Jump to content

User:Nonabelian/King Sejong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

King Sejong

[edit]
"Sejong" redirects here. For the city, see Sejong City. For other uses, see Sejong (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Sejo of Joseon.

Sejong the Great
세종대왕
世宗大王
King of Joseon
Reign9 September 1418 – 30 March 1450
EnthronementGeunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbok Palace, Hanseong
PredecessorTaejong
SuccessorMunjong
RegentCrown Prince Yi Hyang (1439–1450)
Crown Prince of Joseon
Tenure8 July 1418 – 9 September 1418
PredecessorCrown Prince Yi Je
SuccessorCrown Prince Yi Hyang
BornYi Do
(1397-05-15)15 May 1397
Junsu-bang, Hanseong, Joseon
Died30 March 1450(1450-03-30) (aged 52)
Grand Prince Yeongeung's Mansion,[a] Hanseong, Joseon
Burial
Yeongneung Mausoleum, Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1408; died 1446)​
Issue
among others...
Names
Yi Do (이도; 李祹)
Era name and dates
Adopted the era name of the Ming dynasty:
  • Yeongnak (Yongle) (영락; 永樂): 1418–1424
  • Honghui (Hongxi) (홍희; 洪熙): 1425
  • Seondeok (Xuande) (선덕; 宣德): 1426–1435
  • Jeongtong (Zhengtong) (정통; 正統): 1436–1449
  • Gyeongtae (Jingtai) (경태; 景泰): 1450
Posthumous name
  • Joseon: Great King Jangheon with Cultured Sagacity, Martial Wisdom, Excellent Benevolence,and Brilliant Filial Piety (장헌영문예무인성명효대왕; 莊憲英文睿武仁聖明孝大王)[1]
  • Ming dynasty: Jangheon (장헌; 莊憲)
Temple name
Sejong (세종; 世宗)
ClanJeonju Yi
DynastyYi
FatherTaejong of Joseon
MotherQueen Wongyeong
ReligionKorean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism) → Korean Buddhism
Korean name
Hangul
세종
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSejong
McCune–ReischauerSejong
Birth name
Hangul
이도
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Do
McCune–ReischauerYi To
Childhood name
Hangul
막동
Hanja
Revised RomanizationMakdong
McCune–ReischauerMaktong
Courtesy name
Hangul
원정
Hanja
Revised RomanizationWonjeong
McCune–ReischauerWŏnjŏng
Monarchs of Korea
Joseon monarchs
Taejo 1392–1398
Jeongjong 1398–1400
Taejong 1400–1418
Sejong 1418–1450
Munjong 1450–1452
Danjong 1452–1455
Sejo 1455–1468
Yejong 1468–1469
Seongjong 1469–1494
Yeonsangun 1494–1506
Jungjong 1506–1544
Injong 1544–1545
Myeongjong 1545–1567
Seonjo 1567–1608
Gwanghaegun 1608–1623
Injo 1623–1649
Hyojong 1649–1659
Hyeonjong 1659–1674
Sukjong 1674–1720
Gyeongjong 1720–1724
Yeongjo 1724–1776
Jeongjo 1776–1800
Sunjo 1800–1834
Heonjong 1834–1849
Cheoljong 1849–1864
Gojong 1864–1897

Sejong the Great (Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王; 15 May 1397 – 30 March 1450) was the fourth monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He is regarded as one of the greatest rulers in Korean history, and is remembered as the inventor of Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language.

He was the third son of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong. In 1418, Sejong replaced his eldest brother, Yi Je, as crown prince and heir apparent; a few months later, Taejong voluntarily abdicated the throne in Sejong's favor. In the early years of Sejong's reign, King Emeritus Taejong retained vast powers, most notably military power, and continued to govern until his death in 1422 to ensure a smooth succession.[1]

Sejong reinforced Korean Confucian and Neo-Confucian policies, and enacted major legal amendments (공법; 貢法). He personally created and promulgated the Korean alphabet,[2][3] encouraged advancements in science and technology, and introduced measures to stimulate economic growth. He launched military campaigns to the north and implemented a relocation policy (사민정책; 徙民政策), establishing settlements in the newly conquered areas. To the south, he ordered the Ōei invasion of Tsushima to repel and subjugate the Japanese pirates, but the campaign was unsuccessful.[4][5]

From 1439, he became increasingly ill[6] and his eldest son, Crown Prince Yi Hyang (future King Munjong), acted as regent.

Sejong the Great (세종대왕; 世宗大王)(15 May 1397 - 30 March 1450), personal name Yi Do (이도; 李祹), was the fourth monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. During his rule, King Sejong greatly contributed to the intellectual and cultural foundations of Korea, being remembered as the inventor of Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language. He is one of the most celebrated figures in Korean history and regarded as one of its greatest rulers.

King Sejong is widely known as "the Great" due to his numerous accomplishments. He stabilized the Joseon Dynasty through the establishment of Confucian politics and the revamping of socio-political systems. His contributions advanced the kingdom's prosperity, as evidenced by the creation of the Korean writing system, Hangul, and advancements in science and technology, which also bolstered the territorial expansion of Joseon.[7]

King Sejong's father, King Taejong, had appointed his eldest son, Crown Prince Yangnyeong, as his successor. However, Taejong later changed his mind after being impressed by the intelligence and moral character of his third son, Sejong, who ultimately replaced his older brother as the Crown Prince and ascended to the throne following Taejong’s abdication in August 1418.[7]

Sejong demonstrated exceptional attentiveness, memory, and diligence from a young age, reading extensively. He had a famous thirst for knowledge stating "I have no time to sit around and waste time in this palace." while ill.[7]

