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Sejong the Great

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"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
Posthumous portrait, 1973
King of Joseon
Reign9 September 1418 – 30 March 1450
EnthronementGeunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung, 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 To
(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, South Korea
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1408; died 1446)​
Issue
among others...
Names
Yi To (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
世宗
Revised RomanizationSejong
McCune–ReischauerSejong
Birth name
Hangul
이도
Hanja
李祹
Revised RomanizationI Do
McCune–ReischauerI To
Childhood name
Hangul
막동
Hanja
莫同
Revised RomanizationMakdong
McCune–ReischauerMaktong
Courtesy name
Hangul
원정
Hanja
元正
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 (Korean: 세종; Hanja: 世宗; 15 May 1397 – 30 March 1450), personal name Yi To (이도; 李祹), commonly known as Sejong the Great (세종대왕; 世宗大王), 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.

Initially titled Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군; 忠寧大君), he was the third son of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong. In 1418, Sejong replaced his eldest brother, Yi Je, as crown prince; 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 absolute executive and military power, and continued to govern until his death in 1422.[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. He also ordered the Occupation of Tsushima island.[4][5]

From 1439, he became increasingly ill[6] and his eldest son, Crown Prince Yi Hyang, acted as regent. Sejong died on March 1450.

Early life

[edit]

Sejong was born Yi To (이도; 李祹) on 15 May 1397, in Junsubang,[b] Hanseong (Seoul), Joseon to Yi Pang-wŏn and a lady of the influential Yeoheung Min clan (later Queen Wongyeong).[8][9] While records of Yi's childhood are scarce, it is known that Yi was born outside Gyeongbokgung when his father, Yi Pang-wŏn, was not yet heir to the throne.[10]

In 1408, Yi's father arranged his marriage to Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan [ko], who would later become Queen Soheon.[11][12] In 1412, Yi To was granted the title Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군; 忠寧大君).[8] In 1414, he had his first son, who would later become Munjong.[13]

Selection as heir to the throne

[edit]

As Taejong's eldest son, Grand Prince Yangnyeong was to inherit the throne. However, Taejong, as well as court officials, increasingly deemed Yangnyeong unsuitable for the role due to his erratic and irresponsible behavior.[8][14] In a series of escalating events involving Yangnyeong's affair with Eori, a concubine of Kwak Sŏn, Yangnyeong was ultimately deposed as crown prince.

In mid-1418, court officials petitioned Taejong to consider a new candidate for the throne.[8][14] Following primogeniture, Taejong initially considered Yangnyeong's eldest son for the role. However, the officials objected and insisted that Taejong select a wise person as heir apparent. King Taejong asked the officials to propose an alternative. According to the Veritable Records, they 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.[14] He then proposed Chungnyeong, whom he felt was intelligent and sharp in matters of politics. The officials welcomed the decision and confirmed that Chungnyeong had been their preferred choice.[8][14] On 8 July 1418, Chungnyeong was made crown prince of Joseon.[11]

Reign

[edit]

On 9 September 1418, Chungnyeong ascended the throne as King Sejong, following Taejong's abdication. However, Taejong retained military power and continued to make major political decisions as king emeritus (상왕; 上王) until his death.[15][8] Sejong did not challenge Taejong's authority and deferred to his father during this period.[15] Perpetually wary of royal authority falling in thrall to the queen's clan, Taejong had Sejong's father-in-law, Shim On, executed on charges of treason. Other members of the queen's family were exiled or made commoners, which left Queen Soheon politically isolated and unable to protest.[16]

Despite inheriting significantly strengthened royal authority, Sejong did not suppress the press and promoted meritocracy through gwageo, the national civil service exam.[8]

Religion

[edit]

During the Goryeo period, monks wielded strong political and economic influence. However, in Joseon, Buddhism was considered a false philosophy and the monks were viewed as corrupted by power and money.[citation needed]

Likewise, Sejong continued Joseon's policies of "worshiping Confucianism and suppressing Buddhism" (Korean: 승유억불; Hanja: 崇儒抑佛).[17] He banned monks from entering Hanseong and reduced the seven schools of Buddhism down to two, Seon and Gyo, drastically decreasing the power and wealth of the religious leaders.[18] 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 and monks losing large amounts of economic influence.[19][20] Furthermore, he performed government ceremonies according to Confucianism and encouraged people to behave according to the teachings of Confucius.[21]

