三國史記와 三國遺事에 나타난 韓國古代人의 自殺

The Suicide Cases in Ancient Korea From the Samguksagi and the Samgukyusa

The authors studied the patterns of suicide in ancient Korea on the basis of eleven suicide cases recorded in the Samguksagi and the Samgukyusa, two history books about the Three Kingdoms of ancient Korea. Detailed analyses were made on three cases from which a comparatively clear inferrence about the motives for suicide could be drawn. No significant difference was found between ancient methods of suicide and modem ones. In five cases, the motives for suicide were to escape the personal disgrace of falling into the hands of an enemy. In two cases, suicides were caused by a conflict between father and son, and by a desire to show filial obediance toward one，s father. Three other cases include, suicide as a means for a dead soul to take vengence on enemy * suicide caused by shame ; and suicide as a means of loyal remonstration to the King. No clear motives could be found for the remaining one case. The cases of suicide to show filial obediance or to loyal remonstration to the King could be taken as unique to Korea, China and Japan. The other motives can also be found in different cultures of the modem world. However, the eleven cases examined in this study concern only males in the royal families or the noble class. The present study, therefore, cannot be construed as offering a firm conclusion about the whole pattern of suicide in ancient Korea.