His reign is also noted for his extraordinary care for his people. One example is his policy of granting maternity leaves to maidservants employed by the government, totalling 130 days of leave. Husbands were also given 30 days of paternity leave to look after their wives. Additionally, he improved prison conditions and made changes to prevent unjust sentencing.[7]

King Sejong was also known for his public consultation practices, taking citizens' opinions seriously when enforcing new regulations. For instance, to reform the tax law, he facilitated discussions with 98,657 government officials and common people across the kingdom.[8]

He directed the compilation and publication of calendar systems and agricultural manuals. Notably, he commissioned the creation of Hangul because he was deeply concerned that many Koreans could not express themselves freely using Chinese characters, which were predominantly used by the ruling class. Despite resistance from the yangban class, who wished to maintain their monopoly on knowledge, Hangul was eventually widely adopted throughout the country.[8]

Name

[edit]

As a consequence of Joseon customs and society, Sejong (/ˈseɪˌdʒɒŋ/ SAY-jong) was known by many names throughout his life:

  • Yi Do (이도; 李祹) (/iː doʊ/ ee doh, Korean: [i do]). This was his personal name given at birth on May 15, 1397. He was the third son of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong.
  • Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군; 忠寧大君). In 1404, Yi Do was given the title Grand Prince Chungnyeong by his father, King Taejong. This title indicated his royal status but did not initially mark him as the heir apparent.
  • Sejong Jangheon Yeongmun Yemu Inseong Myeonghyo Daewang (세종장헌영문예무인성명효대왕; 世宗莊憲英文睿武仁聖明孝大王). This was his full posthumous name, or temple name, encompassing his contributions to various fields and his virtues as a king.
  • Sejong Daewang (세종대왕; 世宗大王). His most famous title, that was popularized after he was posthumously given his temple name. The term "Sejong the Great" became firmly established in Korean culture, signifying his extraordinary contributions to Korean culture, politics, and technology.

Sejong's various names and titles throughout his life reflect his evolving roles and the high regard in which he was held by his contemporaries and by history.

Early life

[edit]

Sejong was born Yi Do (이도; 李祹) on 15 May 1397, in Junsubang,[b] Hanseong (Seoul), Joseon to father Yi Bang-won (the future King Taejong) and a lady of the influential Yeoheung Min clan (later Queen Wongyeong).[10][11]

There is reportedly little known information about Yi's childhood. Historian Lee Han argues that contemporary chroniclers had little reason to find Yi interesting at the time of his birth; he was the third son of the fifth son of the Joseon founding monarch Taejo, and his father was then not the heir to the throne. Yi was born outside of the palace Gyeongbokgung.[12]

Yi's father was reportedly calculating and relentless in his pursuit of power.[13] He tactically assassinated his rivals, amongst whom were his brothers and members of his wife's clan.[14] Amidst a violent feud with politician Jeong Do-jeon, the Yi couple sent their two older sons away, and kept only Yi Do near. He was reportedly well loved by his parents.[15]

During their rise to power, Yi's mother was reportedly fiercely devoted to her husband. She was reportedly similarly sharp, and conspired with him. When her husband became the third king of Joseon in 1400 and began taking concubines, she was heartbroken and jealous, and their relationship deteriorated thereafter. She then focused on raising her own children. Taejong openly disliked in-laws and their ability to gain political influence. Eventually, he used his wife's jealousy as a pretext to quash her and her family's influence in the court.[16] In spite of his father's pushback, Yi Do was reportedly devoted to his mother: caring for her in times of illness, and mourning for her upon her death.[17]

In 1408, his father arranged for him to marry a girl, two years his senior, of the Cheongsong Sim clan [ko]: the future Queen Soheon.[18][19] In 1412, Yi Do was given the title of Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군; 忠寧大君).[10] In 1414, he had his first son, the future King Munjong.[20]

Selection as heir to the throne

[edit]

Via primogeniture, Taejong's eldest son, Grand Prince Yangnyeong, was originally supposed to inherit the throne. However, Taejong and various government officials increasingly felt over time that Yangnyeong was unsuitable for the role, because he behaved in ways that they deemed erratic and irresponsible.[10][21]

In mid-1418, government officials petitioned Taejong to consider a new candidate for the throne.[10][21] Following primogeniture, Taejong initially considered Yangnyeong's eldest son for the role. However, the officials objected to this, and insisted that King Taejong should select a wise person as heir apparent. Hesitant to break primogeniture once again, King Taejong asked the officials to propose an alternative. They reportedly gave an indirect response: "the father knows his sons best, as the king knows his subjects best".[c] Taejong judged his second son, Grand Prince Hyoryeong, to have a disposition too soft for the role.[21] He then proposed Chungnyeong, whom he felt was intelligent and sharp in matters of politics. This decision was reportedly welcomed by the petitioners, who confirmed that Chungnyeong had been their preferred choice.[10][21] On 8 July 1418, Chungnyeong was made crown prince of Joseon.[18]

Reign

[edit]

On 9 September 1418, Chungnyeong succeeded the throne as King Sejong, upon the abdication of Taejong. However, Taejong openly continued to hold onto military power, and functionally continued to make the major political decisions.[22] This would continue until Taejong's death in 1422.[10] Sejong reportedly consistently deferred to his father during this period.[22] Their dual role reportedly caused some confusion in this court. When Queen Soheon's father, Shim On, criticized the system, Taejong used the criticism as a pretext to charge Shim with treason and execute him. Other members of the queen's family were exiled or made commoners, which left her politically isolated and unable to protest. She spent much of her time in the palace, caring for her children.[23]

