The Thousand Character Classic (千字文, 천자문, Cheonjamun) is a famous primer to educate children Chinese characters (漢字, 한자, Hanja). It is composed of 250 tetrasyllabic verses (四言古詩, 사언고시), and hence thousand characters in total. It was compiled by Zhou Xingsi (周興嗣, 주흥사, Ju Heungsa, 470?-521) during the Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁, 남양, Nam Yang, 502-557) based on selected writings of Wang Xizhi (王羲之, 왕희지, Wang Heuiji, 303-361) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (東晉, 동진, 317-420).
It is uncertain when the Thousand Character Classic was introduced into Korea. It was perhaps sometime during the Three Kingdoms Period of Korean history (三國時代, 삼국시대, 57-668). With the promulgation of Hangul in the 15th century, Hangul transcriptions of the characters’ pronunciations and their meanings were printed together with the original Classical Chinese text, as seen above. One famous edition is the one prepared by Han Ho (韓濩, 한호, 1543-1605) pursuant to royal decree by King Seonjo (宣祖, 선조, 1552-1608, r. 1567-1608). This edition often called the Seokbong Thousand Character Classic (石峯千字文, 석봉천자문, Seokbong Cheonjamun), after his pen name Seokbong (石峯, 석봉) and is pictured above. The Thousand Character Classic is still popular and commonly used as a Chinese character primer in Korea. There is even a popular comic book named Magic Thousand Character Classic (魔法 千字文, 마법천자문) based on this classic that has rekindled interest in Chinese characters among the younger generation of Koreans. Below is a translation of the excerpt of the Thousand Character Classical, including the last few lines and the last few lines and some in the middle.
千字文 천자문
天地玄黃 宇宙洪荒 천지현황 우주홍황
日月盈昃 辰宿列張 일월영측 진수열장
寒來暑往 秋收冬藏 한래서왕 추수동장
閏餘成歲 律呂調陽 운여성세 율려조양
The heavens and earth are dark and yellow; the universe are wide and vast.
The sun and moon grow full and decline; the constellations are arranged and spread.
When the cold comes, the heat leaves; in Autumn harvest and in Winter store.
A leap month remaining makes a year; musical notes are made harmonious with Yang (陽, 양).
…
川流不息 淵澄取映 천류불식 연징취영
容止若思 言辭安定 용지약사 언사안정
篤初誠美 愼終宜令 독초성미 신종의령
榮業所基 籍甚無竟 영업소기 적심무경
The streams flowing do not rest; the pond clear attains reflection.
Movements of life are like thoughts; words are tranquil and stable.
From the very beginning, be sincere and discreet; even at the end of action, make it right.
Thriving work is what is the basis; records [of the work] beyond will surely be without end.
…
孔懷兄弟 同氣連枝 공회형제 동기연지
交友投分 切磨箴規 교우투분 절마잠규
仁慈隱惻 造次弗離 인자은측 조차불리
節義廉退 顚沛匪虧 절의염퇴 전패비휴
Beautiful is it to embrace for older brother to younger brother; they are of the same spirit (氣, 기) and from intertwined branches.
To become friends, engage with those of [same] status; polishing the stone, maintain the duties.
Benevolence and mercy are compassionate; foster others and do not forget them.
[Protect] integrity and righteousness and with fidelity refuse; even if [righteousness] is falls and turned upside down, do not give up.
…
矩步引領 俯仰廊廟 구보인령 부앙낭묘
束帶矜莊 徘徊瞻眺 속대긍장 배회첨조
孤陋寡聞 愚蒙等誚 고루과문 우몽등초
謂語助者 焉哉乎也 위어조자 언재호야
Walking upright and pulling clothes, prostrating and gazing above at the ancestral shrine.
Tying the belt and with pride, wander and look around.
The stubborn and obstinate hears little; the foolish and ignorant do not avoid.
That which is called grammatical particles are Eon (焉, 언), Jae (哉, 재), Ho (乎, 호), and Ya (也, 야).
Notes:
- Like many tetrasyllabic poems, many of these characters seen here refer to their uncommonly used definitions. For instance, 領(령) here refers to clothes.
Characters:
- 容止(용지) – Refers to movements of daily life. Some Korean translations have it as simply “face” (얼굴).
- 言辭(언사) – Refers to words that are indicative of one’s behavior or sounds that are indicative of one’s thoughts or feelings.
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