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Hunminjeongeum
1446 Korean document on Hangul script

Hunminjeongeum is a 15th-century manuscript that introduced the Korean script Hangul. The name of the manuscript was also the original name of the script.

King Sejong the Great commissioned the royal research institute Hall of Worthies to write the Hunminjeongeum to describe the writing system he had invented in 1443. The manuscript was then published in 1446.

Hunminjeongeum was intended to be a simpler alternative to the incumbent Chinese-based Hanja, in order to promote literacy among the general populace. It originally included 28 letters, but over time, four of those (ㆆ, ㆁ, ㅿ, ·) were abandoned, leading to the current 24 letters of Hangul.

Sejong the Great also commissioned the creation of a companion explanatory manuscript entitled Hunminjeongeum Haerye. In 1940, a copy of the Hunminjeongeum Haerye was discovered in Andong, Gyeongsang Province. An early copy of the document is in the Gansong Art Museum in Seoul, South Korea. In 1962, Hunminjeongeum Haerye was designated a National Treasure in South Korea and was registered by UNESCO in the Memory of the World Programme in 1997.

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History

Before Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was created, Chinese characters were used to transcribe Korean words through systems such as idu, hyangchal and gugyeol.9 Since Chinese language and Korean language share few similarities, borrowing Chinese characters proved to be inefficient to reflect the spoken language.10 In addition, at the time when Sejong the Great was inventing Hangul the Ming dynasty had just come to power in China, which changed the pronunciation of Chinese characters, making it harder for Koreans to learn the new standard pronunciation to record their words.11 The illiteracy level also stayed high since reading and learning Chinese characters was restricted among the ordinary people. They were generally used in official documents by the ruling class.1213 The ruling class took advantage of this and learning the Chinese characters became a symbol of power and privilege.14 In order to make written language more accessible for common people, Sejong the Great started creating Hangul secretly, since the ruling class would be appalled by the news.15

Hangul was personally created by Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Joseon dynasty, and revealed by him in 1443.16171819 Although it is widely assumed that Sejong the Great ordered the Hall of Worthies to invent Hangul, contemporary records such as the Veritable Records of King Sejong and Chŏng Inji's preface to the Hunminjeongeum Haerye emphasize that he invented it himself.20 This is stated in Book 113 of The Annals of King Sejong (Sejongsillok) on the 9th month and the 28th year of reign of King Sejong and at the end of An Illustrated Explanation of Hunminjeongeum (Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon; Hunminjeongeum Haerye).21 Afterward, King Sejong wrote the preface to the Hunminjeongeum, explaining the origin and purpose of Hangul and providing brief examples and explanations, and then tasked the Hall of Worthies to write detailed examples and explanations.22 The head of the Hall of Worthies, Chŏng Inji, was responsible for compiling the Hunminjeongeum.23 The Hunminjeongeum was published and promulgated to the public in 1446.24 The writing system is referred to as Hangul today but was originally named as Hunminjeongeum by King Sejong. "Hunmin" and "Jeongeum" are respective words that each indicate "to teach the people" and "proper sounds."25 Together Hunminjeongeum means "correct sounds for the instruction of the people."26

Versions and content

There are three versions of Hunminjeongeum.

  • Hunminjeongeum Yeui: Hanja version (Hunminjeongeum Sillok (세종실록; 世宗實錄; lit. The Sejong Chronicles) is classified as Hunminjeongeum Yeui.27)
  • Hunminjeongeum Haerye: An Illustrated Explanation of Hunminjeongeum (Hunminjeongeum Yeui + explanation: Haerye)28
  • Hunminjeongeum Eonhae: Hangul version of Hunminjeongeum Yeui29

Hunminjeongeum Yeui is written in Classical Chinese/Hanja and contains a preface, the alphabet letters, and brief descriptions of their corresponding sounds.30 The Classical Chinese (Hanja) of the Hunminjeongeum has been partly translated into Middle Korean. This translation is found together with Worinseokbo: an annotated Buddhist scripture and is called the Hunminjeongeum Eonhae.31

The first paragraph of Hunminjeongeum Haerye reveals Sejong the Great's motivation for creating Hangul:32

