Sejong the Great (May 6, 1397 – May 18, 1450, r. 1418 - 1450) was the fourth king of the Choson Dynasty of Korea. He is best remembered for creating the native Korean alphabet Hangul, despite strong opposition from the scholars educated in hanja (Chinese script). Sejong is one of only two Korean rulers posthumously honored with the appellation "the Great," the other being Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 420 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (810 × 1155 pixel, file size: 154 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to fr. ... Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ... McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced (a modified) McCune-Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000. ... A maiden name is the family name carried by a woman before any of her marriages. ... Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ... McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced (a modified) McCune-Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 10 - John Beaufort becomes Earl of Somerset. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // March - French troops under Guy de Richemont besiege the English commander in France, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in Caen. ... The Joseon Dynasty (alternatively, Choson or Chosun) is usually preceded with the title Great. The House of the Junju Yi-Shi, The Royal Family of the Joseon Dynasty, or Ishi Wangjo, was the final ruling Imperial dynasty of Korea, lasting from 1392 until 1910. ... This article is about the Korean peninsula and civilization. ... Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ... This is a list of people whose names in English are commonly appended with the phrase the Great, or who were called that or an equivalent phrase in their own language. ... King Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo (374-413, r. ...

Early life

Sejong was the third son of King Taejong. When he was sixteen, he became Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군; 忠寧大君) and married a daughter of Sim On (심온; 沈溫) of Cheongsong (청송; 靑松), commonly known as Lady Sim (심씨; 沈氏), who later was given the title Princess-Consort Soheon (소헌왕비; 昭憲王妃). Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. ... Sim On (1375∼1418), was a Prime Minister of the Korean Joseon Dynasty, and the father of a Queen and father-in-law to King Sejong. ...

As a young prince, Sejong excelled in various studies and was favored by King Taejong over his two older brothers..

Sejong's rise to the throne was different from most other kings. The eldest prince, Yangnyung (양녕대군), viewing himself as lacking in the requisite skills for kingship, believed that Sejong was destined to become king. Together with the second prince Hyoryung (효령대군), he believed it was their duty to place Sejong as king. So they acted extremely rudely in the court, and soon were banished from Seoul. This ploy of the two princes ultimately brought Sejong to the throne. The eldest prince became a wandering traveler and lived in the mountains. The second son travelled to a Buddhist temple, where he became a monk.

In June 1418, King Taejong abdicated and Sejong was crowned King of Joseon (in August of the same year) and began his rule. (Taejong helped in military as ex-king for 4 years, and died in 1422)

Hangul

Hunmin Jeongeum

King Sejong the Great made a great impact on Korean history with his introduction of Hangul, the native phonemic alphabet system for the Korean language. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Jamo redirects here. ...

Before the creation of Hangul, only members of the highest class were literate. Hanja, the written language of that time, represented the Korean spoken language by using Chinese characters. One would have to learn the Chinese language in order to read and write with Hanja. Cumbersome, it disadvantaged the lower classes. In addition, Chinese and Korean were not of the same linguistic family, which Sejong believed meant that hanja could not hope to properly represent Korean.^[1]

King Sejong presided over the introduction of the 28 letters of the Korean alphabet in order that Koreans from all classes could read and write. He also attempted to establish a cultural identity of his people because they had their own written language. First published in 1446, anyone could learn Hangul in a matter of days, and although banned 60 years later it experienced a revival in post-WWII Korea where it enjoys widespread usage today.

While he was involved in the development of the new alphabet, he was not the actual creator. The highly scientific nature of the new system was so complex that Sejong gave up in the middle of his work. It was not until Chong In-ji found him passed out at his desk, that Chong pledged that he would help finish Sejong's project. The first versions that were created were inadequate; however, Chong In-ji's colleague notified him that there were ancient Puyeo writings on caves in Mongolia and other parts of the Altaic region, which seemed applicable to the spoken Korean language. Chong did extensive research and found that spoken Korean could be successfully transcribed using the ancient text. There were similar caves found where the ancient script was carved into cave walls with bear and tiger claws in regions of modern North Korea. It is also thought that one of these caves is the birth place of the founder of the Korean nation, Tan'gun.

Strengthening of Korean Military

King Sejong was an effective military planner. During his era, he sent an army to destroy the increasing number of Japanese pirates appearing on Korean shores. Naval engagements quieted much pirate activity, and led to the invasion of the Japanese island of Tsushima. Korea controlled the island after this and Korean civilians were allowed to live in Tsushima. After King Sejong's rule, however, Tsushima fell back into Japanese control.^{[citation needed]} Tsushima Island (対馬 Tsushima) is an island in Japan, situated in the Tsushima Strait at 34°25N and 129°20E.[1] It is the largest island of the Nagasaki Prefecture. ...

