Birthplace of General Jeon Bong-jun

About this place

General Jeon Bong-jun — the central figure and leader of the Donghak Peasant Revolution — was born on December 3, 1855, at 63 Juknimni, Dangchon Village, Gochang-eup, and lived here until around the age of 13. At the time, there was a private school (seodang), inner quarters, and reception hall, but all were destroyed during the Donghak Peasant Revolution. His small stature — barely five feet tall — earned him the nickname 'Nokdu' (mung bean), which is why he became known as 'Nokdu Janggun' (Mung Bean General). The Donghak Peasant Revolution led by General Jeon Bong-jun was both a national movement opposing the exploitation and oppression of the feudal ruling class, and a struggle to protect national sovereignty against imperialist foreign intrusion; it served as the vanguard of the Gabo Reform (갑오개혁) and was the first popular uprising to raise high the banner of 'protecting the nation and securing the people' (보국안민). The birthplace of General Jeon Bong-jun is recognized as a symbolic place where the supreme leader of what was the largest revolutionary event in Korean history was born and spent his childhood, and has been designated as a Jeollabuk-do Monument.