SystemText
Original Classical Chinese/Hanja33國之語音異乎中國與文字不相流通故愚民 有所欲言而終不得伸其情者多矣予爲此憫然新制二十八字欲使人人易習便於日用矣34
Middle Korean pronunciation transliteration of Classical Chinese textKwúyk ci ngě qum / Í hhwo tyung kwúyk / Yě mwun ccó pwúlq syang lyuw thwong / Kwó ngwu min wǔw swǒ ywók ngen / Zi cyung pwúlq túk sin kkuy ccyeng cyǎ ta ngǔy / Ye wúy chǒ mǐn zyen / Sin cyéy zí ssíp pálq ccó / Ywók sǒ zin zin í ssíp ppyen qe zílq ywóng zǐ.
Hanja + Hangul35國귁〮之징語ᅌᅥᆼ〯音ᅙᅳᆷ이〮 異잉〮乎ᅘᅩᆼ中듀ᇰ國귁〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮 與영〯文문字ᄍᆞᆼ〮로〮不부ᇙ〮相샤ᇰ流류ᇢ通토ᇰᄒᆞᆯᄊᆡ〮 故공〮로〮愚ᅌᅮᆼ民민이〮有우ᇢ〯所송〯欲욕〮言ᅌᅥᆫᄒᆞ〮야도〮 而ᅀᅵᆼ終쥬ᇰ不부ᇙ〮得득〮伸신其끵情쪄ᇰ者쟝〯ㅣ多당矣ᅌᅴᆼ〯라〮 予영ㅣ爲윙〮此ᄎᆞᆼ〯憫민〯然ᅀᅧᆫᄒᆞ〮야〮 新신制졩〮二ᅀᅵᆼ〮十씹〮八바ᇙ〮字ᄍᆞᆼ〮ᄒᆞ〮노니〮 欲욕〮使ᄉᆞᆼ〯人ᅀᅵᆫ人ᅀᅵᆫᄋᆞ〮로〮易잉〮習씹〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮便뼌於ᅙᅥᆼ日ᅀᅵᇙ〮用요ᇰ〮耳ᅀᅵᆼ〯니라〮
Hanja + Hangul TransliterationKwúyk ci ngě qum í / Í hhwo tyung kwúyk hó yá / Yě mwun ccó lwó pwúlq syang lyuw thwong hol ssóy / Kwó lwó ngwu min í wǔw swǒ ywók ngen hó ya twó / Zi cyung pwúlq túk sin kkuy ccyeng cyǎ y ta ngǔy lá / Ye y wúy chǒ mǐn zyen hó yá / Sin cyéy zí ssíp pálq ccó hó nwo ní / Ywók sǒ zin zin ó lwó í ssíp hó yá ppyen qe zílq ywóng zǐ ni lá.
Middle Korean36나랏〮말〯ᄊᆞ미〮 中듀ᇰ國귁〮에〮달아〮 文문字ᄍᆞᆼ〮와〮로〮서르ᄉᆞᄆᆞᆺ디〮아니〮ᄒᆞᆯᄊᆡ〮 이〮런젼ᄎᆞ〮로〮어린〮百ᄇᆡᆨ〮姓셔ᇰ〮이〮니르고〮져〮호ᇙ〮배〮이셔〮도〮 ᄆᆞᄎᆞᆷ〮내〯제ᄠᅳ〮들〮시러〮펴디〮몯〯ᄒᆞᇙ노〮미〮하니〮라〮 내〮이〮ᄅᆞᆯ〮爲윙〮ᄒᆞ〮야〮어〯엿비〮너겨〮 새〮로〮스〮믈〮여듧〮字ᄍᆞᆼ〮ᄅᆞᆯ〮ᄆᆡᇰᄀᆞ〮노니〮 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ마〯다〮ᄒᆡ〯ᅇᅧ〮수〯ᄫᅵ〮니겨〮날〮로〮ᄡᅮ〮메〮便뼌安ᅙᅡᆫ킈〮ᄒᆞ고〮져〮ᄒᆞᇙᄯᆞᄅᆞ미〮니라〮
Middle Korean transliterationNalás mǎlssomí / Tyungkwúykéy talGá / Mwunccówálwó selu somostí aníholssóy / Ílen cyenchólwó elín póyksyéngí nilukwócyé hwólq páy isyétwó / Mochómnǎy cey ptútúl silé phyetí mwǒt holq nwómí hanílá / Náy ílól wúyhóyá ěyespí nekyé / Sáylwó súmúl yetúlp ccólól moyngkónwoní / Sǎlommǎtá hǒyGGyé swǔWí nikyé nállwó pswúméy ppyenqankhúy hokwócyé holq stolomínilá.
English translation

[Because] the spoken language of this country is different from that of China, it does not flow well with [Chinese] characters. Therefore, even if the ignorant want to communicate, many of them in the end cannot state their concerns. Saddened by this, I have [had] 28 letters newly made. It is my wish that all the people may easily learn these letters and that [they] be convenient for daily use.

