Hunminjeongeum

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This article is about the book that introduced Hangul. For the alphabet, see Hangul.
Hunminjeongeum
File:Hunminjeongum.jpg
First page of the Hunminjeongeum
AuthorSejong the Great (base Hunminjeongeum)
Language
SubjectHangul
Publication date
c. October 1446
Publication placeJoseon
Original text
Hunminjeongeum at 한국어 Wikisource
TranslationHunminjeongeum at Wikisource
Korean name
Hangul
훈민정음
Hanja
訓民正音
RRHunminjeongeum
MRHunminjŏngŭm

Hunminjeongeum[a] (Korean: 훈민정음[b]; Hanja: 訓民正音; lit. 'The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People'[1]) is a 1446 work that formally introduced the first native Korean alphabet. That alphabet was originally also called "Hunminjeongeum", although it is now widely called "Hangul" (international spelling; spelled in South Korea "Hangeul") or "Chosŏn'gŭl" (in North Korea).

The term Hunminjeongeum is used in a number of different ways, often due to the various editions and sections of the text. The term is sometimes used to refer to only the first two sections of the text: the preface and description of Hangul. That "base" Hunminjeongeum is sometimes referred to as the Yeui (예의; 例義). There is also a commentary section, the Hunminjeongeum Haerye, that was published alongside the base Hunminjeongeum. Sometimes, the base Hunminjeongeum and Haerye together are sometimes referred to only as Hunminjeongeum.

The base Hunminjeongeum was first published around October 1446 (Gregorian calendar) and authored by Joseon king Sejong the Great (r. 1418–1450). It was originally written in Classical Chinese using the Hanja script. It was later translated to the Korean language using Korean mixed script; such translated editions are called Eonhae (언해; 諺解; Ŏnhae). While the base Hunminjeongeum remained in the historical record, the Hunminjeongeum Haerye was lost and forgotten. It was only rediscovered in 1940.

The Hunminjeongeum and Haerye are considered to be among the most important works in the study of the Korean language. A copy of the full text, including the Haerye section, was designated a National Treasure of South Korea in 1962 and entered into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 1997.

History

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Background

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See also: Origin of Hangul and History of Hangul

Before the invention of Hangul, Korea had been using Hanja (Chinese characters) since antiquity. The difficulty of the script limited its use to mostly upper-class people; commoners were largely illiterate. Hanja is not well suited for representing the Korean language; the Chinese and Korean languages are not closely related and differ in significant ways. For example, Classical Chinese uses subject–verb–object word order while Middle Korean uses subject–object–verb word order.[2]

Due to a lack of records, it is unknown when work on Hangul first began, nor what that process looked like. Joseon king Sejong the Great (r. 1418–1450) was responsible for and significantly involved in Hangul's creation.[3]

Hangul was first introduced, likely in a mostly complete form, to Sejong's court in the 12th month of 1443 of the Korean calendar (around December 30, 1443 to January 28, 1444 in the Gregorian calendar). Work then began on applying the script and developing official documentation for it; this would eventually culminate in the creation of the Hunminjeongeum and Haerye.Lua error: not enough memory.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Publication date

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An exact publication date for the Hunminjeongeum and Haerye is not known. The base Hunminjeongeum claims to have been published in the 9th month of 1446 (Korean calendar). The postface to the Haerye is dated to the first ten days (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) of that month; it does not specify which day in that range the postface was completed. If the 10th day is assumed, that is October 9 in the Gregorian calendar; that day is celebrated as Hangul Day in South Korea.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.[4]

Content

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Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. The base Hunminjeongeum text was authored by Sejong and is composed of two parts: a brief preface and a description of the alphabet.[5] In the Hunminjeongeum Haerye edition, the base Hunminjeongeum consists of four leaves (sheets of paper).Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. The contents of the text are summarized below.

