WOMEN IN CHOSON KOREA

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Introduction

Confucianism is a system of socio-ethical philosophy as opposed to religion; thus had a significant effect on gender roles and family structures. Founded by Master Kong, Confucianism created spiritual ideals, institutions and social values of traditional Chinese society. The principles of Confucianism ordered and structured the culture in Japan, Korea, and China because it focused on bringing social harmony. In 1932, to discourage the popularity of Buddhism, Choson Dynasty created a Neo-Confucian society. The implementation of different policies in Choson Dynasty, transformed traditional family structures in Korea while underlining the importance of women; therefore, Neo-Confucianism changed the overall experience of women in Choson Korean society.

Korean society before the imposition of Neo-Confucianism

Before the imposition of Neo-Confucianism women’s lives were described based on the affirmation of appreciated values and norms of human behavioral relationships and social institutions. Under Confucian thought, human relationships involved elaborated mutual obligations and roles where everyone was expected to conform and understand their proper positions. Explicit or implicit ethical rules governed these relationships leading to autonomous individuals not assuming varied roles. In the journal Filial Emotions and Filial Values: Changing Patterns in the Discourse of Filiality in Late Chosŏn Korea by Haboush (1995), affirmed that under Confucian thought in Korean society the process of transformation led to the propagation of defined social and ethical virtues[1]. Hence, society underwent a period of transformation where new values replaced the ancient deviant customs.

In Korean Society before the imposition of Neo-Confucianism women’s lives were perceived under functional importance as determined by their reproductive role. During the time, under Confucian thought, Korean women had their reproductive function assume the role of reproducing male descendants. This situation ensured that the position of a woman in her natal family became insignificant because of patrilineal descendants. Women got forced into early marriage because of being essential labor value to the natal family; these circumstances got worsened by the existence of patrilineal household models. Women were subjected to neglect as they were not allowed to develop essential life skills or get an education[2]. Therefore, parents played the role of arranging marriages for young girls who continued to uphold the family interests of continuity by giving birth to make children.

Before the imposition of Neo-Confucianism women’s lives got affected by filial piety because it dictated that the ideal feminine behavior led to the creation of dependent beings that were obedient, passive and inferior[3]. For more than 2,000 years, the vast majority of Korean women were means of economic survival. Under filial virtue, women rights got infringed as they were not allowed to choose their husbands, divorce or remarry when widowed. Women did not have power over their physical bodies and existence. This situational reality drove many to desperation as some committed suicide to defy the traditional forms of marginalization and persecution. Consequently, the society expected women to remain respectful to the sons when widowed, to a husband if married and to elder brother(s) and father; this underlined the dominance of men over women.

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