Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音) is our people's native alphabet that was invented in December of 1443(The 25th year of King Sejong). The formal name of letter is ‘Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音).’ However, from around the time that Hunminjeongeum was or...
Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音) is our people's native alphabet that was invented in December of 1443(The 25th year of King Sejong). The formal name of letter is ‘Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音).’ However, from around the time that Hunminjeongeum was originated, it was called ‘Eonmun(諺文)’ or ‘Jeongeum(正音),’ too. From around the 16th century, the pronunciation in 'Hangeul' ever called Hangeul as ‘Banjeol(半切)’ along with China's Ban- jeolbeop(半切法). It combined vowel letter and consonant letter with Banjeol(半切). Thus, ‘Banjeolpyo(反切表)’ like ‘가갸거겨고교구규그기 나냐너녀……(The rest is omitted.)’ was ever written up to the early 20th century.
With getting higher in perception and loyalty to Korean language and Korean literature with reaching the end of the 19th century, it came to call 'Hangeul' as a meaning of 'great letter' with getting rid of a name, which had called ‘Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音)’ lowly as ‘Eonmun(諺文).’ Also, it has been widely written until today by calling it as 'Korean literature' from the flowering time instead of Hangeul. By the way, the name called 'Hangeul' isn't definite in whether purely indicating only 'letter' or indicating even Korean language, which was written in Hangeul. There are people who call it 'Hangeul' of meaning only letter and people who call it 'Hangeul' as a meaning of indicating both 'letter' and Korean language. It is same even in a case of calling it 'Korean literature.'
In other words, Hangeul is playing the leading role in our country's literacy life today. In compulsory education, it is guiding in order to be learnt perfectly. All the textbooks, which are used there, are made only in Hangeul. All the official documents and statutes are prescribed legally in order to be written in Hangeul. Even several kinds of publications, which are issued in general society, are mostly made in Hangeul. Chinese character is also mixed, but is shown less beyond comparison. Even the Chinese character tends to be decreased. The literacy life of focusing on Hangeul is the unchangeable fact. However, this situation is what was begun in the wake of Gapogyeongjang(甲午更張) in 1894 that is one century earlier. Prior to it, Chinese character was the leading part in literacy life. Hence, Sadaebu(士大夫)s did need to learn Chinese character of implying success in life.
However, a writer thinks that putting Chinese character into brackets with writing in Hangeul first without completely neglecting Chinese character may be a motive that our descendants are easy to know even a meaning of a word and come to learn even Chinese character easily.
It is just surprising event that originated moreover in the 15th century what imitated Cheon(天), Ji(地), In(人) in vowel and the pronunciation organ in vowel. Intrinsic and originative letter of Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音) is being used. The global linguists are highly evaluating the scientific characteristic of the inventing theory in Hangeul, rationality & excellence in the principle of invention. Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音) was made in the 15th century, but is excellent letter that preceded the times enough to contain all of the theoretical principles in linguistics already in the 20th century.
Sadaebu(士大夫)s didn't have a special interest in inventing Eonmun(諺文). However, children and women used easy Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音) primarily instead of Chinese character because Chinese writing is difficult. Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音) had been annotated to be supplied for about 400 years by a nation, a local government office, a temple, and the private. Thus, the soul in race and the life in Hunminjeongeum had been continued.
King Sejong the Great loved people, thereby having made Hangeul in order to allow all the people(including mainly the common herd) to make easy literacy life. Hangeul letter is practical letter more than any letters in a sense of being universal letters, which can transcribe all the words in the world as well as the sound of Chinese letter in China at that time.
It is definitely indicated in a preface of King Sejong the Great, which appears in the beginning of Yeuipyeon(例義編)(the text) in Hunminjeong- eum Haeryebon(訓民正音 解例本).
Our country's speech is different from China, thereby being not communicated mutually with Chinese character. Among general people who didn't receive Chinese character education, there are many people who cannot spread finally own will even if having something to be spoken. Hence, I(King Sejong the Great) felt sorry for this, thereby having made 28 letters newly. This just aims to allow people to learn easily and to make it easy day by day.
King Sejong the Great, who is deep in a thought of loving people(愛民思想), additionally thought that the transmitted sound of Chinese letter around inventing Hangeul is in the considerably confused status, thereby having progressed a program of straightening this.
This program came to fruition as the compilation of rhyming dictionary(韻書) called Donggukjeongun(東國正韻)(1447). There is even an opinion as saying that phonetic signs would be needed even for properly writing this revised sound of Chinese letter. Donggukjeongun(東國正韻) is the uniquely precious historical material in researching into the inventing principle and background of Hunminjeongeum(訓民正音).
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