Abstract

This study examines the process of establishing and operating the female official system in the Silla Dynasty(Silla) The official duties of women in the early Silla Period were recorded in connection with the divine characteristics of royal women. She was worshipped as a female deity and was in charge of ancestral rites as a priest. However, as Silla society developed with the political system of Silla, the political status of royal and upper-class women and public affairs have been differentiated. The official status of Silla''s Court Maid was established under the bureaucracy in the 4th year(664) of King Munmu(文武王). The important role of female officials was to administer and enforce the procedures in the official royal rites of King Sinmun(神文王), especially in royal marriages based on Confucian Ritual Systems(禮制). From King Sinmun(神文王)''s royal wedding, it can be seen that the female official consists of a government official''s spouse, a true aristocratic woman (wife and daughter, etc.), an upper-class woman. As such, the female official of the Silla played a role in proceeding rituals based on Confucian Ritual Systems(禮制) as an upper class. During the Middle Ages of Silla, the BonPiGung(本彼宮) was established, the Sa-mo(私母) was assigned, and the Sa-mo(私母) were placed in charge of female government officials. The BonPiGung(本彼宮) was a government office in charge of various affairs in the Imperial Court, and the BonPiGung(本彼宮)''s Sa-mo(私母) was in charge of two duties in the royal family. One is to administer the duties of implementing royal rites, and the other is to administer the government offices related to textile production in the court handicrafts. The Sa-mo(私母)''s main duties include the education and leadership of female officials and the supervision of government offices belonging to female officials concerning royal rituals and court handicrafts. In addition, the mother(母) and the woman(女子) who are female officials can be seen in the government office of the Interior Ministry. According to the name of the agency, the mother(母) were mainly in charge of textile production, and there were the woman(女子) edical personnel who were in charge of pregnancy and childbirth and treatment of women''s diseases. The BonPiGung(本彼宮) was established in 681 and was in charge of royal affairs, and the Sa-mo(私母) was in charge of preparing and conducting royal ceremonial procedures, and was responsible for managing the government offices and women''s officials. Subsequently, the division of labor and specialization of royal affairs was promoted, which led to the division of government offices belonging to domestic government offices into higher and lower government offices and the establishment of new government offices. For this reason, the Sa-mo(私母) of the palace was a senior female official, and she was mainly in charge of the preparation and progress of royal rituals. Furthermore, the government offices related to textile production and the women''s government offices of the Imperial handicraft industry are gradually positioned as the lower government offices of the government offices related to production and their affiliated with the production.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call