At the same time, Sejong sought to alleviate religious tensions between Confucianism and Buddhism.[22] The Seokbosangjeol (석보상절; 釋譜詳節), a 24-volume Korean-language biography of Buddha translated from Chinese Buddhist texts, was commissioned[by whom?] and published in Sejong's reign by Grand Prince Suyang, in mourning for Queen Soheon, a devout Buddhist. Sejong advocated the project—despite fierce opposition from his courtiers—and condemned the hypocrisy of those who privately worship the Buddha yet publicly rebuke others for doing so.[23]

上謂承政院曰 孟子言 '墨子以薄爲道, 而葬其親厚'。大抵臣子之道, 宜以直事上, 不可容其詐。 然世人在家, 奉佛事神, 靡所不至, 及對人, 反以神佛爲非, 予甚惡之。

The King spoke to the Seungjeongwon,
Mencius once said, 'Mozi regards austerity as a virtue and yet made a lavish burial for his parents.' Generally speaking, a subject's duty is to serve his superior with honesty and not to tolerate deceit. However, people all around the world worship the Buddha, serve spirits at their houses, and yet reproach others for worshiping the very ghosts and Buddha they themselves revere; I find this highly reprehensible.

— Year 28, Month 3, Day 26, Entry 6, The Veritable Records of King Sejong, volume 111[24]

In 1427, Sejong issued a decree against the Huihui (Korean Muslim) community that had enjoyed special status and stipends since the Yuan dynasty's rule over Goryeo. The Huihui were forced to abandon their headgear, close down their "ceremonial hall" (a mosque in the city of Gaegyeong, in present-day Kaesong), and worship like everyone else. No further records of Muslims exist during the Joseon era.[25]

Economy

[edit]

In the early years of the Joseon dynasty, the economy operated 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 introduce a national currency modeled after the Tang dynasty's kaiyuan tongbao (開元通寶). The resulting 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. However, production ceased in 1425 due to high manufacturing costs, as the exchange rate dropped below the coin's intrinsic value.[26]

In 1445, Sejong consolidated the various sujoji[d] records, previously managed by various government offices, and placed them under the administration of the Ministry of Taxation (Hojo) to improve transparency in Joseon's fiscal policies.[27]

Military

[edit]

King Sejong was an effective military planner and created various military regulations to strengthen the safety of his kingdom.[28][place missing] During his reign great technological advancements were made in the manufacture of gunpowder and firearms. Hand cannons, known as Wangu (완구; 碗口), first built in 1407 and 1418, were improved upon,[29] and the Sohwapo (소화포; 小火砲), Cheonjetanhwan (철제탄환), Hwapojeon (화포전; 火砲箭) and the Hwacho (화초; 火초) were invented during his reign.[30]

None of these had yet reached a satisfactory level for Sejong. In the 26th year of his reign, he had the cannon foundry Hwapojujoso (화포주조소; 火砲鑄造所) built to produce a new standard cannon with outstanding performance, and in the following year, he undertook a complete overhaul of the cannon. The Chongtongdeungnok (총통등록; 銃筒謄錄) compiled and published in the 30th year his reign, was an illustrated book that described the casting methods, gunpowder usage, and specifications of the guns. The publication of this book is considered a remarkable achievement that marked a new era in the manufacture of artillery during the Joseon Dynasty.[30]

In June 1419, under the advice and guidance of his father, Sejong ordered the third and last occupation of Tsushima, known as Daemado Jeongbeol (대마도 정벌) in Korean and Ōei Invasion in Japanese. The ultimate goal of this military expedition was to remove the nuisance of Japanese pirates who had been operating from to the island. During the invasion, 245 Japanese were executed or killed and another 110 were captured, while 180 Korean soldiers died. Around 150 kidnapped victims (146 Chinese and 8 Koreans) were also freed.[31] 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 was obliged to pay tribute to the Joseon monarch, and in turn the Sō clan was allowed to serve as a diplomatic intermediary between Korea and Japan, as well as receive exclusive trade rights.[e][32]

In 1433, Sejong sent Kim Jong-seo to the north to destroy the Jurchens. The military campaign captured several fortresses, pushed north, and expanded Korean territory, to the Songhua River.[33][28][place missing]

Science, technology, and agriculture

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

Sejong promoted the sciences.[34][35] In 1420, Sejong created 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 designed to host Joseon's best and brightest thinkers, with the government offering grants and scholarships to encourage young scholars to attend.[36][37]