Sejong inherited a throne with expanded political power, due to the efforts of his father. In spite of his power, he was reportedly light on free speech, and encouraged the meritocratic elevation of scholars who passed the gwageo, the national civil service exams.[10]

Religion

[edit]

Sejong reorganized the government by appointing people from different social classes as civil servants.[citation needed] Furthermore, he performed government ceremonies according to Confucianism, and encouraged people to behave according to the teachings of Confucius.[24]

He suppressed Buddhism by banning outside monks from entering Hanseong (modern Seoul) and reduced the seven schools of Buddhism down to two, Seon and Gyo, drastically decreasing the power and wealth of the religious leaders.[25] One of the key factors in this suppression was Sejong's reform of the land system. This policy resulted in temple lands being seized and redistributed for development, with the monks losing large amounts of economic influence.[26][27] During the Goryeo period, monks wielded a strong influence in politics and the economy. With the dominant powers of Joseon now being devout Confucianists, Buddhism was considered a false philosophy and the monks were viewed as corrupted by power and money.[citation needed] The Seokbosangjeol (석보상절; 釋譜詳節), a 24-volume Korean-language translation of Chinese Buddhist texts (a biography of Buddha and some of his sermons), was commissioned and published in Sejong's reign by his son Grand Prince Suyang, as an act of mourning for Queen Soheon.

In 1427, Sejong also gave a decree against the Huihui (Korean Muslim) community that had held special status and stipends since Yuan dynasty's rule over Goryeo. The Huihui were forced to abandon their headgear, to close down their "ceremonial hall" (a mosque in the city of Gaegyeong, in present-day Kaesong) and worship like everyone else. No further mention of Muslims exist during the Joseon era.[28]

Economy

[edit]

In the early years of the Joseon dynasty, the economy was based on a barter system with cloth, grain, and cotton being the most common forms of currency. In 1423, under King Sejong’s administration, the government attempted to develop a national currency modeled off of the Tang dynasty's kaiyuan tongbao (開元通寶). The Joseon tongbo (조선통보; 朝鮮通寶) was a bronze coin, backed by a silver standard, with 150 coins being equal to 600 grams of silver. Production of the Joseon Tongbo ceased in 1425 because they were too expensive to make, with the exchange rate falling to less than the intrinsic value of the coin.[29]

Military

[edit]

King Sejong was an effective military planner. He created various military regulations to strengthen the safety of his kingdom,[30][place missing] and supported the advancement of military technology, including cannon development. Different kinds of mortars and fire arrows were tested as well as the use of gunpowder.[citation needed]

In June 1419, under the advice and guidance of his father, Sejong embarked upon the Ōei Invasion. The ultimate goal of this military expedition was to remove the nuisance of Japanese pirates who had been operating close to Tsushima Island. During the invasion, 245 Japanese were killed, and another 110 were captured in combat, while 180 Korean soldiers died. More than 150 kidnap victims (146 Chinese and 8 Koreans) were also liberated. A truce was made in July 1419 and the Joseon army returned to the Korean Peninsula, but no official documents were signed until 1443. In this agreement, known as the Treaty of Gyehae, the daimyo of Tsushima promised to pay tribute to the king of Joseon, and in return, the Joseon court rewarded the Sō clan with preferential rights regarding trade between the two countries.[d][31]

In 1433, Sejong sent Kim Jong-seo, a prominent general, to the north to destroy the Jurchens (later known as the Manchus). Kim's military campaign captured several fortresses, pushed north, and expanded Korean territory, to the Songhua River.[32][30][place missing]

Science, technology, and agriculture

[edit]
A modern reconstruction and scaled down model of Jang Yeong-sil's self-striking water clock.

In 1420, Sejong's love for science led him to create an institute within Gyeongbokgung known as the Hall of Worthies. The institute was responsible for conducting scientific research with the purpose of advancing the country's technology. The Hall of Worthies was meant to be a collection of Joseon's best and brightest thinkers, with the government offering grants and scholarships to encourage young scholars to attend.[33][34]

Sejong promoted the sciences.[35][36] He wanted to help farmers so he decided to compile a farmer's handbook. Published in 1429, the book – Nongsa Jikseol (농사직설; 農事直說; lit. 'Straight Talk on Farming') – dealt with planting, harvesting and soil treatment, and contained information about the different farming techniques that were gathered by scientists from different regions of Korea. These techniques were needed in order to maintain the newly adopted methods of intensive and continuous cultivation.[37]

One of his close associates was the great inventor Jang Yeong-sil. As a young person, Jang was a naturally creative and smart thinker. Sejong noticed his skill and immediately called him to his court in Hanseong. Upon giving Jang a government position and funding for his inventions, officials protested, believing a person from the lower classes should not rise to power among nobles. Sejong instead believed he merited support because of his ability. Jang Yeong-sil created new significant designs for water clocks, armillary spheres, and sundials.[38]

In 1442, Jang Yeong-sil made one of the world's first standardized rain gauges named cheugugi (측우기; 測雨器).[39] This model has not survived, with the oldest existing Korean rain gauge being made in 1770, during the reign of King Yeongjo. According to the Daily Records of the Royal Secretariat (승정원일기; 承政院日記; Seungjeongwon Ilgi), Yeongjo wanted to revive the glorious times of Sejong the Great, and started reading chronicles from that era. When he came across the mention of a rain gauge, Yeongjo ordered a reproduction. Since there is a mark of the Qing dynasty ruler Qianlong (r. 1735–96), dated 1770,[40] this Korean-designed rain gauge is sometimes misunderstood as having been imported from China.

