Names of Seoul
Encyclopedia
Seoul
has been known in the past by the successive names Wiryeseong
(위례성; 慰禮城, Baekje
era), Namgyeong (남경; 南京, Goryeo
era), Hanseong (한성; 漢城, Joseon
era) or Hanyang (한양; 漢陽). During the period of Japanese colonial rule (1907-1945), Seoul
was named Keijō (京城) (in Japanese) or Gyeongseong (경성; 京城) (in Korean) . Its current name is Seoul, and this name has been in use since at least 1882, at times concurrently with other names.
word “seo'ul” meaning "capital city". An etymological hypothesis presumes that the origin of the native word “seo'ul” derives from the native name Seorabeol (서라벌; 徐羅伐), which originally referred to Gyeongju
, the capital of Silla
, then called Geumseong (금성; 金城).
Also believed to be the origin of the name Seoul is "Se-ultari," which literally means "new walls" or "new castle." Seoul was a walled castle city from its construction in the early 15th century until most parts of the walls were destroyed during the Korean War
(1950-1953).
(Chinese characters used in the Korean language
), although its name is presumed to derive from 徐羅伐 (Seorabeol), so Chinese-speaking countries, for decades, have referred to the city by its former name: 漢城 ("Hànchéng" in Mandarin
, "Hon3 Sing4" in Cantonese
). For a time during the late 1940s and early 1950s, the transliterated name Sūwū 蘇烏, which closely resembles to the English pronunciation for Seoul, was used.
This often caused problems in translation, for in Korean
, the terms "Seoul" and "Hanseong" are considered different. There exist many institutions and entities, most of them having no connections whatsoever, which use the two names. When the names of these institutions and entities are translated into Chinese, both "Seoul" and "Hanseong" are automatically translated to 漢城 (Hànchéng).
Typical examples of such errors in translation include the Seoul National University
(漢城大學, later 漢城國立大學, officially Seoul大學) and Hanseong University (漢城大學), as well as the Seoul Science High School
, and the Hanseong Science High School
, which are completely different institutions, but can be confused when their names are translated into Chinese.
in mainland China. The name was chosen by a select committee out of two names, the other being 首午爾 ("Shǒuwu'ěr" in Chinese pronunciation).
The chosen name is a close transliteration
of Seoul in Mandarin Chinese, where (shǒu) can also mean "first" or "capital". For a some time after the name change, Chinese-language news media have used both names interchangeably during their publications or broadcasts (首爾 [漢城]) in print, 首爾, 以前的漢城 [literally: Shouer, formerly Hancheng] in television and radio). Despite the adoption of Shǒu'ěr (首爾) in Chinese media, the name Hànchéng (漢城) is still widely used by most Chinese people.
For some time, Mainland China
media refused to adopt the new name, claiming that Chinese people have the right to choose how they name other cities around the world (see Exonym and endonym
). They relented by the end of the year.
This change was intended for Chinese speakers only, and has no effect on the Korean language name. The new name would be written and pronounced 수이 (Su-i) in Korean.
Some linguists have criticized the selection of the new name, claiming that it bears no resemblance to the Korean name at all, and that its intended representation of the Korean pronunciation, while effective in Mandarin, is lost in other regional dialects, such as in Cantonese, where the name is pronounced "sau2 yi5", or in the Shanghai dialect, in which the new name (首爾) is pronounced "sew2 el3". These critics have said that the names "西蔚" or "徐蔚" (the latter being the ancient name of Seoul) would have been much more effective in representing the city's Korean name.
, having earlier referred to the capitals of Goryeo
and Silla
. The term came into much wider use during the period of Japanese rule
, because it is also the Korean
form of Keijō (京城), the former Japanese
name used for Seoul during the colonial rule
.
Seoul was called Hanseong (漢城) or Hanyang(漢陽) during the Joseon Dynasty
, but the city's main railway station
opened with the name "Gyeongseong Station" (京城駅) in 1900, which name it retained until 1905. It was called Gyeongseong Station again from 1915 to 1947, when it assumed its current name.
