The widespread trend for compiling genealogies in Korea is known to have emerged around the seventeenth century. To explain this, scholars have pointed to the influence of neo-Confucianism and similarities with Chinese genealogical traditions. However, this study focuses on the inclusionary and exclusionary forces within Korean genealogy with the former drawing more members into the genealogy and the latter resulting in fewer family members being included. In particular, this study draws attention to the selective recording of patrilineal family members and to the frequent inclusion of relatives-in-law in Korean genealogies. The social hierarchy system of premodern Korea appears to have been the most crucial factor in determining the particular features and popularity of Korean genealogies, and in this article, I draw attention to how this accounts for the differences between Korean genealogy and the genealogical traditions of other East Asian societies.
Because of the Japanese (1592–1598), and Manchu (1627, 1636–1637), invasions, the seventeenth century was a turning point in the Neo-Confucian transformation of Chosŏn dynasty. Changes and continuities in Korean society and families can be seen in household registers published in the seventeenth century. Occupational records and family structures from the top to the bottom of society show that social hierarchies and governmental systems were well preserved even after the invasions. This study also highlights the value of household registers as a primary
historical source for the study of Korean social and family history.
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