In 1434, Jang Yeong-sil, tasked by King Sejong, invented the gabinja (갑인자; 甲寅字), a new type of printing press. This printing press was said to be twice as fast as the previous model and was composed of copper-zinc and lead-tin alloys.

Korean armillary sphere first made by the scientist Jang Yeong-sil during the reign of King Sejong

Sejong also wanted to reform the Korean calendar system, which was at the time based upon the longitude of the Chinese capital. He had his astronomers create a calendar with the Joseon capital of Hanseong as the primary meridian. This new system allowed Joseon astronomers to accurately predict the timing of solar and lunar eclipses.[37]

In the realm of traditional Korean medicine, two important treatises were written during his reign. These were the Hyangyak Jipseongbang (향약집성방; 鄕藥集成方) and the Euibang Yuchwi (의방유취; 醫方類聚), which historian Kim Yong-sik says represents "the Koreans' efforts to develop their own system of medical knowledge, distinct from that of China".[37]

Public welfare

[edit]

In 1426, Sejong enacted a law that granted government slaves (노비; 奴婢; nobi) women 100 days of maternity leave after childbirth, which, in 1430, was lengthened by one month before childbirth. In 1434, he also granted the husbands 30 days of paternity leave.[41]

In order to provide equality and fairness in taxation for the common people, Sejong issued a royal decree to administer a nationwide public opinion poll regarding a new tax system called Gongbeop in 1430. Over the course of five months, the poll surveyed 172,806 people, of which approximately 57% responded with approval for the proposed reform.[42][43]

Joseon's economy depended on the agricultural output of the farmers, so Sejong allowed them to pay more or less tax according to the fluctuations of economic prosperity and hard times.[44] Because of this, farmers could worry less about tax quotas and instead work at maintaining and selling their crops.

It is said that once, when the palace had a significant surplus of food, the king distributed it to poor peasants who needed it.[citation needed]

Literature

[edit]

Sejong composed the famous Yongbieocheonga ("Songs of Flying Dragons"; 1445), Seokbo Sangjeol ("Episodes from the Life of Buddha"; July 1447), Worin Cheongang Jigok ("Songs of the Moon Shining on a Thousand Rivers"; July 1447), and Dongguk Jeongun ("Dictionary of Proper Sino-Korean Pronunciation"; September 1447).

Arts

[edit]

One of Sejong’s closest friends and mentors was the 15th century musician Bak Yeon. Together they composed over two hundred musical arrangements. Sejong’s independent musical compositions include the Chongdaeop ('Great Achievements'), Potaepyeong ('Preservation of Peace'), Pongnaeui ('Phoenix'), and Yominrak ('A Joy to Share with the People'). Yominrak continues to be a standard piece played by modern traditional Korean orchestras, while Chongdaeop and Potaepyeong are played during the Jongmyo Jerye (memorials honoring the kings of Joseon).

In 1418, during Sejong's reign, scholars developed the Pyeongyeong (편경; 編磬), a lithophone modeled off of the Chinese bianqing. The Pyeongyeong is a percussion instrument consisting of two rows of 8 pumice slabs hung on a decorative wooden frame with a 16-tone range and struck with an ox horn mallet. It was manufactured using pumice mined from the Gyeonggi Province and was primarily used for ceremonies.[45]

Sejong's contribution to the arts continued long after his death; he had always wanted to use Korean music rather than Chinese music for ancestral rituals, but conservative court officials stopped his efforts. However, when Sejong's son, King Sejo, rose to the throne, he modified the ritual music composed by his father and created the 'Jongmyo court music', which was used for royal ancestral rituals and is now inscribed as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Hertiage.[46]

Hangul

[edit]
See also: Hunminjeongeum and Hangul
Hunminjeongeum

King Sejong profoundly affected Korea's history with the creation and introduction of hangul, the native phonetic writing system for the Korean language.[3][47] Although it is widely assumed that he ordered the Hall of Worthies to invent the script, contemporaneous records such as the Veritable Records of King Sejong and Jeong In-ji's preface to the Hunminjeongeum Haerye emphasize that Sejong invented it himself.[3]

Before the creation of the new alphabet, the people of Joseon primarily used Classical Chinese to write, alongside a few writing systems like idu, hyangchal, gugyeol, and gakpil—which used Chinese characters to approximate sounds of the Korean language—that had been in use since hundreds of years before hangul.[48][49][50][51] However, due to the fundamental differences between the Korean and Chinese languages,[52] and the large number of Chinese characters required, lower-class people of Joseon lacked the privilege of education and were illiterate. To promote literacy, King Sejong created hangul (which initially had 28 letters, four of which are no longer in use).[53]

Hangul was completed in 1443 and published in 1446 along with a 33-page manual titled Hunminjeongeum, explaining what the letters are as well as the philosophical theories and motives behind them.[54]

King Sejong faced backlash from the noble class as many disapproved of the idea of a common writing system, with some openly opposing its creation. Many within the nobility believed that giving the peasants the ability to read and write would allow them to find and abuse loopholes within the law. Others felt that hangul would threaten their families’ positions in court by creating a larger pool of civil servants. The Joseon elite continued to use the Chinese hanja long after Sejong’s death.[55] Hangul was often treated with contempt by those in power and received criticism in the form of nicknames, including eonmun ("vulgar script"), amkeul ("women’s script"), and ahaekkeul ("children’s script"). Despite this, the system gained popularity among women and fiction writers.

