Abstract
The Korean Han’gŭl script was invented in the fifteenth century and became an effective writing system, interacting with Classical Chinese throughout the Chosŏn period. This chapter argues that women of the court played an important role as mediators between the two writing systems and in the consolidation of Han’gŭl. Women hand-copied novels, translated Buddhist sutras and distributed didactic books, in print and in manuscript, even beyond court circles, especially from the seventeenth century onwards.
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Notes
- 1.
In this chapter, the romanisation of Korean follows the McCune–Reischauer system, and the English translations and romanisation of the titles of the references follow the versions provided by the authors.
- 2.
Sŭng-min Yang, ‘P’ilsapon kososŏl ŭi t’ŭksŏng kwa kach’i: Han’gŭl p’ilsapon ŭi yut’ong mit chonchae yangsang ŭl chungsim ŭro’ 필사본 고소설의 특성과 가치: 한글 필사본의 유통 및 존재 양상을 중심으로 [A Study of the Characteristics and Values of Classical Novels in Manuscript: With a focus on the distribution and existence patterns of Han’gŭl manuscripts], Kukŏsa yŏn’gu 20, April 2015, pp. 7–37.(Yang 2015)
- 3.
Chong-muk Yi, ‘Chosŏn side wangsil tosŏ ŭi sujang e tehayŏ’ 조선 시대 왕실 도서의 수장에 대하여 [A Study of the Treasury of the Royal Book Collections in Chosŏn], Sŏji hakpo 26, 2002, pp. 5–39.(Yi 2002)
- 4.
Konchŏn ŏp’il, National Hangeul Museum, accessed 27 August 2015, at http://www.hangeul.go.kr/eventBbs/bbsView.do?bbs_id=3&bbs_no=1&curr_menu_cd=0103020000.
- 5.
Chong-muk Yi, ‘Chosŏn side wangsil tosŏ ŭi sujang e tehayŏ’.
- 6.
Kyŏng-ha Yi, ‘15–16 segi wanghu ŭi kungmun kŭlssŭgi e kwanhan munhŏnchŏk koch’al’ 15–16세기 왕후의 국문 글쓰기에 관한 문헌적 고찰” [Several examples of Queen’s writing in the fifteenth–sixteenth century], Han’guk kojǒn yǒsǒng munhak yǒn’gu 7, 2003, pp. 389–415.(Yi 2003).
- 7.
Mu-sik Kim, ‘Han’gŭl p’yŏnchit kŭl e t’uyŏngtoen Chosŏncho yŏsŏng ŭisik kwa munhwa 한글 편짓글에 투영된 조선조 여성의식과 문화’ [A Study of Woman’s Consciousness and her Culture which is reflected in the Korean holograph letters of the Chosŏn period], Proceedings of the International Conference of the Association of North-east Asian Cultures, Meio University, Okinawa, 23–26 November 2007, Pusan (Pukyong University), 2007, pp. 297–301.(Kim 2007).
- 8.
Sŭng-hi Yi, ‘Chosŏn hugi wangsil yŏsŏng ŭi Han’gŭl sayong yangsang 조선 후기 왕실 여성의 한글 사용 양상’ [A study of royal women’s writing in the late Chosŏn dynasty], Han’guk munhwa 61, March 2013, pp. 301–325.(Yi 2013)
- 9.
Ho-kwŏn Yi, ‘Chosŏn side Han’gŭl munhŏn kanhaeng ŭi sigipyŏl kyŏnghyang kwa tŭkching 조선시대 한글문헌 간행의 시기별 경향과 특징’ [Time-based trends and characteristics of Chosŏn publication of Han’gŭl literature], Korean Linguistics 41, 2008, pp. 83–114.(Yi 2008).
- 10.
The court ladies of the earlier Chosŏn copied the sutras in person or patronised the scribes – Chong-min Kim, ‘Chosŏn side sakyŏng yŏn’gu 조선시대 사경 연구’ [A study of a Buddhist manuscript of the Chosŏn Dynasty], unpublished PhD thesis, Taegu Catholic University, 2007.(Kim 2007).
- 11.
Sang-kyu Yi, Han’gŭl komunsǒ yǒn’gu 한글 고문서 연구 [An analysis of the Han’gŭl Manuscripts], Seoul (Kyŏngjin), 2011, pp. 759–786.(Yi 2011)
- 12.
Ch’ang-kwŏn Chŏng, ‘Chosŏn cho ŏŭi kungchung yŏsŏng ŭi sosŏl munhwa 조선 조 궁중 여성의 소설 문화’ [A Study of literary works by women within the royal court of the Chosŏn Dynasty], Yŏsŏng munhwa yŏn’gu 11, 2004, pp. 299–317.(Chŏng 2004).
- 13.
Kwŏn-hwan In, ‘Pulkyo sanmun yŏn’gu (1443–1876) 불교산문 연구 (1443–1876)’ [A Study of the Han’gŭl Buddhist Writings in Prose Form of the Chosŏn] in Pulgyo munhak kwa pulgyo ǒnǒ 불교 문학과 불교 언어 [The Literature and Language of pre-modern Korean Buddhism], edited by Pusǒl Han’guk Munhak Yǒn’guso, Seoul (Ihoe Munhwasa), 2006, pp. 45–68.(In 2006)
- 14.
Recent studies have shown that 10 of the novel-like narratives appear in either the Sŏkpo sangjŏl (1447) or the Wŏrin Sŏkpo (1459), both of which were valued as the most representative and initial Han’gŭl works – Ho-kwŏn Yi, ‘Chosŏn side Han’gŭl munhŏn kanhaeng ŭi sigipyŏl kyŏnghyang kwa tŭkching’.
