Transformation of Kisaeng's Image and Social Status in XIV – XX Century Korea

The work is a study of the transformation of the social status of kisaeng in the period from the XIV to XX century. The duality of the position of the kisaeng is examined, and their social status is examined from the point of view of authority. As sources medieval prose works and official documents "Annals of the Joseon Dynasty" were used. Kisaeng was a group of women belonging to the "despised" estate chonmin. The situation of women in the Joseon society, even though they belonged to the status group, was extremely low. Throughout the Joseon Dynasty, the attitude towards kisen undergoes changes with the growth of their authority and influence. In traditional Confucian society, wise and educated people have authority, and this worship is partly projected to the kisaeng. On the one hand, they contradict neo-Confucianism and are formally equated with the lower class, which also consists of women. But on the other hand court etiquette and accepted norms of leisure required the existence of kisaeng because music and recitation of texts were the main elements of comprehension of harmony and peace. Neo-Confucian ideologists were compelled to put up with the contradictory position of kisaeng. The proximity of this category of women to the political and cultural elites of society provided them with a significant informal "authority" and influence. For all time of existence of institute of kisaeng their status had dual character. Over time, their social position acquires more differences from their legally assigned status as cheonmin, which was abolished only in 1894. If the official status remained unchanged throughout the period, the unofficial status of the kisaeng was characterized by the allocation of their social group a great authority commensurate with the position of the yanbans.