In 1504, the study and publication of hangul was banned by Yeonsangun.[56] Its spread and preservation can be largely attributed to three main factors: books published for women, its use by Buddhist monks,[57] and the introduction of Christianity in Korea in 1602.[58] Hangul was brought into the mainstream culture in the 16th century, due to a renaissance in literature and poetry. It continued to gain popularity well into the 17th century, and gained wider use after a period of nationalism in the 19th century. In 1849, it was adopted as Korea’s national writing system, and saw its first use in official government documents. After the Treaty of 1910, hangul was outlawed again until the liberation of Korea in 1945.[59][60]

Health issues and death

[edit]
The tomb of Sejong the Great

Sejong suffered from eye diseases and deteriorating vision and likely had health issues linked to excessive meat consumption all throughout his life.[61] Sejong's love for meat is clear from a comment by King Emeritus Taejong. When Sejong stopped eating fish and meat to mourn after the death of Jeongjong—Sejong's uncle and Taejong's older brother—Taejong remarked that Sejong had always found it hard to eat without meat since he was a child.[62] Sejong also started having musculoskeletal pain at the age of 22. One day he was supposed to organize a farewell party for the emissaries to the Ming dynasty but was in too much pain to do so. Sejong said: "My waist and back are stiff and immobile, so it is hard to bend or straighten."[63] There is speculation that he had diabetes, but there is inadequate evidence for a modern medical diagnosis. There is also an account of Sejong's having a disease that roughly translates to palsy (풍증; 風症) and essential tremor (수전증; 手顫症), but terminology of the 15th century Korean traditional medicine does not translate well.[64]

Sejong died on April 8, 1450, on the Gregorian calendar, at the residence of Grand Prince Young-eung at the age of 52.[65] He was buried at Yeongneung (영릉; 英陵), in the same mound as his wife, Queen Soheon, who died four years earlier. The tomb is located in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

His successor was his first son, Yi Hyang (posthumously King Munjong). Sejong was concerned that sickly Munjong would die early and leave his vulnerable young son to reign, so he asked scholars from the Hall of Worthies to look after his young grandson, Danjong.[66] As predicted, Munjong died two years after his ascension, and the political stability enjoyed in the past decades disintegrated when Danjong became the sixth king of Joseon at the age of twelve.[67] Eventually, Sejong's second son, Grand Prince Suyang (later known as King Sejo), usurped the throne in 1455. When six court officials were implicated in a plot to restore his nephew, Sejo abolished the Hall of Worthies and executed Danjong along with several ministers who served during Sejong's reign.[68]

Reception and Legacy

[edit]
King Sejong the Great, as depicted on the Bank of Korea's 10,000 won banknote (Series VI).

Sejong the Great is considered one of the most influential monarchs in Korean history, with the creation of Hangul considered his greatest legacy.[10][55][24] Sejong is widely renowned in modern-day South Korea.[69] In a 2024 survey by Gallup Korea, Sejong was nominated as the second most respected figure by South Koreans, only to be surpassed by Yi Sun-sin.[70] The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture evaluates the reign of Sejong "the most shining period of the history of our [the Korean] people."[10] Sejong's creation of the Korean alphabet is celebrated every 9th of October as Hangul Day, a national holiday.[71]

Multiple places in South Korea, including Sejong Street (Sejongno; 세종로, 世宗路),[72] Sejong–Pocheon Expressway, and Sejong Special Autonomous City, South Korea's de facto administrative capital, are named after him. Various institutes such as King Sejong Station, the King Sejong Institute,[73] the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts,[72] Sejong Science High School, and Sejong University also bear his name. A 9.5-meter-high (31 ft) bronze statue of King Sejong, unveiled in 2009 in celebration of the 563rd anniversary of the invention of the Korean alphabet,[74] now sits on a concrete pedestal on the boulevard of Gwanghwamun Square and directly in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul.[75] The pedestal contains one of the several entrances to the 3,200 m2 underground museum exhibit entitled "The Story of King Sejong".[76][77] In 2007, the South Korean Chief of Naval Operations officially announced the naming of its Sejong the Great-class destroyers, further explaining that Sejong's name was chosen as he was the most beloved figure among South Koreans.[78]

A portrait of Sejong is featured on the 10,000 won banknote of the South Korean won, along with various scientific tools invented under his reign. Sejong was first portrayed in the 1000-hwan bill as part of the August 15, 1960 currency reform, replacing the portrait of former president Syngman Rhee. Sejong was also featured on the 500-hwan bill the following year. Both bills were decommissioned in 1962. Sejong's portrait returned with the introduction of the 10,000-won bill, when his portrait and Geunjeongjeon replaced Seokguram and Bulguksa as features of the bill, in 1973.[79]

In North Korea, Sejong is not as widely commemorated compared to the South.[69] Vol. 16 of the Great Korean Encyclopedia asserts that "feudalist pressure and extortion" was strengthened during Sejong's reign, and that all of Sejong's policies were directed for the "benefit of the feudalist ruling class". Contrastingly, in a column from its December 15, 2001 issue, North Korean news outlet Tongil Sinbo reported that Sejong the Great greatly contributed to Korean science during his reign of 30 years.[80] Hangul Day is also celebrated in North Korea, albeit on a different date.[69]

Family

[edit]

Sejong and his primary consort Soheon had ten children together: the most for any queen consort of the Joseon period.[81] Historian Lee Han argues it is unclear if their relationship had genuine love[importance?]; while they had numerous children together, and there is evidence of the two caring for and treating each other respectfully, Taejong had the queen's father executed, and Sejong dutifully consented to this.[82][unbalanced opinion?]