- 15.
P’ae-kang Hwang, ‘Naam Po-u wa Wangrang panhon chŏn: Hwaŏmsa pon Kwŏn nyŏm yo rok ŭl chungsim ŭro나암 보우와 왕랑반혼전: 화엄사본 권념요록을 중심으로’ [Naam Bo-woo and his Wang-rang Ban-hon Jun], Kukŏ kungmunhak 42/43, February 1969, pp. 11–73.(Hwang 1969).
- 16.
It has been suggested that Queen Munchŏng (1501–1565), consort of the 11th king Chungjong (r. 1506–1544), read the Wangrang panhon chŏn (王郞返魂傳, the ‘Story of Wang-rang’s Resurrection’), as she respected and followed the monk Po-u. She is one of the most influential regents who advocated Buddhism, as revealed in the Han’gul orders that she wrote against the strong opposition of the Neo-Confucian civil officials, while acting as regent (1545–1553) for her young son, the 13th king Myŏngjong (r. 1545–1567).
- 17.
Kyu-pok Chŏng, ‘Wangrang panhon chŏn ŭi wŏnchŏn kwa hyŏngsŏng 왕랑반혼전의 원전과 형성[The original version of the Wangrang panhon chŏn and its formation] Kososŏl yŏn’gu 2, 1996, pp. 7–43.(Chŏng 1996).
- 18.
Ki-tong Kim, ‘Chosŏn choŭi Pulkyo sosŏllon 조선 조의 불교 소설론’ [On the Buddhist novel-like narratives of the Chosŏn], Ŏmun yŏn’gu 9:3, 1981, pp. 465–476; Che-tong Sa, ‘Pulkyolkye sŏsa munhak yŏn’gu 불교계 서사문학의 연구’ [An examination of the Buddhist narratives], Ŏmun yŏn’gu 12, 1983, pp. 137–198.(Kim 1983).
- 19.
John Duncan, ‘The Naehun and the Politics of Gender in the Fifteenth-Century’, in The Creative Women of Korea: The Fifteenth Through the Twentieth Centuries, edited by Young-key Kim-Renaud, Armonk, NY (M.E. Sharpe), 2004, pp. 26–57.(Duncan 2004).
- 20.
Hyŏng-t’aek Yim, ‘17 segi kyubang sosŏl ŭi sŏngnip kwa Ch’angsŏnkamŭi rok 17 세기 규방 소설의 성립과 창선감의록’ [Development of the Novels for the Kyubang or women’s quarters: the publication of the novel Ch’angsŏnkamŭi rok]’ Tongpang hakchi 57, 1988, pp. 103–176.(Yim 1988).
- 21.
Yŏng-hi Pak, ‘Changp’yŏn kamun sosŏl ŭi hyangyu chiptan yŏn’gu 장편 가문 소설의 향유 집단 연구’ [A study of the audiences of the lengthy family novels in Chosŏn], Munhak kwa sahoe chiptan, no volume number, 1995, pp. 319–361.(Pak 1995).
- 22.
Ch’ang-kwŏn Chŏng, ‘Chosŏn cho ŭi kungchung yŏsŏng ŭi sosŏl munhwa Chŏng’.
- 23.
Ŭn-sŏn Kim, ‘Konpŏm’ŭl t’onghae pon Chosŏn hugi yŏhunsŏ ŭi saeroun yangsang ‘壼範’을 통해 본 조선후기 女訓書의 새로운 양상’ [New aspects of Confucian women’s classics in the late Chosŏn Dynasty through ‘Gonbeom’], Changsŏkak 16, December 2006, pp. 159–193.(Kim 2006).
- 24.
Il-kŭn Kim, ‘Inmok taepi sulhoemun ŭi sogae wa myŏt kaji munje 인목대비 술회문의 소개와 몇 가지 문제’ [An examination on the newly-found manuscript of Queen Inmok], Kukŏ Kungmunhak 23, May 1961, pp. 126–129.(Kim 1961).
- 25.
Ha-yŏng Chŏng, ‘Sukjong kyebi Inwŏn wanghu ŭi Han’gŭl kirok: Seon’gun yusa wa Seonpi yusa 숙종 계비 인원왕후의 한글 기록: 션군유사와 션비유사’ [Queen Inwon’s Seonkoon Yousa, Seonbi Yousa, and ‘A Selection of Short Documents’], Han’guk munhwa yŏn’gu 11, 2006, pp. 277–317.(Chŏng 2006).
- 26.
Kyǒng-nam Chang, Imjin waeran ǔi munhakchǒk hyǒngsanghwa 임진왜란의 문학적 형상화’ [The Japanese invasion Imjin Waeran and its representations in later Chosŏn literary culture], Seoul (Asea Munhwasa), 2000 (Chang 2000); Yŏng-kil An, ‘17 segi sanmun paltal ŭi yangsang e kwanhan yŏn’gu 17세기 산문 발달의 양상에 관한 연구’ [A Study of the Development of Prose in the seventeenth century], Yangmyŏnghak 17, December 2006, pp. 165–189.(Yŏng-kil 2006).
- 27.
The suggestion that their huge number of illustrations might have discouraged manuscript copying is problematic. Their written texts, either in Classical Chinese or in Han’gŭl, could have been hand-copied alone if necessary.
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Han, S. (2017). Writings in the Korean Han’gŭl Script by and for the Women of Chosŏn Korea (1392–1910). In: Lyons, M., Marquilhas, R. (eds) Approaches to the History of Written Culture. New Directions in Book History. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54136-5_3
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