,[Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge] Byeong-in Persecution [丙寅迫害] (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Academy of Korean Studies) ..... In April 1868, the Oppert incident of robbing the tomb of Prince Namyeon in Deoksan, South Chungcheong Province, reignited the flames and led to mass murders centered around the Naepo region. After his repeated requests for trade were rejected, Oppert planned to rob the tomb of Prince Daewongun's father and carried out the work, but failed. Daewongun was greatly angered by this and conducted a large-scale search for believers in the Naepo region. Since the Naepo region was an area where Catholicism had been spread since the founding of the Catholic Church, there were many victims and damage was also suffered in the nearby regions. and around Haemi-myeon in Seosan.
Martyrdom of Jeoldusan Father Ridel (1830–1884), who escaped Joseon to escape the persecution of Daewongun, reported the news of the martyrdom of nine French missionaries to Admiral Roze, the commander of the Far East Fleet in Tianjin. Roze refused the Qing Dynasty's offer of mediation and led three warships to retaliate with force, resulting in the Byeong-in Yangyo. The warships passed by Mapo ferry terminal (Yanghwajin) and Seogang around September 26, then attacked Ganghwa Island and plundered before withdrawing in November.14 Kang Jun-man "A Walk Through Modern Korean History 1" People and History of Thought 2011.3.31 p106~107National History Teachers Association "Living Korean History Textbook 2" Humanist 2003.4.28 p21 Furious at this incident, Heungseon Daewongun said, "It is right to wash the land that Western barbarians have defiled with the blood of Western scholars," and he set up an execution ground on Jamdubong next to Yanghwanaru and executed Catholics.Min Kyung-bae, "History of Korean Christianity" Yonsei University Press, 1995, p98 Thousands of Catholics died here. After that, it was called Jeoldusan,[Naver Encyclopedia] Civilization and Barbarism (Living Korean Modern and Contemporary History Textbook, 2011. 8. 8., Kim Yuk-hoon)..... It was called Jeoldusan (切頭山, a name given to indicate that the severed heads were piled high like a mountain). (). It is said that the severed heads were thrown into the Han River, and the heads formed mountains and the water of the Han River turned blood red.
Haemi Martyrdom (Buried Alive)