Gyeong (경; 京) means "capital" and seong (성; 城) means "walled city." Gyeong is still used to refer to Seoul in the names of various railway lines and freeways, including:
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
has been known in the past by the successive names Wiryeseong
Wiryeseong
Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area...
(위례성; 慰禮城, Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
era), Namgyeong (남경; 南京, Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
era), Hanseong (한성; 漢城, Joseon
Joseon
Joseon, Chosŏn, Choseon or Chosun are English spellings of the Korean *word for "Korea". It may refer to:*Korea*Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, from 2333 BC to 108 BC.*Joseon Dynasty of Korea, from AD 1392 to 1910....
era) or Hanyang (한양; 漢陽). During the period of Japanese colonial rule (1907-1945), Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
was named Keijō (京城) (in Japanese) or Gyeongseong (경성; 京城) (in Korean) . Its current name is Seoul, and this name has been in use since at least 1882, at times concurrently with other names.
Etymology of "Seoul"
Seoul originated from the KoreanKorean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
word “seo'ul” meaning "capital city". An etymological hypothesis presumes that the origin of the native word “seo'ul” derives from the native name Seorabeol (서라벌; 徐羅伐), which originally referred to Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, the capital of Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
, then called Geumseong (금성; 金城).
Also believed to be the origin of the name Seoul is "Se-ultari," which literally means "new walls" or "new castle." Seoul was a walled castle city from its construction in the early 15th century until most parts of the walls were destroyed during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
(1950-1953).
Translation
Unlike most place names in Korea, "Seoul" has no corresponding hanjaHanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
(Chinese characters used in the Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
), although its name is presumed to derive from 徐羅伐 (Seorabeol), so Chinese-speaking countries, for decades, have referred to the city by its former name: 漢城 ("Hànchéng" in Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
, "Hon3 Sing4" in Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
). For a time during the late 1940s and early 1950s, the transliterated name Sūwū 蘇烏, which closely resembles to the English pronunciation for Seoul, was used.
This often caused problems in translation, for in Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, the terms "Seoul" and "Hanseong" are considered different. There exist many institutions and entities, most of them having no connections whatsoever, which use the two names. When the names of these institutions and entities are translated into Chinese, both "Seoul" and "Hanseong" are automatically translated to 漢城 (Hànchéng).
Typical examples of such errors in translation include the Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
(漢城大學, later 漢城國立大學, officially Seoul大學) and Hanseong University (漢城大學), as well as the Seoul Science High School
Seoul Science High School
Seoul Science High School is a public school for gifted students interested in science. The opening year of the school was 1989, and its location is Jongno-gu, Seoul. It was one of nineteen science high schools in the Republic of Korea. In 2009, it became an 'academy for gifted students' selected...
, and the Hanseong Science High School
Hansung Science High School
Hansung Science High School is a high school in Seoul, Korea. It was opened in 1992 and selects its students from the top 3% of middle school graduates. Currently it holds 356 students with 56 teachers. It is located near Dongnimmun station which is served by Seoul Subway Line 3...
, which are completely different institutions, but can be confused when their names are translated into Chinese.
Change of Chinese name
The problem, along with the confusion it caused for years, was solved in January 2005, when the city government requested that the Chinese name of the city be changed to 首爾 ("Shǒu'ěr" in Chinese pronunciation), written as 首尔 in simplified ChineseSimplified Chinese character
Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language...
in mainland China. The name was chosen by a select committee out of two names, the other being 首午爾 ("Shǒuwu'ěr" in Chinese pronunciation).
The chosen name is a close transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
of Seoul in Mandarin Chinese, where (shǒu) can also mean "first" or "capital". For a some time after the name change, Chinese-language news media have used both names interchangeably during their publications or broadcasts (首爾 [漢城]) in print, 首爾, 以前的漢城 [literally: Shouer, formerly Hancheng] in television and radio). Despite the adoption of Shǒu'ěr (首爾) in Chinese media, the name Hànchéng (漢城) is still widely used by most Chinese people.
For some time, Mainland China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
media refused to adopt the new name, claiming that Chinese people have the right to choose how they name other cities around the world (see Exonym and endonym
Exonym and endonym
In ethnolinguistics, an endonym or autonym is a local name for a geographical feature, and an exonym or xenonym is a foreign language name for it...