In 1428, Sejong ordered the printing of one thousand copies of a "farmer's handbook".[f] The following year, he published the Nongsa Jikseol (농사직설; 農事直說; lit. 'Straight Talk on Farming'), a compilation of various farming methods accommodative to Korea's climate and soil conditions.[39] The book dealt with planting, harvesting, and soil treatment, and contained information about the different farming techniques that scientists gathered from different regions of Korea. These techniques were essential for maintaining the newly adopted intensive and continuous cultivation methods.[40]

One of Sejong's close associates was inventor Jang Yeong-sil. Jang, who was originally a government-owned nobi from Dongnae, was appointed as a court technician by Sejong in 1423.[41] 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.[42]

In 1442, Jang Yeong-sil made one of the world's first standardized rain gauges named cheugugi (측우기; 測雨器).[43] 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,[44] 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.[40]

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".[40]

Public welfare

[edit]

In 1426, Sejong enacted a law that granted government serfs (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.[45]

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.[46][47]

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.[48] 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] Otherwise the state maintained a permanent grain dole, that existed since the days of Unified Silla.[49]

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.[50]

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.[51]

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][52] 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.[53]

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.[54][55][56][57] However, due to the fundamental differences between the Korean and Chinese languages,[58] 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).[59]

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.[60]

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.[61] 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"). It was commonly used for areas like casual writing, prose and bookkeeping, especially by the urban middle class like administrators and bureaucrats.[62] It notably gained popularity among women and fiction writers, with former usually often not having been able to get access to hanja education.

In 1504, the study and publication of hangul was banned by Yeonsangun.[63] Its spread and preservation can be largely attributed to three main factors: books published for women, its use by Buddhist monks,[64] and the introduction of Christianity in Korea in 1602.[65] 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.[66][67]

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.[68] 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.[69] 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."[70] 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.[71]

Sejong died on 8 April 1450, on the Gregorian calendar, at the residence of Grand Prince Young-eung at the age of 52.[72] 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, 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.[73] 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.[74] 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.[75]

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.[8][61][21] Sejong is widely renowned in modern-day South Korea.[76] 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.[77] The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture evaluates the reign of Sejong "the most shining period of the history of our [the Korean] people."[8] Sejong's creation of the Korean alphabet is celebrated every 9 October as Hangul Day, a national holiday.[78]

Multiple places in South Korea, including Sejong Street (Sejongno; 세종로, 世宗路),[79] 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,[80] the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts,[79] 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,[81] 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.[82] The pedestal contains one of the several entrances to the 3,200 m2 underground museum exhibit entitled "The Story of King Sejong".[83][84] 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.[85]

Statue of Sejong in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul city centre

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 15 August 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.[86]

In North Korea, Sejong is not as widely commemorated compared to the South.[76] 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 15 December 2001 issue, North Korean news outlet Tongil Sinbo reported that Sejong the Great greatly contributed to Korean science during his reign of 30 years.[87] Hangul Day is also celebrated in North Korea, albeit on a different date.[76]

Family

[edit]

Ancestry

[edit]

Consort(s) and their respective issue

[edit]

Sejong and his primary consort Soheon had ten children together: the most for any queen consort of the Joseon period.[88] 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.[89][unbalanced opinion?]

  • 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
[edit]

Television series and films

[edit]

His life was depicted in the KBS historical drama The Great King, Sejong in 2008.[90]

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.

