The meaning of the Han(한)

[조영희]

There are so many Hans in Korea.
:Han bok(한복) Han Ok(한옥) Han shik(한식) Han Geul(한글) Hangang(한강)

Han is a main idea of the Korean traditiohal cultuere.
The original version of the Han was a Gan.
The Gan can be changed into Kahn.
The Kahn was changed into Han.
The greate scholar, Chung, yak-young defined ‘Han’ as Super Leader(우두머리).
 As you know The Kahn is a king in Mongoria.
Han has at least 20 meanings.
: First, one, countless, great, heaven, god, brightly,,,,etc.
Han has a main idea that three things(三才 Heaven, this world, Human) can be one.
Acording to the Korean traditional thought, We have to die.
And then Our soul is going to the heaven and the body is going to be burried under the ground.
Korean believe that the heaven has the pattern as a circle and this world's
pattern is a square. The human beings has a triangle type.
If you built the korean style building(한옥) you can use three pattern.
A column and a rafter of the building has a circle.
The frame of the wall and door on the building is a square. Near the roof has a triangle pattern.
It means three things can be one. It is to become one with universe and nature.
Korean love the nature. We can read the great idea from the custom, poem, painting, song.
Hangang River comes from Hangallam(한가람).
Gallam is a old name of the river(강).