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Fixing Process and Position Fluctuation in the last Koryo's Eunuch

  • The Review of Korean History
  • 2006, (83), pp.39-72
  • Publisher : The Historical Society Of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > History

장희흥 1

1국사편찬위원회

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The study for the eunuches and their political and social effects during the korea Dynasty(高麗王朝) has been rarely researched until now. The eunuches and their power were never recognized in this class society. It is the prejudice that the status and role of them had been fixed and simple. First, the eunuch existed in the Orient and the Occident. In our written history document, they had existed since the period of Unified Silla(統一新羅). They had been a minority and taken over miscellaneous services(雜役) at the Court of Goryo Dynasty(高麗王朝). After King Injong(仁宗) and Euejong(毅宗) a special eunuch who assisted the King in his work very closely, called a Naeshi(內侍) appeared. Eunuch Jungham(鄭諴) who won King Euejong(毅宗)' favor was appointed to the Naejeonseungban(內殿崇班). But it was after the period of Won(元)'s control era that the eunuch could raise a higher position. Bongukhwaja(本國火者), who was a Korean eunuch and went to the Won Empire(元帝國), raised a higher position and had a potential influence on the appointment or the summons of Goryo King. As in his task, he had carried out the Kings‘ miscellaneous business and taken charge of the Kings’ private moneys. So, after five years of King Kongmin(恭愍王), Naesibu(內侍府), a post of undertaking the eunuch affairs, was established. After the establishment of Naesibu, the eunuch was appointed to a vassal or took over confidential affairs.

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