훈민정음 해례본: 문자 속 철학과 과학 편집하기 (부분)

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'''Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon: The Science and Philosophy of Script'''

The <i>Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon</i> (Explanatory Edition of the Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People), promulgated in 1446, is a document that comprehensively explains the creation principles and usage of Hunminjeongeum (“Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People”), the writing system created by King Sejong (r. 1418-1450), the fourth monarch of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). This book transcends a mere instructional manual; it represents an unparalleled linguistic document that systematically records the philosophical foundation and scientific principles underlying the script’s creation. The <i>Explanatory Edition</i> consists of two parts: the “Examples and Meanings” (Yeui) section written by King Sejong himself, and the “Detailed Explanations” (Haerye) section composed by scholars from the Hall of Worthies (Jiphyeonjeon).

The core of the <i>Explanatory Edition</i> lies in the “Explanation of Letter Formation” (Jajahae), which elucidates the creation principles of Hunminjeongeum’s 28 letters (17 consonants and 11 vowels). The consonants (<i>choseong</i>, initial sounds) were designed by modeling the shapes of human speech organs. For example, “ㄱ” represents the shape of the tongue root blocking the throat, while “ㄴ” depicts the tongue tip touching the upper gum ridge. The vowels (<i>jungseong</i>, medial sounds) were created based on the philosophy of heaven, earth, and humanity (<i>cheon-ji-in</i>). The symbol “·” (<i>arae-a</i>) represents heaven, “ㅡ” represents earth, and “ㅣ” represents humanity; these three basic vowels were combined to form the remaining vowels. This systematic and philosophical approach to letter formation possesses a remarkably scientific structure from a phonetic perspective.

The <i>Explanatory Edition</i> also clearly presents a tripartite system of initial sounds (<i>choseong</i>), medial sounds (<i>jungseong</i>), and final sounds (<i>jongseong</i>). This system, which analyzes each syllable into initial, medial, and final components, represents a highly sophisticated phonological analysis even from a modern phonological standpoint. While the same consonants are used for both initial and final sounds, the document clarifies that they serve different functions depending on their position within the syllabic structure.

The preface written by Jeong In-ji records the background and purpose of Hunminjeongeum’s creation. King Sejong’s preface, beginning with “Because our language differs from Chinese and does not match Chinese characters,” clearly reveals his devotion to the people. The <i>Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon</i>, a precious heritage of human writing history that unites the philosophy and science of script creation, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 1997.