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Virtues and Personal Interests of Chosǒn MothersRepresented in Haengjang of Mothers

Hae Ran Cho 1

1이화여자대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This presentation focuses on Haengjang of mothers in the 17th and 18th century of Chosǒn Dynasty. Haengjang of mothers constitutes the majority of Haengjang of women during the Chosǒn period, and is rich in content. Women had to live under the rigid social restrictions in Chosǒn society, but Mother as the object of filial piety had a strong position within her family. As there are few writings about women from the time, Haengjang provides the richest source of information on women of Chosǒn. Besides Confucious virtue in Haengjang of mothers, there is another element that stands out. It is the description of Mother's righteousness. Righteousness, which is based on the subject's judgement about right and wrong, is a factor that seems distant from Budeok, one of Sadeok, which requires women to fulfill proper female duties. The Haengjang of mothers in the 17th and 18th century shows that quite a number of women made practical decisions based on their judgement on the political power and their sense of public justice. The Haengjang of mothers and grandmothers, not unlike that of wives, sisters or daughters, certainly includes the descriptions of female virtues such as gentle personality, weaving skills and frugality. Yet, what interests me in Haengjang of mothers and grandmothers is the description of the subject’s refinement and talents which are related to her private interests beyond proper female virtues. The analysis of the narrative style describing the subject's intelligence, refinement, interest, or talent would enable us to determine whether her actions and behaviors were to cultivate the Confucian virtues or to satisfy her personal interest and/or intellectual curiosity. If certain narratives are concluded as the latter, they would be meaningful sources with which we can examine women of Chosǒn as individuals. As there are little documents providing information on Chosǒn women as individuals, Haengjang can be a meaningful and important research material.

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