The preface is as follows:

The sounds of our country's language are different from those of the Middle Kingdom and are not confluent with the sounds of characters. Therefore, among the ignorant people, there have been many who, having something they want to put into words, have in the end been unable to express their feelings. I have been distressed because of this, and have newly designed twenty-eight letters, which I wish to have everyone practice at their ease and make convenient for their daily use.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

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After the preface, the 28 letters are introduced. Each letter has their shape and brief description of their sound given using a Hanja character for reference. The 17 consonants are introduced first in the following order: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.. Then the 11 vowels are introduced in this order: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1..Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

After the letters are introduced, these orthographic principles are given in the following order:Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

  • Initial consonants can also be used as terminal consonants.
  • The light labial letters (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.[6]) letters, Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., are introduced. These letters are formed by adding Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. directly underneath the labial consonants Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and indicate lighter sounds.
  • Initial and terminal consonants can be combined; when they are, they are written horizontally side-by-side.
  • The vowels Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. are written underneath the initial consonant, while Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. are written just to the right of it. An initial consonant must always be paired with at least a vowel to form a syllable.
  • Tone markings (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., called bangjeom or pangchŏm (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; lit. side dotsLua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.), are placed to the left side of Hangul characters in a system called gajeom or kachŏm (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.):Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.[7]
    • Level tone (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) is indicated with no dots
    • Departing tone (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) has a single dot ( 〮)
    • Rising tone (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) has two dots ( 〯)
    • Entering tone (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) does not receive its own dot indication. Pronunciation of characters in entering tone is quick and tense.

Versions and copies

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There are various surviving pre-modern versions and copies of the text. Many of them were lost to the historical record and have been gradually rediscovered even into recent history.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

The extant versions of the text can be broadly categorized as follows:

  • Yeui (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.): the base Hunminjeongeum by Sejong,[c] originally written in original Classical Chinese and Hanja.[5]
    • Eonhae (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.):[d] these are editions that have been translated to Korean and mixed script (Hangul and Hanja). All the extant Eonhae editions are translations of the Yeui. They are all likely to be related to and/or descended from the version in the Wŏrin sŏkpo (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1..Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  • Hunminjeongeum Haerye (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.):[e] this is a modern term[f] used to refer to the edition of the Hunminjeongeum that contains both the Yeui and the commentary section on it, which is individually called Haerye. This version is in the original Classical Chinese and Hanja.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Tone markings for Chinese (which appear as dots in corners of some cells[g]) vary between the copies and editions; they serve as an important tool for comparing and contrasting them.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Hunminjeongeum Haerye

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The Hunminjeongeum Haerye is believed to be closest to the original form of the text published in 1446. The Hunminjeongeum and Haerye are of separate authorship; the Haerye was written by a group of scholars led by Chŏng Inji.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. While the Hunminjeongeum remained in the historical record, the Haerye was eventually lost and forgotten, possibly by the early 16th century. It was only rediscovered in 1940. This copy is referred to as the "Kansong copy".Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. This copy was designated a National Treasure of South Korea in 1962[8]Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. and a UNESCO Memory of the World in 1997.[9]Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

A second copy, the Sangju copy, was discovered in 2008. However, its discoverer has refused to show it to others, even after the South Korean government was ruled the owner of the copy in 2019.[10]

Veritable Records of Sejong edition

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One edition is included in the Veritable Records of Sejong, part of the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty (also called sillok). It is in the original Hanja.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.[11] It contains the text of the Hunminjeongeum and excerpts of the Haerye, namely Chŏng's postface to it. There are some differences in the text of both Sejong's foreward and Chŏng Inji's preface with other editions. The excerpts of the Haerye were of particular historiographical importance until the rediscovery of the Haerye.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Ahn argued that a copy of the Hunminjeongeum that appeared in a 1678 abridged copy of the text Paejayebuullyak (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. seems to be based on the Veritable Records edition.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Hunminjeongeum Eonhae

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File:Hunminjeongeum Eonhae 01 (cropped).jpg
The first page of the Eonhae edition, from a 1568 reprint

The Hunminjeongeum Eonhae edition contains the original Hanja text, annotations on that text, and a translation into Korean (using mixed script).Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. The oldest known variant of this edition was included as part of the opening chapter of the 1459 text Wŏrin sŏkpo (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., although it is unclear if this edition first appeared in that text. Wŏrin sŏkpo is likely a combination of two books originally published in the late 1440s: Wŏrin ch'ŏn'gangjigok (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. and Sŏkposangjŏl. It is speculated that the inclusion of the Eonhae was possibly a practice adopted from Sŏkposangjŏl.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. These editions have the title Sejong eoje hunminjeongeum (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.) written on them, where Sejong eoje means "authored by His Majesty Sejong".Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

