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80-590: Lady Shin was born into the Geochang Shin clan on 15 December 1476 to Shin Seung-seon and Princess Jungmo. Her mother was the daughter of King Sejong 's fourth son, Grand Prince Imyeong . The grand prince was the younger brother of Prince Gwangpyeong, who served as Yeonguijeong during the reign of King Sejo . These two are uncles of Lady Sin. Accordingly Lady Shin was 7th cousins (first cousin twice removed) to her future husband. As Lady Shin and her siblings came from

160-412: A bribe or exploit the local populace. While Jungjong and Jo Gwang-jo shared a common passion for the reformist agenda, the former was chiefly interested in solidifying royal authority whereas the latter was more concerned with neo-Confucian ideology, according to which those who rule must be a virtuous example to the rest. Jo's uncompromising character and frequent remonstrations also began to irritate

240-476: 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. Sejong reinforced Korean Confucian and Neo-Confucian policies, and enacted major legal amendments ( 공법 ; 貢法 ). He personally created and promulgated

320-496: A land reform that would distribute land more equally between the rich and poor, and introduced a supplementary system to recruit talents for the government. He believed that any talented people, including slaves , should be appointed as officials regardless of social status. The Annals of the Joseon dynasty state that during his time as Inspector General ( Daesaheon ; 대사헌), he enforced the laws strictly so that no official dared to receive

400-592: A prestigious family, they had overlapping lineages and marriages with the royal family. She was the aunt of Queen Dangyeong , the first wife of King Jungjong, and was also the aunt of Nam Chi-won, husband of Princess Gyeongsun, the 5th daughter of King Seongjong . Her older brother, Shin Su-geun, also married a first cousin of Queen Insu , as well as her third older brother, Shin Su-yeong, who married Queen Ansun 's younger sister. In March 1487 (18th year of King Seongjong) it

480-434: A princess consort. Her sons were sentenced to death by poisoning immediately following the coup. The new king, Jungjong , was reluctant to enforce such punishment from court officials. After she was deposed, Jungjong treated Queen Shin generously. Her servants did not leave her because of her good character. Before dying that same year, the former king stated "I miss my wife, Lady Shin" ( 아내 신씨가 보고 싶다 ) on his deathbed. In

560-550: A purge following the death of his mother, Queen Jeheon . He executed the ministers and members of the royal family that were involved in her death. It was said that the King went to the quarters of his step-mother Queen Dowager Jasun and held her at sword point. He thereupon ordered the Queen Dowager to come out of her living quarters, but the queen consort intervened to protect her mother-in-law from her step-son. A few days after this,

640-411: 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

720-526: 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. In 1427, Sejong issued a decree against the Huihui ( Korean Muslim ) community that had enjoyed special status and stipends since

800-466: 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. Sejong died on 8 April 1450, on the Gregorian calendar, at the residence of Grand Prince Young-eung at the age of 52. He was buried at Yeongneung ( 영릉 ; 英陵 ), in

880-484: 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

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960-585: 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 on 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

1040-520: The Veritable Records of King Sejong and Jeong In-ji 's preface to the Hunminjeongeum Haerye emphasize that Sejong invented it himself. 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

1120-531: The ' Jongmyo court music ' , which was used for royal ancestral rituals and is now inscribed as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Hertiage . King Sejong profoundly affected Korea's history with the creation and introduction of hangul , the native phonetic writing system for the Korean language . Although it is widely assumed that he ordered the Hall of Worthies to invent the script, contemporaneous records such as

1200-470: The Cheongsong Sim clan  [ ko ] , who would later become Queen Soheon . In 1412, Yi To was granted the title Grand Prince Chungnyeong ( 충녕대군 ; 忠寧大君 ). In 1414, he had his first son, who would later become Munjong . 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

1280-466: 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. Likewise, Sejong continued Joseon's policies of "worshiping Confucianism and suppressing Buddhism " ( Korean :  승유억불 ; Hanja :  崇儒抑佛 ). He banned monks from entering Hanseong and reduced

1360-459: The Gyeonggi Province and was primarily used for ceremonies. 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

1440-633: The King Sejong Institute , the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts , 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, now sits on a concrete pedestal on the boulevard of Gwanghwamun Square and directly in front of

1520-536: The Korean alphabet , 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. From 1439, he became increasingly ill and his eldest son, Crown Prince Yi Hyang , acted as regent . Sejong died on March 1450. Sejong

1600-601: The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. The pedestal contains one of the several entrances to the 3,200 m underground museum exhibit entitled "The Story of King Sejong". 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. A portrait of Sejong

1680-581: The Songhua River . Sejong promoted the sciences. 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. In 1428, Sejong ordered

