조선시대 왕실 여성의 출산력 : 시기별 변화추이와 사회문화적 함의

Abstract

This research explores the change of the fertility level of the Royal women, the queens and the concubines, and the socio-cultural factors that had effected it. Through this effort, this article attempts to figure out the fertility level of the Royal women, the numbers of the Kings’ offsprings and finally the cause of the change of the fertility level. First, how did the Royal family think about the fertility? To answer this question, it was necessary to examine how much the Royal family wanted to have their offsprings by reviewing the royal wedding cere- mony(王室嘉禮). Second, how was the change of the fertility level of the Royal women? To answer this question, I examined genealogical data of the royal family(王室族譜) and was able to know the number of the offsprings every king and the change of the number of childbirth. There was a significant change after the reign of the king Injo(仁祖). There was a drop of childbirth rate. The number of the offsprings from the concubines remarkably decreased, as well as the number of the offsprings from the queens. Third, what had effected to the decline of the fertility of the Royal women in late Joseon dynasty? What are the socio-cultural factors about it? One is concerned with the weakened status of the concubines in Royal family. The other is the confucianizaion(儒敎化) of the Joseon society that more and more emphasized the Ritual. Expecially, the mourning period of three-years and the very often ancestor rituals made the kings live a very ascetic life.