  • Father: King Taejong of Joseon (조선의 태종; 16 May 1367 – 10 May 1422)
  • Mother: Queen Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (원경왕후 민씨; 11 July 1365 – 10 July 1420)
    • Grandfather: Min Je, Internal Prince Yeoheung (여흥부원군 민제; 1339–1408)
    • Grandmother: Lady Song of the Yeosan Song clan, Grand Princess Consort of Samhan State (삼한국대부인 여산 송씨; 1342–1424)

Consort(s) and their respective issue

  • Queen Soheon of the Cheongsong Shim clan (소헌왕후 심씨; 28 September 1395 – 24 March 1446)
    • Princess Jeongso (정소공주; 1412 – 25 February 1424), first daughter
    • Crown Prince Yi Hyang (왕세자 이향; 3 October 1414 – 14 May 1452), first son
    • Princess Jeongui (정의공주; 12 July 1415 – 11 February 1477), second daughter
    • Yi Yu, Grand Prince Suyang (수양대군 이유; 29 September 1417 – 8 September 1468), second son
    • Yi Yong, Grand Prince Anpyeong (안평대군 이용; 19 September 1418 – 18 October 1453), third son
    • Yi Gu, Grand Prince Imyeong (임영대군 이구; 6 January 1420 – 21 January 1469), fourth son
    • Yi Yeo, Grand Prince Gwangpyeong (광평대군 이여; 2 May 1425 – 7 December 1444), fifth son
    • Yi Yu, Grand Prince Geumseong (금성대군 이유; 28 March 1426 – 21 October 1457), seventh son
    • Yi Im, Grand Prince Pyeongwon (평원대군 이임; 18 November 1427 – 16 January 1445), ninth son
    • Yi Yeom, Grand Prince Yeongeung (영응대군 이염; 15 April 1434 – 2 February 1467), fifteenth son
  • Royal Noble Consort Shin of the Cheongju Gim clan (신빈 김씨; 1406 – 4 September 1464)
    • Fourth daughter (? – 1426)
    • Yi Jeung, Prince Gyeyang (계양군 이증; 12 August 1427 – 16 August 1464), eighth son
    • Yi Gong, Prince Uichang (의창군 이공; 1428 – 27 February 1460), tenth son
    • Fifth daughter (? – 1429)
    • Yi Chim, Prince Milseong (밀성군 이침; 1430 – 1 January 1479), twelfth son
    • Yi Yeon, Prince Ikhyeon (익현군 이연; 1431 – 4 May 1463), fourteenth son
    • Yi Jang, Prince Yeonghae (영해군 이장; 20 March 1435 – 5 May 1477), seventeenth son
    • Yi Geo, Prince Damyang (담양군 이거; 8 January 1439 – 10 March 1450), eighteenth son
  • Royal Noble Consort Hye of the Cheongju Yang clan (혜빈 양씨; ? – 9 November 1455)
    • Yi Eo, Prince Hannam (한남군 이어; 8 September 1429 – 29 May 1459), eleventh son
    • Yi Hyeon, Prince Suchun (수춘군 이현; 13 July 1431 – 5 June 1455), thirteenth son
    • Yi Jeon, Prince Yeongpung (영풍군 이전; 17 August 1434 – 20 June 1456), sixteenth son
  • Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jinju Gang clan (영빈 강씨; ? – 20 January 1483)
  • Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Miryang Park clan (귀인 박씨)
  • Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Jeonju Choe clan (귀인 최씨)
  • Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Jo clan (숙의 조씨)
  • Royal Consort So-yong of the Hong clan (숙용 홍씨; ? – 4 February 1452)
  • Royal Consort Sug-won of the Yi clan (숙원 이씨)
    • Princess Jeongan (정안옹주; 1441 – 16 October 1461), seventh daughter
  • Court Lady Song (상침 송씨; 1396 – 21 August 1463)
    • Princess Jeonghyeon (정현옹주; 1425 – 6 November 1480), third daughter
  • Court Lady Cha (사기 차씨; ? – 1444)
    • Sixth daughter (1430 – 1431)
  • Unknown
    • Yi Dang (이당; 1442 – ?), nineteenth son

Ancestry

[edit]
[edit]

Television series and films

[edit]

His life was depicted in the KBS historical drama The Great King, Sejong in 2008.[83]

Television series
Year Portrayed by Title
1983 Han In-soo [ko] 500 Years of Joseon Dynasty: Tree with Deep Roots
1998–2000 Song Jae-ho The King and the Queen
2008 Lee Hyun-woo The Great King, Sejong
Kim Sang-kyung
2011 Kang San [ko] Deep Rooted Tree
Song Joong-ki
Han Suk-kyu
Jeon Moo-song Insu, the Queen Mother
2015 Yoon Doo-joon Splash Splash Love
2016 Nam Da-reum Six Flying Dragons
Kim Sang-kyung Jang Yeong-sil
2021 Jang Dong-yoon Joseon Exorcist
2022 Kim Min-gi The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won
Films
Year Portrayed by Title
2008 Ahn Sung-ki The Divine Weapon
2012 Ju Ji-hoon I Am the King
2019 Song Kang-ho The King's Letters
Han Suk-kyu Forbidden Dream

Video games

[edit]

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sejong the Great.

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ At the time, the residence was also called the Eastern Detached Palace (동별궁; 東別宮; Dongbyeolgung); today, it is known as the Andong Detached Palace (안동별궁; 安洞別宮; Andongbyeolgung).
  2. ^ It's reportedly unknown where exactly Junsubang is. Based on old maps, the area is likely outside of the west gate of the palace Gyeongbokgung.[9]
  3. ^ 아들을 알고 신하를 아는 것은 군부(君父)와 같은 이가 없습니다.
  4. ^ 500 years later, the 39th head of the Sō clan, Count Sō Takeyuki, married Princess Deokhye, youngest daughter of Emperor Gojong and half-sister of Sunjong, the last Emperor of Korea.

