서얼 관직 진출 관련 법과 논의에 반영된 조선의 친족 질서

Abstract

The descendants of concubines were deemed unqualified for prominent government positions by several laws in the yangban centered Joseon society. But these restrictions were alleviated gradually in late Joseon. This research demonstrates that legislation for preventing the descendants of concubines from entering prominent government positions and alleviating those restrictions were both closely related to kinship in Joseon. Both a father’s and mother’s social class influenced their children’s in Joseon. This custom descended from Goryeo was also derived from kinship that set equal value on paternal and maternal lineages. Under this custom, the descendants of concubines, who had mothers of humble origins, were discriminated against and could not enter major government positions. But since the beginning of Joseon, officials and intellectuals started to publicly support the notion that the paternal lineage is more important. Accordingly, the idea that the descendants of concubines deserved better, considering the noble class of their fathers, was spread. In this environment, the argument that a wider talent pool was needed gained strength and laws for preventing the descendants of concubines from entering prominent government positions were alleviated.