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. ^ The exact location of Junsubang is unknown. Old maps suggest it was outside the west gate of Gyeongbokgung.[7]
  3. ^ 아들을 알고 신하를 아는 것은 군부(君父)와 같은 이가 없습니다.
  4. ^ (Korean: 수조지; Hanja: 收租地) Land given to government officials in place of salaries.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ This book is assumed to be the Nongsang Jiyao [zh] (농상집요; 農桑輯要), a Yuan dynasty book on farming which was exported to Korea during the Goryeo dynasty.[38]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ Kim-Renaud (2021), p. 15.
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  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. ^ Hong (1971), p. 3.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Choi 1 (n.d.).
  9. ^ 세종실록 127권, 세종 32년 2월 22일 정유 1번째기사.
  10. ^ Yi (2007), p. 8.
  11. ^ a b Yi (2007), p. 18.
  12. ^ Park (n.d.).
  13. ^ Choi 2 (n.d.).
  14. ^ a b c d 태종실록 35권, 태종 18년 6월 3일 임오 1번째기사.
  15. ^ a b Yi (2007), p. 19.
  16. ^ Yi (2007), pp. 18–21.
  17. ^ Cho 2011, p. 5.
  18. ^ Pratt, Keith (15 August 2007). Everlasting Flower: A History of Korea. Reaktion Books. p. 125. ISBN 978-1861893352.
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  22. ^ Cho 2011, p. 1-2.
  23. ^ Cho 2011, p. 8-9.
  24. ^ 세종실록 111권, 세종 28년 3월 26일 계사 6번째기사.
  25. ^ 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)
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  42. ^ 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)
  43. ^ Strangeways, Ian (2010). "A History of Rain Gauges". Weather. 65 (5): 133–138. Bibcode:2010Wthr...65..133S. doi:10.1002/wea.548.
  44. ^ Kim (1998), p. 51.
  45. ^ Lee, Bae-yong (20 October 2008). Women in Korean History. Ewha Womans University Press. p. 267. ISBN 978-8973007721.
  46. ^ 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.
  47. ^ 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.
  48. ^ '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.
  49. ^ Shin, Michael D.; Injae, Lee; Miller, Owen; Jinhoon, Park; Hyun-Jae, Yi (29 June 2017). "Korean History in Maps: From Prehistory to the Twenty-First Century". Asian Review of World Histories. 5 (1): 171–173. doi:10.12773/arwh.2017.5.1.171. ISSN 2287-9811.
  50. ^ 편경 編磬 Pyeongyeong LITHOPHON – Korea Music. michaelcga.artstation.com. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
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  55. ^ Chen, Jiangping (18 January 2016). Multilingual Access and Services for Digital Collections. Libraries Unlimited. p. 66. ISBN 9781440839559.
  56. ^ "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.
  57. ^ "Korea Now". The Korea Herald. 29 (13–26 ed.). 2000.
  58. ^ Hunminjeongeum Haerye, postface of Jeong In-ji, p. 27a; translation from Gari Ledyard, The Korean Language Reform of 1446, p. 258
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  67. ^ 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.
  68. ^ 세종실록 92권, 세종 23년 2월 20일 정해 1번째기사.
  69. ^ 세종실록 9권, 세종 2년 8월 29일 을축 3번째기사.
  70. ^ 세종실록 68권, 세종 17년 4월 1일 임인 1번째기사.
  71. ^ 세종실록 112권, 세종 28년 4월 30일 정묘 8번째기사.
  72. ^ 세종실록 127권, 세종 32년 2월 17일 임진 1번째기사.
  73. ^ 세종실록 127권, 세종 32년 1월 18일 갑오 1번째기사.
  74. ^ 세조실록 10권, 세조 1년 10월 10일 기유 1번째기사.
  75. ^ 세조실록 4권, 세조 2년 6월 6일 갑진 3번째기사.
  76. ^ a b c 이규상 (16 March 2010). [바로 보는 한반도 역사] ⑧세종대왕에 대한 남북의 평가. Radio Free Asia (in Korean).
  77. ^ 한국인이 좋아하는 50가지 [사람1편] - 역대대통령/기업인/존경하는인물/소설가/스포츠선수 (2004-2024) (in Korean). Gallup Korea. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  78. ^ Kim, Chihon (27 September 2023). "Oct. 9-Hangul Day: A Democratic alphabet created for Korean commoner". Stars and Stripes.
  79. ^ a b "Tour Guide". Tourguide.vo.kr. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  80. ^ Dong-woo, Chang (18 December 2017). "(Yonhap Interview) King Sejong Institute seeks more overseas branches". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  81. ^ "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)
  82. ^ "King Sejong Statue (세종대왕 동상)". VisitKorea.or.kr. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
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  84. ^ "Remembering Hangul". Korea JoongAng Daily. 26 September 2009. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  85. ^ 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.
  86. ^ 윤정식 (9 October 2015). 세종대왕이 '1만원권 지폐' 모델이 된 까닭은?. 헤럴드경제 (in Korean).
  87. ^ 최선영 (7 January 2002). "北, 세종대왕 역사적 인물로 평가". Tongil News (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.
  88. ^ Yi (2007), p. 21.
  89. ^ Yi (2007), p. 19–21.
  90. ^ "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]
Sejong the Great
Born: 10 April 1397 Died: 17 February 1450
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Joseon
10 August 1418 – 17 February 1450 		Succeeded by
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