조선후기 입후 방식과 계후자의 항렬에 관한 연구

Abstract

This paper considered generation matters between foster fathers and successors as part of clarifying the characteristics of successor naming in the late of Joseon Dynasty. Generations are the grounds which keep in order of relatives as the information which show the distance between shared ancestors and genealogy in the same relative groups. Therefore, generations are the important element that should be considered when successors for successor naming are selected. And the relationship between foster fathers and successors before successor naming included the legislative rules that they should be uncles and nephews on blood ties. Accordingly, successor naming by generations of uncles, brothers, and grandsons was prohibited on the basis of foster fathers as a general rule. However, there were the cases to request dissolution of adoption due to errors of generations as successor naming meshed with the social phenomena that they spread. In other words, people tried to cancel successor naming after recognizing that there were problems in the generations that they knew when it was done later. These cases took place in successor naming with distant relations of at least more than fourth cousins as the characteristics. Furthermore, partial families presented errors of generations as the surface reason for dissolution of adoption by taking advantage of the point that the nation allowed it. Actually, there were the movements to try to solve conflicts of memorial services for their ancestors in the families. In addition, there were attempts to name successor of dead persons to generations and make their sons succeed memorial services for their ancestors. Generations required for the successor naming systems could formally be satisfied and memorial services for their ancestors were practically possible by foster grandsons through this method. However, successor naming of dead persons caused heated controversy because it was a big social problem. The people who agreed to it contended that it could keep generations and those who disagreed to it argued that generations would be in disorder. So, the both sides had different angles in the method but could be found to recognize the importance of generations in common.