세종대왕 관점에서 바라본 『훈민정음해례본』 재해석

Abstract

Hunminjeongeum[Korean alphabet published by King Sejong in September 1446, meaning : the proper sound for the instruction of the people] is a very creative character in human history, but there is a lot of controversy over the creation principle of Hunminjeongeum because the Neo-Confucian interpretation of 『Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon』[An explanatory booklet on how Korean alphabet was created based on what principles] is not clear in sound. It is even known that the creator of Hunminjeongeum was not King Sejong, and Hunminjeongeum is regarded as a character that imitates Sanskrit or Phags-pa character.
 Therefore, by reinterpreting 『Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon』 from the perspective of King Sejong, it is revealed that Hunminjeongeum is an original character created through music.
 In that way, it is necessary not only to prove the arrangement of ‘basic consonants’ and ‘Gung-Sang-Gak-Chi-Woo[Traditional 5-Note Scale which had been used in Joseon dynasty]’ that refer to music in 『Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon』 but also to present the ‘the proper sound’ of all consonants and vowels of Hunminjeongeum.
 As a result, Hunminjeongeum has a different phonetic system from other letters. currently, the articulation position of consonants is only determined by the shape of the mouth and the position of the tongue, and the articulation method of consonants is divided into 'voice echo' and 'sound intensity'. And vowels are classified into 'lip shape', 'tongue position', and 'the degree to which the mouth opens'. On the other hand, the consonant articulation position of Hunminjeongeum is determined by the positions of the lips and tongue are fit the scale of 'Gung-Sang-Gak-Chi-Wu', and the articulation method is classified in consideration of the volume of the mouth. Vowels are classified only as the location where the sound is ringing.
 In addition, the creation principle of Hunminjeongeum, which is difficult to understand, including the ternary method[Cho-Jung-Jong Seong] and the special upper or side point over the character, can be briefly explained by Geomungo, a string instrument. From this point of view, Hunminjeongeum, which contains musical elements, is a unique ‘music character’ that can express all sounds in the world. Therefore, the reinterpretation of Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon from the perspective of King Sejong is the basis for being listed on UNESCO as a cultural heritage for people around the world. [Only the Humminjeongeum Haeryebon is registered as a UNESCO Memory of the World, and Hunminjeongeum has not yet been registered.]