). They relented by the end of the year.
This change was intended for Chinese speakers only, and has no effect on the Korean language name. The new name would be written and pronounced 수이 (Su-i) in Korean.
Some linguists have criticized the selection of the new name, claiming that it bears no resemblance to the Korean name at all, and that its intended representation of the Korean pronunciation, while effective in Mandarin, is lost in other regional dialects, such as in Cantonese, where the name is pronounced "sau2 yi5", or in the Shanghai dialect, in which the new name (首爾) is pronounced "sew2 el3". These critics have said that the names "西蔚" or "徐蔚" (the latter being the ancient name of Seoul) would have been much more effective in representing the city's Korean name.
Gyeongseong
"Gyeongseong" is a Sino-Korean word for "capital city," and was in occasional use to refer to Seoul throughout the Joseon DynastyJoseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, having earlier referred to the capitals of Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
and Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
. The term came into much wider use during the period of Japanese rule
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
, because it is also the Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
form of Keijō (京城), the former Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
name used for Seoul during the colonial rule
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
.
Seoul was called Hanseong (漢城) or Hanyang(漢陽) during the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, but the city's main railway station
Seoul Station
Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.-Services:...
opened with the name "Gyeongseong Station" (京城駅) in 1900, which name it retained until 1905. It was called Gyeongseong Station again from 1915 to 1947, when it assumed its current name.
Gyeong (경; 京) means "capital" and seong (성; 城) means "walled city." Gyeong is still used to refer to Seoul in the names of various railway lines and freeways, including:
- Gyeongbu LineGyeongbu LineThe Gyeongbu Line is the most important railway line in South Korea and one of the oldest. It was constructed by Japan in 1905, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan. The Gyeongbu Line is by far the most heavily travelled rail line in South Korea...
(Gyeongbuseon (경부선; 京釜線) in Korean) and Gyeongbu ExpresswayGyeongbu ExpresswayThe Gyeongbu Expressway is the second oldest and most heavily travelled expressway in South Korea, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Gumi, Daegu, and Busan. It has the route number 1, signifying its role as South Korea's most important expressway...
(Gyeongbu Gosok Doro; 경부 고속 도로) between SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and BusanBusanBusan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
(부산; 釜山); - Gyeongin LineGyeongin LineThe Gyeongin Line is a railway mainline in South Korea, currently connecting Guro Station in Seoul and Incheon. Passenger transport along the line is integrated into Seoul Subway Line 1.-History:...
(Gyeonginseon; 경인선; 京仁線) and Gyeongin ExpresswayGyeongin ExpresswayThe Gyeongin Expressway is the oldest expressway to be built in South Korea. It was initially given the route number 2, but recently renumbered to 120. As with all freeways in South Korea, the Gyeongin is a toll highway.-See also:...
(Gyeongin Gosok Doro; 경인 고속 도로) between SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and IncheonIncheonThe Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
(인천; 仁川); - Gyeongui LineGyeongui LineThe Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...
(Gyeonguiseon; 경의선; 京義線) between SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Dorasan (the ui comes from Sinuiju (新義州), the Revised Romanized spelling of SinŭijuSinuijuSinŭiju is a city in North Korea, neighboring with Dandong City, China via international border and is the capital of North P'yŏngan Province...
(신의주) in North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, the line's original terminus on the Chinese border--see the article on the Gyeongui LineGyeongui LineThe Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...
for details); - Gyeongwon LineGyeongwon LineThe Gyeongwon Line is a railway line serving northeastern Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Wonsan, the original terminus of the line in what is now North Korea.-History:The Gyeongwon line was opened along its full...
(Gyeongwonseon; 경원선; 京元線) between SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Shintanni (originally the line went to WonsanWonsanWŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
(원산; 元山) in what is now North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
); and - Gyeongchun LineGyeongchun LineThe Gyeongchun Line is a railway line connecting Seoul to Chuncheon in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Chuncheon. The line was reconstructed in a new alignment in its entirety in the 2000s...
(Gyeongchunseon; 경춘선; 京春線) between SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and ChuncheonChuncheonChuncheon is the capital of Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notably Lake Soyang and Lake Uiam...
(춘천; 春川) in GangwonGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
Province.