Abstract

The Canonical Scripture depicts Jeungsan discussing the three resentments brought upon Joseon by Japan to his disciples. The first resentment refers to the Japanese army’s failure to enter Seoul, while the second resentment represents the large-scale loss of innocent lives. The third resentment involves the teaching of rice planting techniques. According to the interpretation of Daesoon Jinrihoe, in the process of forcibly annexing the Korean Empire, Japan resolved the first resentment. Despite their failure to achieve a complete occupation of Joseon(Korea) during the Imjin War, Japan was able to establish colonial rule without inflicting significant sacrifices, thus resolving the second resentment. In the teachings of Daesoon Truth, the subject of resentment extends beyond the common notion that it primarily includes the victims. It encompasses not only the perpetrators and victims but also humans, divine beings, and even animals, as agents responsible for the harmony and operation of the heaven and earth. This reflects Jeungsan’s inclusive and comprehensive perspective as the presider governing the harmony of all things. The third resentment is examined from a civilization-historical perspective, specifically in relation to rice farming. Japan introduced the practice of cultivating rice in a separate location before transplanting it to the main field, known as the young rice planting method, to Joseon. This unintentionally increased Korea’s agricultural productivity without achieving Japan’s invasion goals. Broadly speaking, rice farming served as a catalyst for the development of human civilization, driving population growth, urbanization, economic and social progress, as well as cultural and intellectual advancements. In inadvertently benefiting the ‘enemy’ by transferring advanced agricultural techniques from the birthplace of rice farming, Japan caused a result that was contrary to its original intentions. Ultimately, severe famine during the three-year Japanese colonial period led to the resolution of Japan’s third resentment on the land of Joseon. Furthermore, this study examines the domestic and international political situations before and after the Imjin War and analyzes the process of resolving the existing Three Resentments. Additionally, it explores the causes and consequences of the Three Resentments from a civilizational perspective. Interpreting the term, ‘the set of Three Resentments,’ as the House of Three Resentments suggests the potential for a layered meaning inherent in this designation.