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In the Joseon era, concubines (cheop, 妾) and their daughters (seonyeo, 庶 女) were both family members, but they were excluded or marginalized in terms of family lineage and rights. They embodied the discriminatory system and logic of that era. In yangban households, a daughter born to a concubine, a seonyeo, would later become a concubine in a cyclical structure. As wives and daughters, they were inseparable. Concubines were further divided into yangcheop (良妾) and cheoncheop (賤妾), and their offspring were categorized as seojaneo (庶子女) and eoljaneo (孼子女). This study sheds light on the role of concubines, intricately linked to family and social status, as a type of women’s life during different periods. In the early Joseon period, as Confucian family ideals intersected with national ideology, everything related to marriage and family entered a new phase, including the establishment of the concubine system. Here, concubines were reorganized and redefined according to Confucian family ideals. The cultural origins, institutionalization, and specific legal cases related to concubines and legal disputes over concubine separation during the early Joseon period were examined in this study. After the completion of concubine separation in the 16th century, discussions about concubines in the late Joseon period revolved around the obligations imposed on concubines. The late Joseon’s yeseol (禮說) reflected the changing contemporary context while incorporating existing ritual norms. It established the Confucian position of concubines and concubine daughters. To understand the reality and aspects of concubines, this study focused on the purpose and types of concubines within specific families. Finally, as peripheral family members, how did concubines and seonyeo perceive themselves? Although seonyeo was only mentioned as a process leading to concubinage, fragmented records were collected to clarify the self-perception of concubines and seonyeo.

An adopted daughter-in-law (童養媳) refers to someone who was sent to her future in-laws’ home when she was a baby or girl and then married into the family when she became an adult. As a marriage custom, the prototype of an adopted daughter-in-law can be found in Dongokje (東 沃沮) of ancient Korea. In China, adopted daughters-in-law appeared in the Sung Dynasty and this custom flourished during the Late Qing and Republican periods of China. This custom came about through a combination of poverty and the notion that daughters could be treated as worthless. In particular, it was popular among the lower classes, because men could reduce the betrothal gifts for the establishment of marriage and women could be exempted from having a dowry. This article compares the history and background of adopted daughters-in-law with the marriage customs of Dongokje and Joseon, and re-evaluates the importance and value of women’s labor in domestic and agricultural production during the Late Qing and Republican periods. In both Joseon and China, in general, adopted daughters-in-law were at least 10 years older than their husbands. This is due to the purpose of bringing in a daughter-in-law to acquire free labor. In this way, poor families that could not afford a servant could take in an adopted daughter-in-law who would work like a maidservant. Most adopted daughters-in-law had a low status at home. There were also many cases of being mistreated by the mother-in-law or being sexually assaulted by the father-in-law. However, most of these hardships came to light through criminal cases. In some cases, on the other hand, the relationship with the mother-in-law was as close as the relationship of the birth mother and daughter, and when the son died first, there were many cases where the daughter-in-law was adopted as a daughter or a son-in-law was brought in to live with them. It is difficult to generalize the status of adopted daughters-in-law because it varies from person to person who experienced it. However, their situation, as depicted in literary works and media articles, was inevitably miserable. The reason is likely that the daughter-in-law is a symbol of old China.

In this article, I explore how Japanese society structured and regulated the lives of women by focusing on Byakuren Yanagiwara, a daughter of a concubine from Japanese nobility. My objective was to understand how the lives of women — concubines and their daughters — were affected by the challenges they faced during Japan’s modernization, including the abolition of class distinctions and women’s pursuit of citizenship. Initially, I provide a concise overview of Byakuren’s life. Subsequently, I delve into societal transformations, encompassing legal reforms and revisions, which significantly impacted her individual experiences. In particular, I analyze how Byakuren’s two marriages — arranged by familial authority — mirror a society where women were perceived as socially subordinate within a maledominated patriarchy, often serving as mere pawns in political unions. The context behind Byakuren’s third marriage, characterized by free choice, lies in the socio-cultural milieu of the Daisho era, where discussions around free love and individuality were prominent. Furthermore, I highlight how Byakuren evolved into a significant figure through her active involvement in her husband’s election campaign and her direct role in the liberation of the harlot, extending beyond mere economic support for her family