The Metal Type from Insadong Crafted Stitch by Stitch by Joseon Artisans, What Books Did It Create?

Eulhaeja Based on Donggukjeongun-style Notation and Kang Heian's Calligraphy Discovered Last June
Similar to the Translated Version of Bulseol Amitagyeong, Almost Identical to Daebuljeong Sunungeomgyeong

The driving force behind the development of scholarship and culture in the early Joseon period was metal movable type. It made the publication of a vast number of books possible. The actual evidence was revealed last June in a jar buried underground in Insadong (Gongpyeong-dong), Jongno-gu, Seoul. About 1,600 metal types were found inside. Approximately 600 of these were the so-called Donggukjeongun-style Hangul types, used exclusively in the 15th century. They were devised in the early days of the creation of Hunminjeongeum to approximate the standard pronunciation of Chinese characters. The "Donggukjeongun (1448)" is a book published by King Sejong as an example to persuade the yangban who opposed Hunminjeongeum.

Many of the Donggukjeongun-style Hangul types first excavated in physical form are Eulhae types (乙亥字), created in the year King Sejo ascended the throne, based on the calligraphy of Gang Heean. Types of small, medium, and large sizes, as well as special small types, were found. Eighty-nine medium-sized types are forms commonly used in the text of early Joseon-era translated books (books written by rendering Chinese texts into Hangul). Professor Ok Young-jung, an expert in ancient document management at the Academy of Korean Studies, recently compared these types with identical type specimens in extant books. She identified the closest matching characters and used them to estimate usage cases and production periods.

According to the research, the books closely related to the Insadong Hangul types are three translated texts: the "Bulseol Amitagyeong (佛說阿彌陀經)" translation, the "Daebuljeong Yeorae Milinsu Jeungnyo Uije Bosal Manhaeng Suneung-eomgyeong (大佛頂如來密因修證了義諸菩薩萬行首楞嚴經·능엄경)" translation, and the "Daebanggak Won-gak Sudara Yo-ui-gyeong (大方光圓覺修多羅要義經)" gugyeol edition. The "Bulseol Amitagyeong" is a sutra in which Shakyamuni Buddha explains to Sariputra the magnificence of Amitabha Buddha’s merits at Giyonjeongsa. Though brief, it is treated as highly important, with hundreds of commentaries written on it.

This translated edition is said to have been produced with Eulhae types in 1461, before the translation published by King Sejo in 1464. Both medium and small Hangul types were used. The former closely resembles the medium-sized Hangul types found in Insadong. Professor Ok stated, "When comparing character by character, the shapes almost perfectly match," adding, "There are differences from the identical characters appearing in books published in the 16th century."

The Neung-eomgyeong is a book written by the monk Gyewan during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty, recording his enlightenment. It was adopted as one of the subjects in Buddhist specialized academies and studied. In Korea, it is also called "So Hwa-eomgyeong" and has been published multiple times.

This translated edition was created in 1461, with King Sejo adding gugyeol (grammatical annotations written below Chinese phrases) in Hangul, and translated by Han Gye-hee and Kim Su-on. The printing used Eulhae types, with large, medium, and small sizes all employed. The typeface is flat and wide. The large types show King Sejo’s handwriting characteristics, while the medium types reflect Gang Heean’s style. Professor Ok explained, "Since less than six years had passed since the casting of the Eulhae types, the wear on the types was minimal." The small types were used for Hangul translation texts and Hangul gugyeol. When compared character by character, they almost perfectly match the 297 types found in Insadong.

Some of the Insadong types are Eulyu types based on the calligraphy of Jeong Nan-jong. Traces of their use appear in the 1465 published gugyeol edition of Daebanggak Won-gak Sudara Yo-ui-gyeong. This sutra presents the fundamental framework for Buddhist practice.

The book with Hangul gugyeol is the Wongakgyeong, published using metal movable type. It contains no translation but only Hangul gugyeol attached to the damun (explanatory text clarifying the main text) and yohae (essential explanations). The sizes of the types vary between damun, yohae, and yohae’s annotations. Medium and small types were used for Hangul gugyeol, while large, medium, and small types were used for Chinese characters, totaling six types when including the newly excavated yeongak types. Professor Ok stated, "Among the Insadong Hangul metal types, small Hangul types (169 pieces), special small Hangul types (30 pieces), and Hangul yeongak types (15 pieces) were used in publication," adding, "When compared character by character, the shapes almost perfectly match."

To establish clearer relationships, scientific analysis and calligraphic study are necessary. This will allow estimation not only of the purpose of the Insadong metal types but also the reasons they remained at the excavation site. Professor Ok said, "The appearance of physical Hangul metal types introduces a somewhat complex composition, assigning various meanings as much as the book systems with distinct roles," and expressed confidence that "the detailed classification of newly discovered metal types and the restoration of metal type and printing technology history will be important materials."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.