• Written by Han Ho (1543–1605)
• Joseon Dynasty, published in 1583
• Woodcut print on Paper
• Private Collection
• Treasure

This is Thousand Character Classic (千字文), written by Han Ho (pen name: Seokbong), a renowned calligrapher of the Joseon dynasty during the reign of King Seonjo. The Thousand Character Classic was widely used as a primer for learning both writing and calligraphy. In the first lunar month of 1583, following a commission from King Seonjo, Han Ho wrote the text, which was then carved onto woodblocks for printing. As the earliest known edition, it preserves the original form of Han Ho’s calligraphy, characterized by strokes that are relatively uniform in thickness, with neatly rendered dots and well-formed characters. Han Ho’s Thousand Character Classic continued to be reprinted over an extended period after its initial publication in 1583 and was widely disseminated and reissued by local government offices, temples, and private individuals.