The Study of Contextual Meaning of The Name “訓民正音” through The Relevant Articles Recorded in《朝鮮王朝實錄》

Abstract

This article aims to explore the historical background of the period when the term “訓民正音” was created in order to understand the meaning of the name “訓民正音”. To consider the social context of the era and take a bird's-eye view of the social and cultural background at the time of “訓民正音” emergence in order to provide the fundamental data for the study of “한글생활사”. Considering the relationship of “訓民正音” and “諺文”, this research mainly focuses on the historical event “Presentation of petition against 諺文”. It was an important event at that time which related to the creation of new calligraphy. This research also investigated the processes of “Invention”, “Presentation of petition” and “Proclamation” recorded in the “The True Record of the Joseon Dynasty chronicles《朝鮮王朝實錄》”

Analyzing the related contexts of the messages recorded in the chronicles, it was found that “諺文” was a name that better expressed King Sejong's intentions and wills than “訓民正音”, but “訓民正音” was a name that closed to the perspective of the scripts presented by the petitioners who opposed to the use of newly invented scripts. After King Sejong had to face the petition, therefore, the name “訓民正音” was used instead of “諺文” in order to compromise with the nobles.