On the northern border, he established four forts and six posts (Hangul : 사군육진 Hanja : 四郡六鎭) to safeguard his people from the hostile Chinese and Manchurian nomads living in Manchuria. He also created various military regulations to strengthen the safety of his kingdom. King Sejong supported the advancement of Korean military technology and cannon development increased. Different kinds of mortars and fire arrows were tested as well using gunpowder. Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ...

In 1433, Sejong sent Kim Jong-seo (김종서), a prominent general, north to destroy the Manchu. Kim's military campaign captured several castles, pushed north, and restored Korean territory, roughly the present-day border between North Korea and China.

Literature

Sejong overall, supported literature, and encouraged high class officials and scholars to study at the court. King Sejong also oversaw the creation of Hangul and announced it to the Korean people in the Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음), which was an announcement composed of both Hangul and Hanja. Jamo redirects here. ... Promulgated in September or October 1446, Hunmin Jeongeum (lit. ...

Although most of the government officials and the aristocracy opposed the usage of Hangul, lower classes embraced it, became literate, and were able to communicate among one another easily.

Sejong's personal writings are also highly regarded. He composed the famous Yongbi Eocheon Ga (“Songs of Flying Dragons”, 1445), Seokbo Sangjeol (“Episodes from the Life of Buddha”, July 1447), Worin Cheon-gang Jigok (“Songs of the Moon Shining on a Thousand Rivers”, July 1447), and the reference Dongguk Jeong-un (“Dictionary of Proper Sino-Korean Pronunciation”, September 1447).

Sejong established the Hall of Worthies (집현전; 集賢殿; Jiphyeonjeon) in 1420 in the royal palace. He, also, gathered intellectuals from around Korea. The scholars of the Hall of Worthies documented history, drafted documents and compiled books on various topics. Korea culturally advanced through King Sejong's encouragement. The Hall of Worthies or Jiphyeonjeon was set up by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea in 1420. ... The quintessential medieval European palace: Palais de la Cité, in Paris, the royal palace of France. ... History studies time in human terms. ... For other uses, see Book (disambiguation). ...

Following the principles of Neo-Confucianism, Sejong was also a humanitarian who proclaimed that there must be three trials before a final judgment is reached, and he prohibited brutality in the punishment of criminals, such as flogging. Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. ... Humanitarianism is the view that all people should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings, and that advancing the well-being of humanity is a noble goal. ... In legal parlance, a trial is an event in which parties to a dispute present information (in the form of evidence) in a formal setting, usually a court, before a judge, jury, or other designated finder of fact, in order to achieve a resolution to their dispute. ... for other uses please see Crime (disambiguation) A crime is an act that violates a political or moral law. ...

Technology

Jagyekru, water clock

The tomb of Sejong the Great located in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

Sejong is also credited with technological advances during his reign. During his rule, Jang Yeong-sil (장영실) (also, Chang Yongsil), who worked for the Palace Guard, became known as a prominent inventor. Jang was naturally a creative and smart thinker as a young person. However, Jang was at the bottom of the social class. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 1. ... Jang Yeong-sil was a Korean scientist and astronomer during the Joseon Dynasty under King Sejong. ...

Sejong noticed Jang's skill and immediately called him to his court in Seoul. Upon giving Jang a government position and power to invent anything, the officials protested, believing that a low class person could not rise to power as a noble or a higher class. Sejong instead believed that Jang had the skill and supported his projects.

Jang invented the world's first rain gauge and created some significant water clocks and sundials. In music, an invention is a short composition with two or three part counterpoint. ... Standard Rain Gauge Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge Recorder Close up of a Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge Recorder chart A rain gauge (also known as an udometer or a pluviometer) is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation (as opposed... A water clock or clepsydra is a device for measuring time by letting water regularly flow out of a container usually by a tiny aperture. ... For other uses, see Sundial (disambiguation). ...

King Sejong wanted to help the farmers so he decided to create the farmer's handbook. The book contained information about the different farming techniques that he told the scientists to gather in different regions in Korea.

Depending on the land of the farmers, he allowed them to pay more or less taxes. By this action, many farmers had fewer worries about keeping alive. Once the palace had a surplus of food, King Sejong shared the food with the poor peasants or farmers who needed it.

End of Reign 1450

Sejong died at the age of 53 and was buried at the Yeong Mausoleum (영릉; 英陵) in 1450. His successor was his first son, Munjong. King Munjong,also known as Munjong of Joseon ruled Korea from 1450-52. ...

