Yongbieocheonga | |
Korean name | |
---|---|
Hangul | 용비어천가 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Yongbieocheonga |
McCune–Reischauer | Yongbiŏch'ŏnga |
Yongbieocheonga,literally Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven,was the first work written in Hangul. The book was published in 1447 and written by Jeong Inji,An Ji and Kwon Jae. The preface was written by Seong Sam-mun and Pak Paengnyeon. [1]
The epic poem concerned the Joseon dynasty and Sejong's immediate predecessors,and was a justification of the dynasty change from Goryeo to Joseon. Today,the Songs provide insight into the development of Joseon,the Korean people,and the history of neighboring ethnicities in Northeast Asia such as the Jurchens (Manchus) who would later establish the Qing dynasty of China. [2]
The songs,in the form of 125 cantos,were composed through the efforts of a committee of Confucian philologists and literati. This compilation was the first Korean writing to be recorded in hangul (in addition to hanja). Previously,Korea had a long history of recording texts using Chinese characters exclusively. Several important themes in addition to that of the establishment of the Joseon dynasty reflect the events that gave rise to the creation of these poems:historical events that took place in China,the apotheosis of virtuous Kings preceding the fall of the Goryeo dynasty in Korea,and the Confucian political and philosophical ideologies. On April 28,2006,it was designated as Korean Treasure No. 1463. [3]
In 1259,a peace treaty was signed between the Goryeo Wang family kings and the Mongol Empire,resulting in a one hundred-year period of political domination by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China. The period saw the increasing influence of Confucianism alongside the traditions of Buddhism,which had been the national religion for nearly eight hundred years.
During this period,the Yuan ʼPhags-pa script was in use alongside Chinese characters as one of the official scripts of the Mongol empire and would ultimately be one of the influences for the Korean Hangul alphabet. Near the end of the Yuan dynasty,in 1362 the old Korean capital Kaesong was captured from the Red Turbans. In 1382,the Chinese and Koreans defeated Japanese pirates at Mt. Hwangsan.
In 1388,some Koreans allied with the Ming dynasty,with some Korean generals refusing to march to Liaodong Peninsula to capture Ming strongholds for the Yuan. The return of the Korean general,Yi Seong-gye signalled the start of the political changes which would result in the founding of Joseon in 1392,with the assassination of Goryeo’s last minister Jeong Mong-ju in 1392 and the exile of Goryeo's last king. The new dynasty was closely aligned with the Ming dynasty.
In 1418 during the Joseon era,Korea began to experience a significant shift in academics and Confucian philosophical ideologies. In 1420,the Academy of Worthies was established,and their scholars were primarily responsible for the further spread of Confucianism through Korea,the creation of hangul,and a number of literary works including the Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven.
The dragons spoken of in the title the Songs represent the six ancestors of the Joseon dynasty:Mokjo,Ikjo,Dojo,Hwanjo,Taejo,and Taejong. The flight of the dragons,Yongbieocheonga is the Joseon dynasty's rise in accordance with the Chinese concept of "the Mandate of Heaven." This identifies the Joseon ancestry as morally and politically virtuous and also sets out an ideological foundation for future Joseon rulers to follow.
Original text in Middle Korean | Yale transliteration | Modern Korean | Translation by James Hoyt |
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뎨〯ᅀᅵ〯쟈ᇰ | Tyěyzǐcyàng | 제2장 | Canto II |
불휘〮기픈〮남ᄀᆞᆫ〮 | Pwùlhwúy kìphún nàmkón | 뿌리깊은나무는 | A tree with deep roots, |
ᄇᆞᄅᆞ매〮아니〮뮐〯ᄊᆡ〮 | Pòlòmáy ànímwǔylssǒy | 바람에흔들리지아니하므로 | Because the wind sways it not, |
곶됴〯코〮 | Kwóc tyǒkwó | 꽃좋고 | Blossoms Abundantly |
여름〮하〮ᄂᆞ니〮. | Yèlúm hánòní. | 열매많나니. | And bears fruit. |
ᄉᆡ〯미〮기픈〮므〮른〮 | Sǒymíkìphún múlún | 샘이깊은물은 | The water from a deep spring, |
ᄀᆞ〮ᄆᆞ래〮아니〮그츨〮ᄊᆡ〮 | Kómòláy ànígùchúlssóy | 가뭄에도그치지아니하므로 | Because a drought dries it not, |
내〯히〮이러〮 | Nǎyhíìlé | 내를이루어 | Becomes a stream |
바ᄅᆞ〮래〮가〮ᄂᆞ니〮. | Pàlóláy kánòní. | 바다에가나니. | And flows to the sea. |
Korean monarchy existed in Korea until the end of the Japanese occupation and the defeat of Japan. After the independence and the installation of the Constitution that adopted republic system, the concept of nobility has been abolished, both formally and in practice.
