종가문화의 전승기반과 변화양상―경북지역의 사례를 중심으로

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the role and meaning of old houses, shrines, the eldest grandson and the wife of the oldest son of the head family as a foundation for transmission in the head family culture. First of all, there were 90 head families that possessed old houses among total 182 head families constituting 49%. The remaining 51% turned out to be Korean traditional houses, western- style houses, and apartments. Old houses are the typical symbol in representing the status of head families. Therefore, most of the family events tend to proceed based on head families if possessing old houses. In addition, culture for entertaining guests is naturally created in this course settling unique family lineage. As for shrines, among 182 head families, 161 of them ended up possessing shrines constituting 88%. As mortuary tablets of the progenitors of families were enshrined, they turned out to be well managed and preserved. Even if old houses and shrines are well-preserved, they are useless if there is no one to use them. In other words, various head family cultures are created as the eldest grandson and the wife of the oldest son of the head family reside creating liveliness to old houses and shrines. In regard of this issue, among 182 head families in Gyeongbuk areas, 84 of them turned out to be where the eldest grandsons and the wives of oldest sons of the head family resided together constituting 46%. The remaining 98 head families (54%) were where the eldest grandson and the wives of the oldest sons of the head family resided outside of old houses or shrines merely participating in rites with ancestral tablets or all sorts of matters of families. However, what was even worse was that the eldest grandsons and the wives of the oldest sons of the next generations who were supposed to be handed down with head family cultures resided outside of old houses or shrines even though the eldest grandson and the wife of the oldest son of head family resided in old houses or shrines. In fact, among 182 head families in Gyeongguk areas, there were only 7 head families where the eldest grandsons resided together constituting merely 4%. In addition, there were 3 cases where they lived separately in the same area, and 3 cases where they turned out to live in a relatively short distance. They all added up to 13 cases constituting less than 7%. This makes it difficult to stably pass down the head family culture and also to guarantee the future of it. Under these circumstances, there are places pursuing to create a plan for passing down ‘ancestral rite right’ that is granted to the head family by establishing blood relative (descendent)-based corporations. As only ancestral ritual formalities culture is left for the progenitors in the head family where the eldest grandson and the wife of oldest sons of the head family do not reside together, it seems that corporate is eligible to serve the role of them without causing much problem. There are also views where they can stably pass down head family culture. It seems that new head family culture is about to emerge along with the eldest grandson of the head family of the next generations.