The street Sejongno and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts – both located in central Seoul – are named after King Sejong, and he is depicted on the South Korean 10,000-Won note. Sejong-ro is a street that cuts through Jongno-gu in downtown Seoul. ... Sejong Center for the Performing Arts (or Sejong Center) is the largest arts and cultural complex in Seoul, South Korea (Measuring in 53,202m²). It is situated in the center of the capital, by the famous Sejong-ro, the main road that cuts through the ancient capital city of the... Short name Statistics Location map Map of location of Seoul. ... For the history of Korea, see Korea. ... ISO 4217 Code KRW User(s) Republic of Korea Inflation 2. ...

Family

• Father: King Taejong (태종)
• Mother: Queen Wongyeong (원경왕후)
• Consorts:

1. Queen Soheon (소헌왕후)

• Children:

1. King Munjong (문종), 1st Son.
2. Grand Prince Su-yang (수양대군), 2nd Son. later King Sejo.
3. Grand Prince Anpyeong (안평대군), 3rd Son.
4. Grand Prince Im-yeong (임영대군), 4th Son.
5. Grand Prince Gwangpyeong (광평대군), 5th son.
6. Grand Prince Gumseong (금성대군), 6th son.
7. Grand Prince Pyeongwon (평원대군), 7th son.
8. Grand Prince Youngeung (영응대군), 8th son.
9. Princess Jeongso (정소공주), 1st daughter.
10. Princess Jeong-eui (정의공주), 2nd daughter.

Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. ... King Munjong,also known as Munjong of Joseon ruled Korea from 1450-52. ... King Sejo of Joseon(1417~1468, r. ...

His full posthumous name

• King Sejong Jangheon Yeongmun Yemu Inseong Myeonghyo the Great of Korea
• 세종장헌영문예무인성명효대왕
• 世宗莊憲英文睿武仁聖明孝大王

Sejong City

In early 2007, the Republic of Korea government has decided to create a special administrative district out of part of the present Chungcheongnam-do Province, near what is presently Daejeon. The new district will be named Sejong Special Autonomous City, and is to replace Seoul as the future capital of the Republic of Korea. Sejong City is a new name proposed by the Government of South Korea for the new administrative district which will be created out of part of the Chungcheongnam-do Province, and which will replace Seoul as the national capital by 2010. ... Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong) is a province in the west of South Korea. ... A province is a territorial unit, almost always a country subdivision. ... Daejeon Metropolitan City is a metropolitan city in the centre of South Korea, and the capital of South Chungcheong Province. ... Sejong City is a new name proposed by the Government of South Korea for the new administrative district which will be created out of part of the Chungcheongnam-do Province, and which will replace Seoul as the national capital by 2010. ... Short name Statistics Location map Map of location of Seoul. ...

Further reading

• King Sejong the Great: the Light of Fifteenth Century Korea, Young-Key Kim-Renaud, International Circle of Korean Linguistics, 1992, softcover, 119 pages, ISBN 1-882177-00-2

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sejong the Great

The International Circle of Korean Linguistics is a scholarly organization dedicated to the promotion of awareness of, the dissemination of information about, and the facilitation of communication among those in the field of, Korean language and linguistics. ... Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. ... Korean dynasties are listed in the order of their fall. ... Territory of Joseon after Jurchen conquest of King Sejong Capital Hanseong Language(s) Korean Religion Neo-Confucianism Government Monarchy Wang  - 1392 - 1398 Taejo (first)  - 1863 - 1897 Gojong (last)1 Yeong-uijeong  - 1431 - 1449 Hwang Hui  - 1466 - 1472 Han Myeonghoe  - 1592 - 1598 Ryu Seongryong  - 1894 Kim Hongjip History  - Coup of 1388... King Munjong,also known as Munjong of Joseon ruled Korea from 1450-52. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• History of Korea
• List of Kings of Korea
• Sejongno
• Sejong the Great class destroyer

This is a list of Wikipedia articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. ... This article is about the history of Korea, up to the division of Korea in the 1940s. ... Sejong-ro is a street that cuts through Jongno-gu in downtown Seoul. ... The Sejong the Great class destroyers (Hangul: 세종대왕급 구축함), also known as KDX-III, are guided missile destroyers for the Republic of Korea Navy by Hyundai Heavy Industries. ...

References

Hunmin Jeongeum Haerye (lit. ... Jeong Inji (1396-1478) was a Korean neo-Confucian scholar and government minister. ... Gari Keith Ledyard (b. ...

External links

• King Sejong's Confucian Humanism in the Early Choson Period
• Location of the four forts and the six posts