Notes

English Wikisource has original text related to this article: ko:훈민정음 Look up hunminjeongeum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  1. Original spelling: 훈〮민져ᇰ〮ᅙᅳᆷ ↩

  2. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  3. "한글". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0061508#section-19 ↩

  4. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  5. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  6. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  7. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  8. "Hunminjeongum Manuscript". UNESCO. Retrieved August 2, 2023. https://www.unesco.org/en/memory-world/hunminjeongum-manuscript ↩

  9. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved April 28, 2020. https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/setting/001.html ↩

  10. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved April 28, 2020. https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/setting/001.html ↩

  11. Lee, Sang Gyu (Autumn 2007). "The World's Preeminent Writing System: Hangeul". Koreana. 21 (3): 8–15. https://issuu.com/the_korea_foundation/docs/2007_03_e_b_a ↩

  12. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved April 28, 2020. https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/setting/001.html ↩

  13. Pae, Hye K.; Bae, Sungbong; Yi, Kwangoh (2019). "More than an alphabet". Written Language & Literacy. 22 (2): 223–246. doi:10.1075/wll.00027.pae. S2CID 216548163. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩

  14. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved April 28, 2020. https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/setting/001.html ↩

  15. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved April 28, 2020. https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/setting/001.html ↩

  16. Kim-Renaud, Young-Key (1997). The Korean Alphabet: Its History and Structure. University of Hawaii Press. p. 15. ISBN 9780824817237. Retrieved May 16, 2018. 9780824817237 ↩

  17. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved December 4, 2017. http://www.korean.go.kr/hangeul/setting/002.html ↩

  18. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  19. Paik, Syeung-gil (Winter 1997). "Preserving Korea's Documents: UNESCO's 'Memory of the World Register'". Koreana. The Korea Foundation. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20170809092445/http://koreana.kf.or.kr/view.asp?article_id=664&lang=English ↩

  20. "알고 싶은 한글". National Institute of Korean Language. Retrieved April 28, 2020. https://www.korean.go.kr/eng_hangeul/setting/001.html ↩

  21. Lee, Sang Gyu (Autumn 2007). "The World's Preeminent Writing System: Hangeul". Koreana. 21 (3): 8–15. https://issuu.com/the_korea_foundation/docs/2007_03_e_b_a ↩

  22. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  23. Paik, Syeung-gil (Winter 1997). "Preserving Korea's Documents: UNESCO's 'Memory of the World Register'". Koreana. The Korea Foundation. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20170809092445/http://koreana.kf.or.kr/view.asp?article_id=664&lang=English ↩

  24. "Hunminjeongeum Manuscript". Cultural Heritage Administration. Cultural Heritage Administration. Retrieved February 28, 2019. http://english.cha.go.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?ctgryLrcls=CTGRY168&nttId=57977&bbsId=BBSMSTR_1205&mn=EN_03_03 ↩

  25. Lee, Sang Gyu (Autumn 2007). "The World's Preeminent Writing System: Hangeul". Koreana. 21 (3): 8–15. https://issuu.com/the_korea_foundation/docs/2007_03_e_b_a ↩

  26. Lee, Ji-young (December 2013). "Hangeul" (PDF). The Understanding Korea Series. Academy of Korean Studies Press. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210309030136/https://intl.ikorea.ac.kr:40666/korean/UserFiles/UKS1_Hangeul_eng.pdf ↩

  27. "우리역사넷". contents.history.go.kr. Retrieved February 17, 2024. http://contents.history.go.kr/mobile/kc/view.do?levelId=kc_r300900&code=kc_age_30 ↩

  28. "훈민정음(訓民正音)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0065805 ↩

  29. "훈민정음(訓民正音)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0065806 ↩

  30. "훈민정음(訓民正音)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0065805 ↩

  31. "보물 월인석보 권1~2 (月印釋譜 卷一~二) : 국가문화유산포털 - 문화재청". Heritage Portal : CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION (in Korean). Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://www.heritage.go.kr/heri/cul/culSelectDetail.do?pageNo=1_1_1_0&ccbaKdcd=12&ccbaAsno=07450100&ccbaCtcd=11&ccbaCpno=1121107450100 ↩

  32. "한국고전원문자료관". kostma.aks.ac.kr. Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://kostma.aks.ac.kr/classic/gojunTextView.aspx?dataUCI=G002+CLA+KSM-WO.1446.0000-00000000.0002 ↩

  33. "한국고전원문자료관". kostma.aks.ac.kr. Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://kostma.aks.ac.kr/classic/gojunTextView.aspx?dataUCI=G002+CLA+KSM-WO.1446.0000-00000000.0002 ↩

  34. In this last line, some digital transcriptions including the one by the Academy of Korean Studies replaces 矣 with 耳.[15] /wiki/Academy_of_Korean_Studies ↩

  35. "StreamDocs". archives.hangeul.go.kr. Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://archives.hangeul.go.kr/streamdocs/view/sd;streamdocsId=hazUgqkO1LxHq53xlcm3PfTMJXfnOn_NmUbQe930Lhs ↩

  36. "StreamDocs". archives.hangeul.go.kr. Retrieved February 17, 2024. https://archives.hangeul.go.kr/streamdocs/view/sd;streamdocsId=hazUgqkO1LxHq53xlcm3PfTMJXfnOn_NmUbQe930Lhs ↩