Bocheonism (Poch’ŏn’gyo; 普天敎) engaged in rituals whereby avowals were made to the heavens both at the foot of Mt. Daehwang-san and Mt. Hwangseok-san in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsang-namdo. In September 1919 based on the lunar calendar, Gochun-je, a service whereby avowals were made to the heavens, was held to expand and reorganize the 24 Bangjooje system into the 60 Bangjooje system at the foot of Mt. Daehwang-san in Deokam-ri, Jigok-myeon, Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsang-namdo.
In September 1921 based on the lunar calendar , the country name of ‘Si (時)’ and the religious name of ‘Bohwa’ were declared to the heavens at Mt. Hwangseok-san that encompasses Seoha-myeon and Anui-myeon, Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsang-namdo.
From that time, the ‘Chonja-deunggeuk-seol,’ a story in which Cha Wol-gok was crowned as an emperor, was disseminated.
Around the time when Gocheon services were held, the Japanese government persistently requested Bocheonism to be opened up to the public with the intention of controlling it based on the principle that religions were to be managed and guided.
Unless the religious society opened itself up, it could not be guaranteed that the Gocheon service as a core element in the project of establishing a new government for the paradise of the Later Day would be held. At that time, Cha Wol-gok chose both to open the religious organization up to the public and to hold the Gocheon service.
Carefully looking into this matter, the choice to open the religious society up to the public guaranteed that the Gocheon service could be held. The rumor that the ‘Gocheon service was a ceremony for the emperor to be crowned’ gave people hope that a new dynasty or a new government would be founded. That is, the Gocheon service was reproduced into a prophecy or rumor empowered with the new potential of Bocheonism. The rumor referred to a religious doctrine based on the Jeonggam-rok and the ‘prophecy of Kang Jeungsan.’ However, at that time, the public or the Japanese government looked upon the establishing project of a new government as a manifestation of a desire for Korea's independence or the establishment of a new government.
There were two external views regarding Bocheonism that appeared based on it’s opening up and the Gocheon service itself: First, the Japanese government, the press and intellectuals outside of the Order considered Bocheonism to be a pseudo religion.
In particular, even nationalists as well as newspapers and magazines criticized it. It was a unusual situation whereby nationalists were against Bocheonism that intended to lead the project for establishing a new government in Korea that was characterized by a strong sense of nationalism. Second, unlike the promise at the time when there was some kind of reconciliation, the Japanese government schemed and plotted to divide Bocheonism. In addition, the government attempted to blatantly oppress it.
Eventually, Bocheonism was spilt into conservative and reformist wings, which caused another spilt, and it became enfeebled. The struggle between the conservative and reformist factions became serious in a dispute over ownership of a newspaper, the Sidaeilbo, but the fundamental reason why Bocheonism became divided and emasculated was the opening up of this religious organization .