Did People Divorce in the Joseon Period?

Abstract

This chapter examines the status of women in the Confucian family system and the institution of divorce which served more to maintain patriarchy than to provide an escape from it. During Joseon period, the objective of marriage was to honor ancestors and to ensure the continuation of family line. Women in the Joseon period were not simply son-bearing machines who were inferior to men. Despite the wife's lower status, a balance had to be maintained with her husband. During the early Joseon period, sons and daughters received equal shares of the family inheritance, with the exception of the eldest son who received more because he had to take care of ancestral rituals. Did people get divorced during the Joseon era? Since marriage is the union of a man and woman of their own free will, it is only natural that they must have been able to divorce as well. Keywords: Confucian family system; divorce; Joseon period