Youngmo Yu was a follower of Seunghun Lee who founded Osan School and later led the First of March Independence Movement. He was a teacher of Seokheon Ham, a phyilosopher who later devoted himself to the non-violence peaceful movement for democracy Youngmo Yu thought that the country had been destroyed by the ideology of the privileged noble class, and suggested a democratic idea that SSIAL (ordinary people) should be the master that should be served. In the sunburnt face of a farmer, Youngmo Yu found the stage of a true man who is described by Lao Tzu as hiding his wisdom and living among ordinary people He went into an agricultural village in order to spend his life sweating from work and serving with love.
He used cold water to wash his body for 70 years since he was 20 years of age until he died. When he was 51, he went into the state of deep faith and, on the top of the Samgak Mountain, had an experience of his body becoming one with heaven and earth. Then, he started to think ‘A day is the whole life’ and practiced it while he was taking only one meal a day. He did not distinguish death from life. He freed himself from desire and knowledge and deeply breathed the breath from the heaven. He felt the real freedom of life when he emptied his mind and discarded the desire for possession, and enjoyed his life in this freedom. From his deep spiritual understanding, he cultivated a philosophy for practical life.
Based on Christianity, he combined Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism to produce a thought that can be globally adopted. According to him, if you are honest, you will become one, and when you become one, you will gain the general understanding. He said, if you go forward to God and become one, you will see your sensible, intellectual and spiritual faculties getting utilized and then completed. He thought that the strength of a nation comes from the qualities of being honest to God and having the mind of God. Youngmo Yu was the first thinker who spoke and wrote about philosophy in the Korean language. He was a person who practiced the life of a monk in Christianity. And he was a great philosopher who combined the spirits and philosophies of the East and the West.
Born on the 13th of March in 1890 as the eldest son between father Myeonggeun Yu and mother Wanjeon Kim, near Sugak bridge near Namdaemun in Seoul.
Learned TongGam at a village school teaching written Chinese language in Heungmunseogol. Learned The Thousand Character Text from father and memorized it all at the age of four.
Entered an elementary school in Suhadong in Seoul. He completed only 2 years of the three year course and decided to go to a village school again for learning written Chinese language.
Went to a village school established in a large house in Buamdong outside of Jahamun, and learned “Mencius”.
Introduced to the Christianity by Jeongsik Kim, the first Korean general manager of YMCA, he went to Yeondong Church in Seoul. on the other hand, he entered Gyeongseong Japanese language school to learn Japanese for 2 years.
Entered GyeongSin School in Seoul and studied for 2 years.
Became a teacher for Yangpyung School established in Yangpyung in Gyeonggi-do by Wonmo Jeong and taught for one semester.
Invited by Namgang Seonghun Yi, he became a teacher for Osan School in JeongJu, Pyungbuk and served there for 2 years. During this time, he introduced Christianity for the first time to Osan School and Namgang Seonghun Yi became a Christian as a result.
Studied Tolstoy at Osan School. Went to Tokyo, Japan and entered Tokyo School of Physics there to study for 1 year. Attended lectures and speeches in Tokyo, Japan.
Married Hyojeong Kim (age 23)
Associating with Yukdang Namseon Choi, he wrote 'Farmer Friend', 'Today' and other stories in “Chungchun (meaning ‘youth’)” periodical magazine.
Kept in custody 6,000 Won in his father’s Gyungsung Leathers’ Store which had been collected by Namgang Seonghun Yi from the Christian community to use for the First of March Independence Movement.
Became the Principal of Osan School in JeongJu in succession to Godang Mansik Jo and served for 1 year.
Gyosin Kim and other members of a magazine “SeongSeoJoSeon (meaning ‘Bible Korea’)” invited him to join in. He refused the offer, but he had private lessons from Gyosin Kim.
Having received an earnest request from Changju Dongwan Hyun, the general manager of Central YMCA, he led a YMCA class called ‘Yeongyeongban'. He continued this for 35 years until Dongwan Hyun passed away in 1963.
Moved from his residence in Juksundong, Jongro, Seoul to a farm in Gugi-ri, Eunpyung-myun, Goyang-gun Gyunggi-do to work like a farmer.
Wrote an article in “SeongSeoJoSeon (meaning ‘Bible Korea’)” cherishing the memory of Samseong Jungsik Kim.
Had a turning point in his life with an occasion that had moved his heart. He decided to put the spirit of Jesus as the basis of his faith. He began to lead an ascetic life having one meal a day. He declared “Haehon (meaning ‘marriage life without sex’)”. He also began to sleep on a wooden floor made of a pine nut tree.
Having been related to the “SeongSeoJoSeon” event, he was arrested and detained in Jongro Police Station under Japanese imperialism. He was not passed to the stage of prosecution and was released from Seodaemun Prison after 57 days.
Attained big spiritual enlightenment on top of the Bukak Mountain at dawn on the 5th of February.
During the period of administration vacuum following the liberation of the country from Japan, he became the head of Eunpyung-myun Self-governing Committee by the request of the local residents.
Presented lectures as a guest for HamSeokheon’s YMCA Sunday meetings.
Dongwan Hyun, the general manager of YMCA, held on his own insistence an event celebrating the 22,000 days of Youngmo Yu in the YMCA Hall.
Declared that he was destined to die on 26 April 1956 around one year later. He began to keep his diary (Daseok’s Diary).
Finished translation of the complete book of 'Lao-tzu'. Also translated important parts from other scriptures.
Had an accident of falling from the roof top of the entrance of his house after he had gone to the top with his granddaughter on 21 December. He was hospitalized to the Seoul National University Hospital and was treated there for 28 days.
became 30,000 days old on 1 May.
Departed for a wandering journey. He was carried back home almost in a lifeless state by a policeman. He was in a state of unconsciousness for 3 days, and could get out of bed after 10 days.
Passed away at 6:30pm on the 3d of February in 1981 when he was 90 years 10 months and 21 days old. Burial place The 3rd grave in Row Q, Maehwa Block, Pungsan Burial Park, Byeongcheon-myeon, Cheonan-si Chungcheongnam-do
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