đ What you'll learn in this post
đ Heads up before you read
Here is a story that even many Koreans don't know, full of secrets about Hangeul and its creator, King Sejong.
Prepare to be captivated by the fascinating and emotional journey of Hangeul, the script you are studying or will be studying, as it overcame numerous challenges to reach the present day. Stay tuned! đ
đĽ Boosting Korean Knowledge
Level đ x 2
Dive into the Engrossing Stories of Hangeul!
đď¸ The Joseon Era: The Monopoly of Script and Its Limitations
Back in the Joseon Dynasty, the writing system was super complex and controlled by the ruling class. đĽ This made it really hard for ordinary people to learn to read and write. Most people couldn't access education or important cultural knowledge, such as Confucian teachings.
đď¸ The Creation of Hangeul: Breaking the Literacy Monopoly
Hangeul was created to change all that and make reading and writing accessible to everyone. đ Before Hangeul, only the elite could read and write, but Hangeul opened up education for all social classes. It aimed to make literacy universal and change Koreaâs social structure.
đď¸ King Sejong the Greatâs Vision: Empowering the Common People
King Sejong the Great was deeply concerned about the struggles of illiterate commoners. So, in 1443, he created Hangeul and officially introduced it in 1446. â¤ď¸đ§Ą His goal was to make a simple and easy-to-learn script so everyone could express their thoughts and ideas.
His belief in the simplicity and effectiveness of writing is captured in the saying from đ Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon:
"A wise person understands it before morning, and even a foolish person can learn it in just ten days!"â
Hangeulâs creation was more than just a new script. It was a revolutionary move that broke down literacy barriers, empowering everyone to read, write, and join in cultural and intellectual discussions. King Sejong the Greatâs innovative approach to literacy still has a profound impact on Korean society and culture today.
Level đ x 5
Really? That's pretty impressive!
đď¸ King Sejong the Great's Mastery of Detail and Precision: The Three-Year Journey to the Creation of Hangeul
Why was í믟ě ě (Hunminjeongeum) created in 1443 but not officially introduced until 1446?
Before introducing Hangeul, King Sejong the Great set up ě§íě (Office of Vernacular Writing), where scholars studied the new script in detail. This was to ensure that the common people could easily adapt to this revolutionary writing system. It was like a modern beta test before a big launch.
King Sejong, known for his meticulous attention to detail, involved scholars and sent them to learn from the best linguists of the time. His goal was to make í믟ě ě (Hunminjeongeum) both practical and scholarly. He even had some ministers compose songs using í믟ě ě, leading to the creation of ěŠëšě´ě˛ę° (Yongbieocheonga), the first Korean literary work written in Hangeul.
It's amazing how carefully King Sejong prepared for the introduction of Hangeul. He spent three years refining it so that the common people wouldn't be shocked or resist the change.
Level đ x 100
Wow, such spectacular stories about Hangeul!
đĽ The Worst King, Yeonsangun: The Monarch Who Suppressed Hangeul
đ Yeonsan, who was not recognized as a legitimate king, was demoted to the title of ęľ° (gun), so his official name became Yeonsangun.
There was once a king in the Joseon Dynasty, Yeonsangun, who is often considered one of the worst monarchs in Korean history. One day, he received three anonymous letters, all written in Hangeul, criticizing him.
đ The first letter said,
"Yeonsangun, if you continue to rule like this, your reign won't last long!"
đĄ The second one stated,
"Yeonsangun, you are excessively obsessed with women."
đ The third one accused,
"All the bad things you're doing, Yeonsangun! Blame them on your mother, and you should probably eliminate her entire family!"
In his anger, Yeonsangun took drastic measures to suppress Hangeul, attempting to silence his critics and control the spread of information. This period marked one of the darkest times for Hangeul and its use among the common people.
While the elite scholars were too intimidated to speak out against this tyrant, the common people, đĄđ˘ empowered by their newly acquired literacy in Hangeul, started voicing their opinions. They began to express themselves more boldly, even including political criticism.
Yeonsangun was infuriated when he saw his own people criticizing him in this manner, especially after receiving those anonymous letters. He offered a substantial reward to find the person who wrote them and had handwriting experts from all over the country investigate, but they never identified the author.
That's when he took drastic measures â he issued a âHangeul Prohibition Orderâ.
Anyone caught writing in Hangeul faced execution. đą Failing to report someone else writing in Hangeul resulted in severe punishment. Merely possessing a letter or a book written in Hangeul subjected one to intense interrogation. Officially, Hangeul disappeared, and it seemed as though the peopleâs criticisms written in Hangeul vanished as well.
However, the combined dissatisfaction of the scholars and the common people eventually turned into a rebellion. Thus, this absolute monarch, Yeonsangun, met a tragic end and disappeared into the dark annals of history.
You might think that the Hangeul we learn and use today was always welcomed đ¤ by everyone from the beginning because it's so easy to learn and study. However, there are these historical facts. How about that? Was it interesting?
đ Wait, Quizzes
1. What was the main reason for the creation of Hangeul?
â To create a new art form
⥠To break the literacy monopoly of the ruling class
⢠To replace the Chinese characters
⣠To standardize the Korean language
2. What is the name of the first Korean literary work written in Hangeul?
â Cheoyongmu
⥠Jikji
⢠Samguk Yusa
⣠Yongbieocheonga
3. Which Joseon Dynasty king issued a Hangeul Prohibition Order, and why?
â King Sejong, to enhance scientific research
⥠King Taejo, to promote classical Chinese
⢠Yeonsangun, in response to anonymous criticism letters
⣠King Jungjong, to reform the education system
The literacy rate in South Korea is less than 1%, meaning that most Koreans have exceptional reading and writing skills. This is largely due to the creation of Hangeul and the efforts of King Sejong the Great. There's no doubt among Koreans that they owe their literacy to this historical achievement. Thus, King Sejong the Great is consistently revered as one of the most respected figures in Korean history.
đ Quiz Answer
1-⥠To break the literacy monopoly of the ruling class
2-⣠Yongbieocheonga
3-⢠Yeonsangun, in response to anonymous criticism letters
Comments