Hong Gyeong-rae (1780–1812) was a rebel leader in the Joseon province of Pyeongan, in present-day Democratic People's Republic of Korea, during the early 19th century.
[1] While some scholars have indicated that he was a yangban;[2] this idea may have stemmed from a fictionalized account of his life based on a Chinese novel translated into Korean.
[4] He relied on two basic arguments to gain supporters for the revolution: Although negatively portrayed in government documents, Hong appears to have been a strong and capable leader.
He displayed exemplary Confucian behavior when he ordered a proper burial for an illustrious government official, who had been killed by the rebels and was regarded as "righteous" for maintaining his loyalty to the existing dynasty.
[9] Two leaders, whose plan for a speedy attack on government forces after their initial defeat was not adopted, concluded that the rebellion would be lost.