조선후기 문중형성과 문중계 운영방식

Abstract

After the Latter half of the 17th century, Chosun's new gentries established their own residential basis in ‘Hyang(鄕)’ county. In that period their patrilineal lineage group ‘Mun-choong(門中)’ was formed also. But this process did not always show the same tendency. Because the kin group was the result of accumulation of successive generations in particular families. For the analysis of such phenomena it is necessary to find and analyze the old documents that their ‘Mun-choong’ produced. The examples are assembly, circular letters(通文), account books(置簿冊), catalogue of goods(物目記) and land register for the memorial service(位土臺帳), visitor records(時到記), etc. The result of the analysis is as such. First, the period when patrilineal lineage group ‘Mun-choong(門中)’ was formed was a transitional stage from the memorial service on the anniversary of ancestor’s death(忌祭) to the memorial service held before the grave(墓祭), who come down first in their settlement. Second, such change was also the process of formation of permanent kin organization(大宗化), and before that, their group had been still in a temporary association(小宗). Third, one of the very important preconditions for formation of permanent group is preparation of ‘Mun-choong’ properties. Fourth, the key point of conservation of the ‘Mun-choong’ is managing it's properties. Always two choices had been given for them. The one was making the public immovable assets, and the other was securing and increasing cashes by giving at 50 percent interest. But in result the properties, especially the public immovable assets had operated to strengthen members' solidarity and maintain a power of ‘Mun-choong’.