한국 고·중세의 혼인제와 “유녀(遊女)”의 인식-서옥제와 서류부가제를 중심으로-

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the records of "Yu-nyeo(遊女)" and to identify misunderstandings and biases in Korean history recorded from the perspective of others. The records of the "Yu-nyeo(遊女)" are only found in Chinese records, and also at certain times. Therefore, in order to approach the reality of "Yu-nyeo(遊女)", it is necessary to remove the prejudices of the records observed in the eyes of others. The "Yu-nyeo(遊女)" was recorded as a symbol of obscenity and barbarity. There are two reasons for this. One is the prejudice against the institution of marriage which is different from that of China. The institution of marriage in China is a form in which a woman goes to a man's house to hold a wedding ceremony and resides. On the other hand, the institution of marriage in ancient and middle ages of Korea was in the form of a man marrying in a woman's house, living in a woman's house, giving birth to children, and returning to the man's house when the child grew up. This difference in the institution of marriage between Korea and China was caused by the difference in the kinship structure. In the eyes of the Chinese, differences were the basis for discrimination, and ancient times in Korea were recorded as "the uncivilized east". The other is deliberate prejudice and misunderstanding against Goguryeo(高句麗) and Goryeo(高麗), namely, the old customs of "the Barbarians of the East(東夷)". These records were recorded through the filters of Chinese’s history books. The relationship between goodwill and hostility was divided into civilization and barbarism by the standards of fidelity and obscurity. In Korea, the "Yu-nyeo(遊女)" of the Ancient-middle ages were "women without husbands." In the definition of the "Yu-nyeo(遊女)", elements such as social and economic conditions and political status were removed. From the Chinese point of view, the existence of women who do not have husbands and who act as agents without husbands was strange and indecent. In Korea's institution of marriage and kinship structure, there were women who played various roles that were not included in the definition of "women without husbands.“