The purpose of this study is to define the nature of the 1871 YoungHae incident in which various interpretations exist with one event from the perspective of religious sociology. The reasons for looking at YoungHae incident from the perspective of religious sociology are as follows. First, it is because religious sociology studies the relationship between religion and society. Second, it is because religious sociology studies the social movement of religion. Third, this is because religious sociology studies the nature of religion's social transformation. Fourth, this is because religious sociology often uses the methodology of comparison. The contents of this study is first it is when religion is an independent variable. When religion is an independent variable of social change, success or failure depend on religious ideology, leaders, and resource mobilization. Of the four incidents led by Lee Phil-je, except for the Yeonghae incident, Jincheon, Jinju, and Mungyeong operations did not work properly. On the other hand, YoungHae incident was all Donghak in religious ideology, leadership, and resource mobilization, and the result was success. Second, when it was a dependent variable of social change, YoungHae incident influenced the direction of Donghak's progress. The Donghak doctrine was deepened. And it was an opportunity to start establishing relationships with the state. As a result of this study, the 1871 YoungHae incident may be a revolution depending on the perspective of view, but it is not a religious movement. The YoungHaeincident is at least a transformation movement that attempted social transformation, and a religious transformation movement that influenced Donghak. The significance of this study is that it confirmed the relationship between religion and social transformation in Korean history, and defined YoungHae incidents as the nature of social and religious transformation.