교명(敎命)의 문서 양식과 수책자별 내용과 구성

Abstract

The thesis analyzes the existing Kyomyeong(敎命) from the Joseon Dynasty, focusing on their styles and classification based on the recipients. Kyomyeong is a document issued by the king when appointing a queen, crown prince, crown princess, grand prince, grand princess, or certain concubines. On the initial surface of the Kyomyeong, two dragon patterns are woven, with the number of claws on the dragons determined as follows: five claws for the queen, four for the crown prince, and three for the grand prince. Between the two dragons, the characters “Kyomyeong” are woven, and a scribe is selected to compose the content of the document. The method of recording the date on Kyomyeong involved a combination of the Qing dynasty era name(年號) and the sexagenary cycle(干支) from 1638 to 1696. After 1702, only the sexagenary cycle was used. There are three types of Kyomyeong for queens: the investiture, reinstatement, and posthumous appointment. In the case of the queen’s investiture Kyomyeong, it begins with the phrase “Ah! You, Lady So-and-So” and praises her noble lineage and character, concluding with “Therefore, I send an envoy to appoint you as queen.” For the Kyomyeong issued to crown princes, it starts with “Ah! You, the royal son” and praises the prince’s qualities, ending with “Therefore, I appoint you as the crown prince.” Since the king usually personally appoints the crown prince, the phrase about sending an envoy is omitted unless in special circumstances. There are two existing Kyomyeong for the appointment of concubines, but historical records indicate that a total of four Kyomyeong were issued to concubines: Lady Wonbin Hong, Lady Hwa-bin Yoon, Lady Soobin Park, and Lady Gyeongbin Kim. In the late Joseon period, Kyomyeong was issued to concubines selected from noble families through a strict selection process, primarily to secure heirs, thus granting these concubines special status.