Joseon, officially Great Joseon State, was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul. The kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the rivers of Amrok and Tuman through the subjugation of the Jurchens.
Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism that emerged and developed in Korea. One of the most substantial influences in Korean intellectual history was the introduction of Confucian thought as part of the cultural influence from China.
Neo-Confucianism is a moral, ethical, and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, which originated with Han Yu (768–824) and Li Ao (772–841) in the Tang dynasty, and became prominent during the Song and Ming dynasties under the formulations of Zhu Xi (1130–1200). After the Mongol conquest of China in the thirteenth century, Chinese scholars and officials restored and preserved neo-Confucianism as a way to safeguard the cultural heritage of China.
Taejo, personal name Yi Seong-gye, later Yi Dan, was the founder and first monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After overthrowing the Goryeo dynasty, he ascended to the throne in 1392 and abdicated six years later during a strife between his sons. He was honored as Emperor Go following the establishment of the Korean Empire.
Tianxia, literally meaning "(all) under Heaven", is a Chinese term for a historical Chinese cultural concept that denoted either the entire geographical world or the metaphysical realm of mortals, and later became associated with political sovereignty. In ancient China and imperial China, tianxia denoted the lands, space, and area divinely appointed to the Chinese sovereign by universal and well-defined principles of order. The center of this land was directly apportioned to the Chinese court, forming the center of a world view that centered on the Chinese court and went concentrically outward to major and minor officials and then the common subjects, tributary states, and finally ending with fringe "barbarians".
Korean literature is the body of literature produced by Koreans, mostly in the Korean language and sometimes in Classical Chinese. For much of Korea's 1,500 years of literary history, it was written in Hanja. It is commonly divided into classical and modern periods, although this distinction is sometimes unclear. Korea is home to the world's first metal and copper type, the world's earliest known printed document and the world's first featural script.
The Goryeosa, or History of Goryeo, is the main surviving historical record of Korea's Goryeo dynasty. Its compilation was started during the reign of Taejo as a justification for the regime change. As such, it presents the view that the king should be a faithful and wise servant of the state: he should be good; should accept the advice of his subjects; and maintain good diplomatic relations. "broadly speaking, it can be said to be a view of Confucianism".
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This article explains the history of the Joseon dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1897.
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Goryeo missions to Imperial China were the diplomatic ventures of Kingdom of Goryeo which were intermittently sent in the years 918–1392, representing a significant aspect of the international relations of mutual Goryeon-Chinese contacts and communication.
Gwon Geun was a Korean Neo-Confucian scholar at the dawn of the Joseon dynasty, and a student of Yi Saek. He was one of the first Neo-Confucian scholars of the Joseon dynasty, and had a lasting influence on the rise of Neo-Confucianism in Korea.
The Chongtong was a term for military firearms of Goryeo and Joseon dynasty. The size of chongtong varies from small firearm to large cannon, and underwent upgrades, which can be separated in three generation type. The well-known "Cheonja", "Jija", "Hyeonja", and "Hwangja" were named after the first four characters of the Thousand Character Classic in decreasing size, thus making them equivalent to Cannons A, B, C, and D.
Dragon robes, also known as gunlongpao or longpao for short, is a form of everyday clothing which had a Chinese dragon, called long (龍), as the main decoration; it was worn by the emperors of China. Dragon robes were also adopted by the rulers of neighbouring countries, such as Korea, Vietnam, and the Ryukyu Kingdom.
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