조선후기 후궁의 嘉禮와 禮制 - 『嘉禮謄錄』을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Sukeui(Junior grade of second rank) and bin(Senior grade of first rank) were chosen royal concubines who received royal titles of naemyeongbu(‘concubines and court ladies’) through the rituals of royal wedding ceremony. Concubines selected appeared from the early period of Joseon Dynasty but only sukeui was eligible. The purpose of selecting sukeui was choosing a candidate to succeed to queenship, as seen during the reign of King Seongjong and King Jungjong. So candidates for sukeui were strictly qualified only from yangban(‘the nobility’) families. As there were not enacted, however, euiju(‘ceremonial notes’) for concubinary selection, one of wedding ceremonies of kings and crown princes, the procedures for selection and marriage ceremony of sukeui are not clearly found in historical materials. Whether the selection of sukeui went through sam-gantaek(‘a third inspection of bridal candidates’) and yukrye(‘six ceremonies’) later are not clear. Although it was a marriage ceremony with the character of national ceremony, managed by yejo(‘ministry of ceremonies’), the selection of sukeui was not brought into public realm may be because it was influenced by Confucian values. Not with standing, considering the political status of selected concubines, their status and roles in naemyeongbu and their dynamics surrounding royal succession, it is worthwhile to piece together the traces and attempt to make a historical evaluation. From the second year of Jeongjo’s reign, the selection of concubine bin was implemented instead of the selection of sukeui. It shows that the king and royal family’s interesting concubinary selection was an essential key to maintaining the status of kingship and royal family. Fortunately, Jangseogak keeps some materials concerning the concubinary selection of sukeui and bin in the late period of Joseon Dynasty. These materials date from after the reign of King Sukjong. In the wedding ceremony of concubines, wieui(‘ceremonial attitude’) such as ceremony, appearance and escort is discriminated mutually by the queen, seung-eun concubines(‘who slept with the king’), sukeui and bin. Queens went through all the procedures of yukrye while sukeui carried out only dokroe party and bin went through four procedures of napchae(‘groom’s family asks bridal family for a marriage’), nappae(‘groom’s family sends treasures for bridal family as a sign of confirming a marriage’), chaekbin(‘establishment of a bin’), and dokroe feast. Ceremonies like napchae-eui performed at the palace that was the head house showed discrimination in the number of attendees, appearance, attires, procedures etc; especially, the discrimination in euiwi(‘escort’) and bancha(‘grade of nobility’) was obvious in going to byeolgung(‘palace for a king’s bride’) and entering the palace. It was equally discriminative in the status, scale and character of garyedogam(‘agency responsible for royal weddings’) and gilryecheong(‘agency responsible for weddings of royals other than kings and crown princes’), whether a messenger is to be chosen, the organization of jipsagwan(‘an official presidence over a national ceremony’), the size of wedding gifts and others. Concerning regulations and escort in the concubinary selection of sukeui in the 12th year of King Sukjong, the examples of princes, princesses and princesses born of concubines were considered, and the example of crown princess was mostly the criterion in the bin selection in the 13th year of King Heonjong. This discrimination in class and dignity in the implementation of a royal wedding ceremony in accordance with rank and status was directly related to the question of how to moderate and determine the scale of a ceremony by high and low, nobility and vulgarity, and noble and mean. While it was an example of ceremony that was expressed superficially, there was an underlying intent to enhance the authority of the king and the royal family, seek ground for further stability, and maintain the base simultaneously.