This edition contains some apparent additions, changes, and annotations that do not appear in the Haerye edition, which suggests that it was authored after that. For example, the Wŏrin sŏkpo version is the only version of the Hunminjeongeum to contain guidance on pure dental sibilants and palatal-supradental sibilants (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.),[h] which were used to transcribe Chinese. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. are the incisor-anteriors and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., and Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. are the incisor-palatals.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

The annotations explain meanings of the Chinese characters in the text, as well as further explanations of technical terminology.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. The quality of the translation to Korean has also been scrutinized by modern scholars. Ahn argues that several alleged mistakes in translation are in fact efforts to deal with issues relating to Chinese tones.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Various copies of this edition exist, with some minor variations in content and style.

  • The oldest known copy (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1., believed to be an original, was discovered in 1972 and became stored in Sogang University.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. It is a Treasure of South Korea.[12]
  • The first edition to be historiographically accounted for was a 1568 woodblock print originally at the temple Huibangsa (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1..Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. The blocks were destroyed during the 1950–1953 Korean War.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.[13]
  • An apparent copy of the Wŏrin sŏkpo edition was in the private collection of Pak Sŭngbin (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. (1880–1943[14]) and later at Korea University, although that copy was apparently published separate from the rest of the Wŏrin sŏkpo. According to Ahn, scholars believe that changes in the text correspond not to 15th-century grammar but instead to the grammar of around King Sukjong's reign (r. 1661 – 1720).Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. It was held in high esteem until the rediscovery of the Haerye. The first page is missing and was replaced at some point.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  • One copy is in the collection of the Japanese Imperial Household Agency. Until the end of the first chapter, it is identical to the Pak Sŭngbin copy. It was possibly printed around the reigns of King Yeongjo (r. 1694 – 1776) or King Jeongjo (1776–1800).Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  • One copy is in the private collection of the late Japanese linguist Shōzaburō Kanazawa (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.. This copy appears identical to the original Wŏrin sŏkpo edition.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

Legacy

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The Hunminjeongeum and Haerye are considered to be foundational works in the study of the Korean language.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. A copy of the Haerye edition was designated a National Treasure of South Korea on December 20, 1962[8]Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. and a UNESCO Memory of the World in 1997.[9]

Notes

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  1. ^ This is the Revised Romanization spelling used by UNESCO and the South Korean government. Also sometimes spelled Hunmin jeongeum (with a space). In the McCune–Reischauer romanization system, it is spelled Hunminjŏngŭm or Hunmin chŏngŭm.
  2. ^ Spelling as given in the Hunminjeongeum Eonhae: 훈〮민져ᇰ〮ᅙᅳᆷ.
  3. ^ The term Yeui sometimes is considered to refer to both Sejong's preface and explanation of the letters.[5] However, Ahn considers it to exclude Sejong's preface.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  4. ^ I.e. Hunminjeongeum Eonhae or Hunminjeongeum Eonhaebon (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.).
  5. ^ Sometimes called Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon (Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.; Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.)
  6. ^ In the 15th century, the term Hunminjeongeum referred to Yeui and Haerye commentaries.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  7. ^ Level tone is dot in lower left, rising tone is upper left, departing tone in upper right, entering tone in lower right.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. Markings are shown when the Chinese character is being used in a less-common definition or way.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  8. ^ Ledyard calls these "pure dental sibilants and supradental sibilants"Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. and Ahn calls these "pure dental sibilants and palatal-supradental sibilants".Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

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References

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  1. ^ Ahn 2018, p. 10.
  2. ^ Haarmann 1993, pp. 144–145.
  3. ^ Ledyard 1990, p. 13.
  4. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  5. ^ a b c Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  6. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  7. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  8. ^ a b Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  9. ^ a b Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  10. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  11. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  12. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  13. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.
  14. ^ Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1.

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Sources

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  • Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 1. Open access icon
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