妓生と芸者のアイデンティティの比較

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to reveal the identities of Gisaengs and geisha. It compares viewpoints of Gisaengs in Korean society with geisha in Japanese society and contemplates of their life; they were not free from social attention. Gisaengs in Joseon Dynasty were the official disciplines in charge of the national feasts and performances. While they were the lowest class under the management of the rigid status system. Gisaengs had no choice but to offer sexual amusements for men despite Korean Confucian society attached great importance to one’s chastity and integrity. Men considered gisaengs as the snoots but wanted to leave gisaengs beside them. On the other hand, the women bewared against the gisaengs and were jealous them. Officially, gisaengs who were impossible to get married and have a child had a destiny to be a mistress or the retireds without marriage forever. When the gisaengs got older, they lost their popularity and retired. The retireds’lives were tough economically. They hope to be a mistress since they could not take salaries even though they were official disciplines Gisaengs became in the citizen classes belonging to the Gweon-beon (a gisaeng call-office) by statutes and institution of Japan. It was a different social class from Gisaengs in Joseon Dynasty. People look down upon Gisaengs constantly. The society also was cruel. In the case of geisha, monetary relations were formed with them. It was an employment contracts; young girl was sold by their parents in childhood as a stepdaughter of Okiya. Geisha was able to get married but have a patron because of inescapable system from Okiya if they were under all the loans unpaid back. They were able to work after marriage and showed respect to wives of their patron. The patron’s wives deemed the geisha as a career woman to contribute social and business success. Japanese women were not jealous about the relations between the wives and geishas and considered that they have a different role for each Japan believed they should hold the image of geisha formed by traditional society. Therefore, it was possible to keep and take their traditions over although modern geisha led the entertainmentthrough the influence of western culture. According to the documents such as 『So-hu-rok』 a book written the life of gisaeng 『Jang-han』 magazine published by gisaengs, Gisaengs expressing a voice and passion themselves positively have a different character against the geishas.