조선시대의 첩과 서녀: 제도·담론·자기인식

Abstract

In the Joseon era, concubines (cheop, 妾) and their daughters (seonyeo, 庶 女) were both family members, but they were excluded or marginalized in terms of family lineage and rights. They embodied the discriminatory system and logic of that era. In yangban households, a daughter born to a concubine, a seonyeo, would later become a concubine in a cyclical structure. As wives and daughters, they were inseparable. Concubines were further divided into yangcheop (良妾) and cheoncheop (賤妾), and their offspring were categorized as seojaneo (庶子女) and eoljaneo (孼子女). This study sheds light on the role of concubines, intricately linked to family and social status, as a type of women’s life during different periods. In the early Joseon period, as Confucian family ideals intersected with national ideology, everything related to marriage and family entered a new phase, including the establishment of the concubine system. Here, concubines were reorganized and redefined according to Confucian family ideals. The cultural origins, institutionalization, and specific legal cases related to concubines and legal disputes over concubine separation during the early Joseon period were examined in this study. After the completion of concubine separation in the 16th century, discussions about concubines in the late Joseon period revolved around the obligations imposed on concubines. The late Joseon’s yeseol (禮說) reflected the changing contemporary context while incorporating existing ritual norms. It established the Confucian position of concubines and concubine daughters. To understand the reality and aspects of concubines, this study focused on the purpose and types of concubines within specific families. Finally, as peripheral family members, how did concubines and seonyeo perceive themselves? Although seonyeo was only mentioned as a process leading to concubinage, fragmented records were collected to clarify the self-perception of concubines and seonyeo.