한국 여성사 정립을 위한 인물 유형 연구 - 고대에서 대한제국 시대까지 -

A Study on Women in Korean History (Ⅰ) : from Ancient Times to Tae-han Che-guk(大韓帝國)

This study is an attempt to analyse the types of women recorded in historical documents. The categories are broadly divided in three areas; political, social and familial spheres. In the political sphere, three queens in Shilla period, the only period in Korean history when a queen was the supreme ruler, and women who had a formal right to be involved in the determination of soverign successor, to assume regency, and who had various informal political influence. In the social sphere, Women's economic and religeous activities were exam- ined. Also women specialists such as medicine women, shamans and kisaeng (entertainers) are examined in this category. In the familial sphere, conjugal relationships of first (legitimate) wives and concubines, and women's status and activities are investigated. The gradual establishment of patriarchal system initiated by the state, and the conflict of women's interests in the process was analysed. As a result of this preliminary analyses, it became clear that the social position of women in Korean history was constricted with the growth of the power of the state. In the case of ancient Korea and Koryŏ period women's status in the family was comparatively higher and their personal activities were freer although their political and social activities were restricted. As time progressed, the establishment and reinforcement of partriarchal system of the state based on Confucian ideology had crucial importance on the position of women in society. The system of family was restructured and carefully monitored, and the members of the family were closely controlled. The state sought the material and ideological bases of the power through these control. As a result, the status of women became more structurally subjugated to male heads of the family, especially after the mid Chosŏn dynasty.