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b 세종실록 1권, 총서.
  2. ^ Kim-Renaud (2021), p. 15.
  3. ^ a b c NIKL (2003), p. 2, chpt. 2.
  4. ^ 세종실록 4권, 세종 1년 7월 9일 임자 5번째기사.
  5. ^ 세종실록 4권, 세종 1년 7월 22일 계해 6번째기사.
  6. ^ 세종실록 85권, 세종 21년 6월 21일 정유 3번째기사.
  7. ^ a b c d Paek et. al (2011), p. 115.
  8. ^ a b Paek et. al (2011), p. 116.
  9. ^ Hong (1971), p. 3.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Choi 1 (n.d.).
  11. ^ 세종실록 127권, 세종 32년 2월 22일 정유 1번째기사.
  12. ^ Yi (2007), p. 8.
  13. ^ Yi (2007), p. 16.
  14. ^ Yi (2007), pp. 10–11.
  15. ^ Yi (2007), pp. 8–9.
  16. ^ Yi (2007), pp. 13–17.
  17. ^ Yi (2007), p. 17.
  18. ^ a b Yi (2007), p. 18.
  19. ^ Park (n.d.).
  20. ^ Choi 2 (n.d.).
  21. ^ a b c d 태종실록 35권, 태종 18년 6월 3일 임오 1번째기사.
  22. ^ a b Yi (2007), p. 19.
  23. ^ Yi (2007), pp. 18–21.
  24. ^ a b "King Sejong the Great And The Golden Age of Korea". Asia Society. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  25. ^ Pratt 2007, p. 125.
  26. ^ "South Korea – The Choson Dynasty". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  27. ^ "Hangul | Alphabet Chart & Pronunciation". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  28. ^ Baker, Don (6 December 2006). "Islam Struggles for a Toehold in Korea". Harvard Asia Quarterly. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  29. ^ "Korean Coins". Primal Trek. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  30. ^ a b Park, Young-gyu (12 February 2008). 한권으로 읽는 세종대왕실록 [Veritable Records of King Sejong the Great in One Volume] (in Korean). Woongjin Knowledge House. ISBN 9788901077543.
  31. ^ "계해약조" [Treaty of Gyehae]. Encyclopædia Britannica (in Korean). Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  32. ^ "21세기 세종대왕 프로젝트" [21st-century King Sejong the Great project]. sejong.prkorea.com (in Korean). Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  33. ^ Aw, Gene (22 August 2019). "King Sejong: The Inventor of Hangul and More!". Go! Go! Hanguk. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  34. ^ Kim, Chin W. (1994). "Reviewed work: King Sejong the Great: The Light of 15th Century Korea., Young-Key Kim-Renaud". The Journal of Asian Studies. 53 (3): 955–956. doi:10.1017/S0021911800031624. JSTOR 2059779. S2CID 162787329.
  35. ^ Haralambous, Yannis; Horne, P. Scott (28 November 2007). Fonts & Encodings. O'Reilly Media. p. 155. ISBN 9780596102425.
  36. ^ Selin, Helaine (11 November 2013). Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Westen Cultures. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 505–506. ISBN 9789401714167.
  37. ^ a b c Kim (1998), p. 57.
  38. ^ "장영실" [Jang Yeong-sil]. bueb125.com.ne.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on 18 July 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  39. ^ Strangeways, Ian (2010). "A History of Rain Gauges". Weather. 65 (5): 133–138. Bibcode:2010Wthr...65..133S. doi:10.1002/wea.548.
  40. ^ Kim (1998), p. 51.
  41. ^ Lee, Bae-yong (20 October 2008). Women in Korean History. Ewha Womans University Press. p. 267. ISBN 978-8973007721.
  42. ^ Oh, Gi-su (2011). "세종대왕의 조세사상과 공법 연구 : 조세법 측면에서" [The Study of Gongbeop of King Sejong the Great and Thoughts on Taxation: From the Perspective of Tax Law]. Korean Journal of Taxation Research (in Korean). 28 (1): 369–405. ISSN 1225-1399 – via National Assembly Library.
  43. ^ "한국 전통과학의 전성기, 세종 시대" [The heyday of Korean traditional science, the Sejong era]. science.ytn.co.kr (in Korean). 31 January 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  44. ^ "'어쩌다 어른' 설민석, '경청의 1인자 세종대왕'…역사가 이렇게 재미있을 줄이야!" [Seol Min-seok of 'No Way I'm an Adult', 'King Sejong the Great, the No. 1 listener'…I never thought history could be this interesting!]. Aju Business Daily (in Korean). 10 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  45. ^ "편경 編磬 Pyeongyeong LITHOPHON – Korea Music". michaelcga.artstation.com. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  46. ^ "King Sejo and Music". KBS World. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  47. ^ Kim, Jeong-su (1 October 1990). 한글의 역사와 미래 [The history and future of Hangul] (in Korean). Yeolhwadang. ISBN 9788930107235.
  48. ^ Hannas, William C. (1 June 1997). Asia's Orthographic Dilemma. University of Hawaii Press. p. 57. ISBN 9780824818920.
  49. ^ Chen, Jiangping (18 January 2016). Multilingual Access and Services for Digital Collections. Libraries Unlimited. p. 66. ISBN 9781440839559.
