Hunminjeongeum (The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People)

Sejong announced the new letters in 1443 and promulgated them in 1446. This is the book that came with them: a commentary in classical Chinese, compiled at the king's order by Jeong In-ji and the scholars of the Hall of Worthies. It runs to thirty-three leaves in three parts — the text itself, then the explanation and examples, then Jeong In-ji's preface, which is dated to 1446. The first two leaves were restored around 1940. The middle part is why this book matters more than almost any other in Korea. It sets out the design principle: the consonant shapes were drawn from the position of the tongue, teeth and lips as each sound is made, and the vowels from heaven, earth and the standing person. No other writing system in the world has a document explaining its own invention. Without this book, Hangul would be a script of unknown origin, as every other alphabet is.

Original Text

Where it is

Region

Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Designation

National Treasure · 국보