한국의 노인인식: 주요 사서에 나타난환과고독 개념과 구휼을 중심으로

Abstract

Hwan’gwakotok is a collective term that refers to old widowers[hwan 鰥], old widows[kwa 寡], orphans[ko 孤], and the aged without children[tok 獨]. Since the age of the Three Kingdoms, hwan’gwakotok has consistently attracted attention in various relief works. This study examines the usage of the term hwan’gwakotok and other related terms including sakung, samin, and hwan’gwatok in three major Korean historical records: The History of the Three Kingdoms, the History of Koryŏ, and the Annals of the Dynasty of Chosŏn. Using the Korean History Database of the National Institute of Korean History, this study aims to understand the perception of the old reflected in Korea’s traditional welfare policies for the old. The perception that hwan’gwakotok is the group that the royal regime should take priority in giving relief has been prevalent throughout the Korean history. In reality, welfare policies did not only over hwan’gwakotok, but also the elderly, the disabled, and sick people; Old age was always considered, but the most important criterion was the level of poverty and the inability to support one’s life. The term sagung which is often thought of as another name for hwan’gwakotok was not widely used in historical records. Around the 15th year of King Yŏngjo (1747), transition of definition and specialization of the concept of hwan’gwakotok took place, which is a noteworthy social phenomenon. The term samin had meant ordinary people, but after this time it was used to mean hwan’gwakotok. And a new term hwan’gwatok was used as an independent category from this time. From then on, the use of both hwan’gwakotok and hwan’gwatok dramatically decreased and both terms have now become obsolete. Hwan’gwakotok was a category of people in need of special treatment and attention; it has been a symbolic representation of ‘the most miserable subject’ and the ‘priority of the royal regime.’ However, it is insufficient to view the emphasis on hwan’gwakotok and relief to helpless old in the Korean history as the evidence of the Korean society to be a ‘kyŏngno-sahoe,’ a society that respects the elderly. Society’s protection and respect did not automatically accompany one’s old age.