Content
The publication is written in Classical Chinese and contains a preface, the alphabet letters (jamo), and brief descriptions of their corresponding sounds. It is later supplemented by a longer document called Hunminjeongeum Haerye. To distinguish it from its supplement, Hunminjeongeum is sometimes called the "Samples and Significance Edition of Hunminjeongeum" (훈민정음예의본; 訓民正音例義本).
The Classical Chinese (Hanzi/Hanja) of the Hunminjeongeum has been partly translated into Middle Korean. This translation is found together with Worinseokbo, and is called the Hunminjeongeum Eonhaebon.
The first paragraph of the document reveals King Sejong's motivation for creating hangul:
- Classical Chinese (Original):
- 國之語音
異乎中國
與文字不相流通
故愚民 有所欲言
而終不得伸其情者多矣
予爲此憫然
新制二十八字
欲使人人易習便於日用"耳"(矣)
- Mix of hanja (classical Chinese) and Hangul (Eonhaebon):
- Rendered into Korean written in Hangul (Eonhaebon):
- Translation:
| “ | Because the speech of this country is different from that of China, it does not match the letters. Therefore, even if the ignorant want to communicate, many of them in the end cannot state their concerns. Saddened by this, I have 28 letters newly made. It is my wish that all the people may easily learn these letters and that be convenient for daily use. | ” |
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