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1760-577: The Treaty of 1910 , hangul was outlawed again until the liberation of Korea in 1945. Sejong suffered from eye diseases and deteriorating vision and likely had health issues linked to excessive meat consumption all throughout his life. 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

1840-516: 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. 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

1920-451: 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. In the early years of the Joseon dynasty, the economy operated on a barter system, with cloth, grain, and cotton being

2000-579: 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. 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

2080-478: 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. Hangul Day is also celebrated in North Korea, albeit on a different date. Sejong and his primary consort Soheon had ten children together: the most for any queen consort of

2160-479: The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, it is said that Yeonsan cared for Lady Shin, or that he took care of her and her relatives. There are records that there were many children of the two of them. On the day of his sudden death, Lady Shin was the only person who was able to stop Yeonsangun from running amok, and Yeonsangun turned around without harming her. In 1512 (7th year of King Jungjong 's reign) Queen Shin suggested that

2240-553: The Geochang Shin clan ( 거창군부인 신씨 ). Gu Eom (son of Queen Shin's only daughter Princess Hwisin) held the ancestral rites for Queen Shin and King Yeonsangun. After Gu died, his adoptive grandson, Yi Ahn-nul ( 이안눌 ; 李安訥 ), inherited the position. Parents Sibling(s) Consort Issue Sejong the Great Sejong ( Korean :  세종 ; Hanja :  世宗 ; 15 May 1397 – 30 March 1450), personal name Yi To ( 이도 ; 李祹 ), commonly known as Sejong

2320-504: 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 ;

2400-441: The Great is considered one of the most influential monarchs in Korean history, with the creation of Hangul considered his greatest legacy. Sejong is widely renowned in modern-day South Korea. 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 . The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture evaluates the reign of Sejong "the most shining period of

2480-517: The Joseon Dynasty , Shin was peaceful, respectful, gentle, virtuous and discreet. In 1491 (22nd year of King Seongjong) Princess Hwisin was born. In 1493 (24th year of King Seongjong) the princess consort participated in Chinjamrye that was hosted by Queen Jeonghyeon . In 1494 (25th year of King Seongjong) the princess consort gave birth to a son who died a month later. In December of the same year, King Seongjong passed away and Prince Yeonsangun took

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2560-548: The Joseon period. Historian Lee Han argues it is unclear if their relationship had genuine love ; 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. Jungjong of Joseon Jungjong ( Korean :  중종 ; Hanja :  中宗 ; 25 April 1488 – 9 December 1544), personal name Yi Yeok ( 이역 ; 李懌 ), firstly titled Grand Prince Jinseong ( 진성대군 ; 晉城大君 ),

2640-439: The Korean language—that had been in use since hundreds of years before hangul. However, due to the fundamental differences between the Korean and Chinese languages, 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). Hangul

2720-554: The Queen's 13-year-old niece, Lady Shin, married Grand Prince Jinseong , who was the son of King Seongjong and Queen Jeonghyeon . This niece in time became princess consort (later Queen Dangyeong ). In 1502 (8th year of Yeonsangun's reign) the Queen's father, Shin Seung-seon, died. The queen consort about to give birth. King Yeonsangun prevented his wife from attending her father's funeral as he wanted her birth to auspicious. In 1504 (10th year of Yeonsangun's reign) King Yeonsangun ordered

2800-545: The Yun brothers' party as "Lesser Yun". Their conflict caused the Fourth Literati Purge ( Ulsa Sahwa ; 을사사화, 乙巳士禍) after Jungjong's death. As the royal court was weakened by the continual internal conflict, foreign powers driven away by earlier monarchs returned with much greater effect. Japanese pirates often plundered the southern coastal regions, while the Jurchens attacked the northern frontier numerous times, bleeding

2880-508: 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. 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

2960-591: The army dry. The king died on 9 December 1544 and was originally buried in Goyang , Gyeonggi Province . He was later moved to the Seonjeongneung Cluster , in Seoul , the burial ground of his parents, King Seongjong and Queen Jeonghyeon . The tomb is called Jeongneung ( 정릉 ). The throne passed to his eldest legitimate son, Crown Prince Yi Ho (posthumously honored as King Injong ), who died without issue less than

3040-418: The chance to rule on his own again. His reign was marked by tumultuous struggle among various conservative factions, each of them backed by one of the king's wives or concubines. In 1524, Nam Gon and Shim Jung ousted the corrupt official Gim Ahn-ro ( 김안로 ; 金安老 ), but he managed to return to power and took revenge by accusing Royal Noble Consort Gyeong (one of the king's concubines) of plotting against

