Wasn't it hard to get here? The streets might be bustling with both passersby and foreign tourists. Witnessing them enjoy Seoul, Korea makes me emotional. In the past, under the name 'Enlightenment,' I earnestly sought to engage with various countries, welcoming knowledge and culture.

Haha, I find myself tearing up. I'll calm myself and continue the guide of Jongno Modern Street, the 'Path to Enlightenment.' The place you're currently standing in is a bit lively, isn't it? You can hear the chatter from the streets and the laughter or cheers of students coming from the schoolyard across the guidepost. Welcome to the front of Duksung Girls' Middle School.

If you look at the guidepost, it mentions that the Central Temple of Cheondogyo was located here. Cheondogyo - a name that sounds unfamiliar to me, but I'm not entirely ignorant of it. During my time, it was referred to as Donghak, and it changed its name to Cheondogyo in 1905.

Looking back, I regret not showing more interest in Donghak. We believed that the path to modernization was outside the country. In some short period, we even thought that Japan's path was exemplary. However, one of the things that showed the way to modernization within Korea was Donghak. Donghak’s teaching of 'considering people as high as the sky and advocating equality for all' was profoundly significant. While we also claimed the abolition of lineage during the Gapsin Coup, we fell far short compared to Donghak's principles.

Many people were deeply moved by Donghak's teachings, and as Donghak spread widely, the government viewed it as a threat. As Donghak began gaining popularity, the government falsely accused its founder, Choe Je-u, of misleading the innocent people and executed him. Despite this, Donghak continued to thrive under Choe Sihyeong, leading to the Donghak Peasant Revolution. However, as Donghak's power and influence grew, internal issues arose, such as the infiltration of pro-Japanese sentiments. In response, the leader at the time, Son Byeong-hui, expelled the pro-Japanese faction and changed the name to Cheondogyo.

After changing its name, Cheondogyo, despite its image as an indigenous religion, embraced new elements without hesitation. This ranged from small changes like removing Goreum and adding buttons to the attire of believers, to more significant ones such as constructing Western-style buildings for their places of worship. Before building the Western-style Central Temple, the Central Temple of Cheondogyo was right here.

In 1919, Cheondogyo played a crucial role in planning a significant historical event. It collaborated with Christianity and Buddhism to initiate a movement for independence. In other words, it laid the foundation for the March First Independence Movement as a national movement in which everyone could participate. The movement started right here. Then, in 1921, Cheondogyo, having built a new church, relocated to Gyeongun-dong.

Alright, now let's move on to the next stop on Jongno Modern Street. As we head to the Jeongdok Library, if you take a left into a small alley, you'll come across the Seoul Hall of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. In front of it, there's the Office of the Royal Genealogy, where we’re going to explore.