  50. ^ "Invest Korea Journal". Invest Korea Journal. 23. Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. 1 January 2005. They later devised three different systems for writing Korean with Chinese characters: Hyangchal, Gukyeol and Idu. These systems were similar to those developed later in Japan and were probably used as models by the Japanese.
  51. ^ "Korea Now". Korea Herald. 29 (13–26 ed.). 2000.
  52. ^ Hunminjeongeum Haerye, postface of Jeong In-ji, p. 27a; translation from Gari Ledyard, The Korean Language Reform of 1446, p. 258
  53. ^ Koerner, E. F. K.; Asher, R. E. (28 June 2014). Concise History of the Language Sciences: From the Sumerians to the Cognitivists. Elsevier. p. 54. ISBN 9781483297545.
  54. ^ Fifty Wonders of Korea Volume 1: Culture and Art (2nd ed.). Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project. 2009. pp. 28–35.
  55. ^ a b Griffis, Ben (18 January 2021). "Sejong the Great". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  56. ^ Bernstein, Brian; Kamp, Harper; Kim, Janghan; Seol, Seungeun. "The Design and Use of the Hangul Alphabet in Korea" (PDF). University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  57. ^ NIKL (2003), chpt. 4.
  58. ^ King, Ross (2004). "Western Protestant Missionaries and the Origins of Korean Language Modernization". Journal of International and Area Studies. 11 (3): 7–38. JSTOR 43107101.
  59. ^ Blakemore, Erin (28 February 2018). "How Japan Took Control of Korea". History. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  60. ^ Haboush, Jahyun Kim (2003). "Dead Bodies in the Postwar Discourse of Identity in Seventeenth-Century Korea: Subversion and Literary Production in the Private Sector". The Journal of Asian Studies. 62 (2): 415–442. doi:10.2307/3096244. JSTOR 3096244. S2CID 154705238.
  61. ^ 세종실록 92권, 세종 23년 2월 20일 정해 1번째기사.
  62. ^ 세종실록 9권, 세종 2년 8월 29일 을축 3번째기사.
  63. ^ 세종실록 68권, 세종 17년 4월 1일 임인 1번째기사.
  64. ^ 세종실록 112권, 세종 28년 4월 30일 정묘 8번째기사.
  65. ^ 세종실록 127권, 세종 32년 2월 17일 임진 1번째기사.
  66. ^ 세종실록 127권, 세종 32년 1월 18일 갑오 1번째기사.
  67. ^ 세조실록 10권, 세조 1년 10월 10일 기유 1번째기사.
  68. ^ 세조실록 4권, 세조 2년 6월 6일 갑진 3번째기사.
  69. ^ a b c 이규상 (16 March 2010). "[바로 보는 한반도 역사] ⑧세종대왕에 대한 남북의 평가". Radio Free Asia (in Korean).
  70. ^ "한국인이 좋아하는 50가지 [사람1편] - 역대대통령/기업인/존경하는인물/소설가/스포츠선수 (2004-2024)" (in Korean). Gallup Korea. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  71. ^ Kim, Chihon (27 September 2023). "Oct. 9-Hangul Day: A Democratic alphabet created for Korean commoner". Stars and Stripes.
  72. ^ a b "Tour Guide". Tourguide.vo.kr. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  73. ^ Dong-woo, Chang (18 December 2017). "(Yonhap Interview) King Sejong Institute seeks more overseas branches". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  74. ^ "Statue of King Sejong is unveiled". Korea JoongAng Daily. October 10, 2009. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  75. ^ "King Sejong Statue (세종대왕 동상)". English.visitkorea.or.kr. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  76. ^ "King Sejong Story (세종이야기)". English.visitkorea.or.kr. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  77. ^ "Remembering Hangul". Korea JoongAng Daily. 26 September 2009. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  78. ^ 유성호 (2 July 2007). "최고의 '방패' 한국형 이지스함 세종대왕함 진수". CNB뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 4 July 2024. 해군은 또 "세종대왕은 국민적 호감도가 가장 높은 인물"이라며 "향후 항모를 보유하게 된다면 이미 대형 상륙함에 독도함 등이 함명으로 사용되는 만큼, '고구려', '발해' 같은 웅대한 대륙국가의 이름이 사용될 수도 있을 것"이라고 설명했다.
  79. ^ 윤정식 (9 October 2015). "세종대왕이 '1만원권 지폐' 모델이 된 까닭은?". 헤럴드경제 (in Korean).
  80. ^ 최선영 (7 January 2002). "北, 세종대왕 역사적 인물로 평가". 통일뉴스 (in Korean). 북한 무소속대변지 통일신보 최근호(2001.12.15)는 [우리나라 역사인물] 코너에서 `과학문화 발전에 기여한 세종`이란 제목을 통해 세종대왕(1397∼1450년)이 `30여년 집권기간 훈민정음의 창제 등 나라의 과학문화를 발전시키는데 적지 않게 기여한 것으로 하여 후세에도 그 이름은 전해지고 있다`고 소개했다... 또 2000년 8월 발행된 [조선대백과사전] 제16권은 `세종 통치시기 봉건문화가 발전하고 나라의 대외적 지위가 높아졌다`고 지적하면서도 `봉건군주로서 세종의 모든 활동과 그 결과는 봉건 지배계급의 이익을 옹호하기 위한 것이었고 이 시기 인민대중에 대한 봉건적 압박과 착취는 보다 강화됐다`고 주장하고 있다.
  81. ^ Yi (2007), p. 21.
  82. ^ Yi (2007), p. 19–21.
  83. ^ "The Great King Sejong". Korean Broadcasting System (in Korean). Retrieved 26 March 2023.

Historical Sources

[edit]

Veritable Records

[edit]
Main article: Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty

Modern Secondary Sources

[edit]

Korean Language Sources

[edit]

English Language Sources

[edit]


Nonabelian/King Sejong
Born: 10 April 1397 Died: 17 February 1450
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Joseon
10 August 1418 – 17 February 1450 		Succeeded by


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Nonabelian/King_Sejong&oldid=1235719174"