3120-407: The crown prince, which led to her execution along with her only son, Prince Bokseong. Following this case, Gim Ahn-ro started using the protection of the crown prince as an excuse to begin a reign of terror against his enemies, and even attempted to depose Jungjong's third wife, Queen Munjeong , after she gave birth to a son (the future King Myeongjong ). He eventually met his downfall at the hands of

3200-466: The eleventh king of Joseon . Jungjong worked hard to wipe out the remnants of Yeonsangun 's era by reopening Sungkyunkwan (the royal university) and the Office of Censors (which criticizes inappropriate actions of the king). However, during the early days of his reign, the new king could not exert the royal power freely as those who put him on the throne held immense control over the country. When three of

3280-459: The exchange rate dropped below the coin's intrinsic value. In 1445, Sejong consolidated the various sujoji 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. King Sejong was an effective military planner and created various military regulations to strengthen

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3360-442: The expression's meaning changes to "Jo [Gwang-jo] will be King". The incident was reminiscent of another occurrence that took place before the fall of the Goryeo dynasty , when the phrase Mok Ja Deuk Guk ("Son of wood will gain the country"; 목자득국, 木子得國) became popular. In this case, the combined characters 木 ("wood") and 子 ("son") form the character 李 ("yi"), which was the surname of General Yi Seong-gye (later known as King Taejo ,

3440-592: The founder of Joseon). The only living leader of the 1506 coup, Hong Gyeong-ju ( 홍경주 ; 洪景舟 ), used this event to heighten Jungjong's suspicions and fears. Finally, in January 1520, Jo Gwang-jo was executed on charges of factionalism and many of his followers were exiled, while his radical reform programs were abruptly abandoned. The incident became known as the Third Literati Purge ( Gimyo Sahwa ; 기묘사화, 己卯士禍). After Jo Gwang-jo's elimination, Jungjong never had

3520-525: The history of our [the Korean] people." Sejong's creation of the Korean alphabet is celebrated every 9 October as Hangul Day , a national holiday. Multiple places in South Korea, including Sejong Street ( Sejongno ; 세종로, 世宗路), 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 ,

3600-470: The introduction of Christianity in Korea in 1602. 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

3680-533: The introduction of the 10,000- won bill, when his portrait and Geunjeongjeon replaced Seokguram and Bulguksa as features of the bill, in 1973. In North Korea, Sejong is not as widely commemorated compared to the South. 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

3760-692: The king distributed it to poor peasants who needed it. Otherwise the state maintained a permanent grain dole, that existed since the days of Unified Silla. 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). One of Sejong's closest friends and mentors

3840-510: The king organized another Chinjamrye. Geochang, the hometown of the queen, was promoted to a county during the reign of King Yeonsangun but was later relegated to Geochang-hyeon. In 1505, Queen Shin was honoured with the title Queen Jeinwondeok . When the Jungjong coup happened in 1506, King Yeonsan was demoted to a prince and sent into exile on Ganghwa Island . This led Queen Shin to lose her status as queen consort and she became known simply as

3920-411: The king. In late 1519, the conservative officials came up with a plan to further weaken Jo Gwang-jo's influence; they used honey to write Ju Cho Wi Wang ("Ju Cho will be King"; 주초위왕, 走肖爲王) on mulberry leaves so that caterpillars would leave behind the same words as if in supernatural manifestation. When the hanja characters 走 ( ju ) and 肖 ( cho ) are put together, they form the character 趙 ( jo ), and

4000-538: The main leaders of coup died of old age or natural causes in the next eight years, Jungjong began to assert his authority and carried out large-scale reforms with the help of Jo Gwang-jo and other Sarim scholars, despite much opposition from conservative nobles who had participated in the 1506 rebellion. Jo Gwang-jo strengthened local autonomy by establishing a self-governing system called Hyangyak , promoted Confucian writings by translating them into hangul (Korean native script) and distributing them widely, pursued

4080-468: 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, 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

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4160-473: 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

4240-534: The newly adopted intensive and continuous cultivation methods. 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. 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. In 1442, Jang Yeong-sil made one of

4320-494: 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." Taejong judged his second son, Grand Prince Hyoryeong , to have a disposition too soft for the role. He then proposed Chungnyeong, whom he felt

4400-497: The political stability enjoyed in the past decades disintegrated when Danjong became the sixth king of Joseon at the age of twelve. 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. Sejong

4480-420: The previous model and was composed of copper-zinc and lead-tin alloys. 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 . In

4560-572: The printing of one thousand copies of a "farmer's handbook". 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. 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

4640-482: 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. 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,

4720-401: The proposed reform. 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. 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,

4800-434: The queen's brothers, Yun Won-ro and Yun Won-hyeong . Despite these events, Yun Im , older brother of the late Queen Janggyeong and an ally of Gim Ahn-ro, was able to maintain his standing and preserve his nephew 's position as heir to the throne. The scholars and officials now gathered around two new centers of power and each group developed into separate political factions. Yun Im's party became known as "Greater Yun" and

4880-696: 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". 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,

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4960-404: The role due to his erratic and irresponsible behavior. 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. Following primogeniture, Taejong initially considered Yangnyeong's eldest son for the role. However,

5040-539: The safety of his kingdom. 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, 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. None of these had yet reached

5120-498: 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 . As predicted, Munjong died two years after his ascension, and

5200-475: The seven schools of Buddhism down to two, Seon and Gyo , drastically decreasing the power and wealth of the religious leaders. 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. Furthermore, he performed government ceremonies according to Confucianism and encouraged people to behave according to

5280-409: The teachings of Confucius . At the same time, Sejong sought to alleviate religious tensions between Confucianism and Buddhism. The Seokbosangjeol ( 석보상절 ; 釋譜詳節 ), a 24-volume Korean-language biography of Buddha translated from Chinese Buddhist texts, was commissioned and published in Sejong's reign by Grand Prince Suyang , in mourning for Queen Soheon, a devout Buddhist. Sejong advocated

5360-435: The thrall of 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. Despite inheriting significantly strengthened royal authority, Sejong did not suppress the press and promoted meritocracy through gwageo , the national civil service exam. During

5440-554: The throne. The princess consort became the queen consort. In 1497 (3rd year of Yeonsangun's reign) under the supervision of the queen consort, approximately 160 citizens were invited to perform at the Seonjeon Hall in Changdeok Palace. In December of the same year, the queen consort gave birth to Crown Prince Hwang. In 1498, 1500, and 1503, Queen Shin gave special care to the elderly by offering to pay for their funerals. In 1499,

5520-447: The tomb of her husband, Yeonsangun, be moved to Haechon, Yangju . This was permitted by King Jungjong. In 1521, when the house of her family collapsed to due to heavy rain, King Jungjong gifted her the house of Ahn Cheo-gyeom ( 안처겸 ; 安處謙 ). The deposed Queen Shin outlived her husband by 31 years and died at the age of 60 on 16 May 1537. She is interred beside Yeonsan's. Her tombstone states her name as Princess Consort Geochang of

5600-573: The world's first standardized rain gauges named cheugugi ( 측우기 ; 測雨器 ). 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

5680-463: Was a child. 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." There is speculation that he had diabetes, but there is inadequate evidence for a modern medical diagnosis. There

5760-569: Was arranged that Lady Shin would marry the Crown Prince. On 26 January 1488 (19th year of King Seongjong) the marriage ceremony was held at Injeong Hall in the palace Changdeokgung . Lady Shin became the Crown Princess of Joseon. Lady Shin was granted the titles of Princess Consort Yeonsan ( 연산군부인 ; 燕山君夫人 ) and Princess Consort Geochang ( 거창군부인 ; 居昌郡夫人 ). According to the Annals of

5840-463: Was born Yi To ( 이도 ; 李祹 ) on 15 May 1397, in Junsubang, Hanseong ( Seoul ), Joseon to Yi Pang-wŏn and a lady of the influential Yeoheung Min clan (later Queen Wongyeong ). 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. In 1408, Yi's father arranged his marriage to Lady Sim of

5920-501: Was commonly used for areas like casual writing, prose and bookkeeping, especially by the urban middle class like administrators and bureaucrats. 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 . Its spread and preservation can be largely attributed to three main factors: books published for women, its use by Buddhist monks, and

6000-405: 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. 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

6080-602: Was intelligent and sharp in matters of politics. The officials welcomed the decision and confirmed that Chungnyeong had been their preferred choice. On 8 July 1418, Chungnyeong was made crown prince of Joseon. 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. Sejong did not challenge Taejong's authority and deferred to his father during this period. Perpetually wary of royal authority falling into

6160-443: Was lengthened by one month before childbirth. In 1434, he also granted the husbands 30 days of paternity leave. 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

6240-537: Was the 11th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea . He succeeded to the throne after the deposition of his elder half-brother, the tyrannical Yeonsangun . In September 1506, on the day Yeonsangun was deposed, soldiers belonging to the coup's leaders surrounded the house of Grand Prince Jinseong. He was about to commit suicide, thinking that his older half-brother was finally going to kill him, but after being dissuaded by his wife, Lady Shin (later known as Queen Dangyeong ), Grand Prince Jinseong found himself becoming

6320-559: 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

6400-553: 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. 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

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