The Aristocracy and Hats

[Aging Warrior]

Our guy Soon Shin is an aristocrat but doesn't wear any special hats. Chun-su is a commoner but now gets to wear a special hat. I assume there is a code to the hats, but then I'll see a character wear a hat that doesn't seem to match my assumptions. Does anybody understand the hat code?

To what degree does aristocratic system still hold in Korea. Did it end as part of the government/legal system with the end of the Choson dynasty? Does having an aristocratic background confer social status?

[JPh]

During the Chosun dynasty rule, Korea was a caste society divided between the "aristocrats" otherwise called the "Yangban" - the highest level of society, including government officials and scholars, the Commoners (merchants, farmers, artisans, foot soldiers etc), and the Slaves (servants, foot soldiers, etc).

Japan's colonial rule of 1905 to 1945 ended Chosun's dynasty and also put an end to the caste society.

[Aging Warrior]

Thanks JPh. Even if there is no official caste system, does it still have any existance on a social level?

[JPh]

I would say your assertions are correct to a certain extent. In some ways, the caste system hasn't gone away completely in Korea.

I think if you watch Korean dramas for a time, you will understand what I'm talking about. The constant underlying themes in Korean dramas of poor vs rich, and problems between a rich boyfriend courting a poor girl, are very common. Eventhough TV dramas are there for dramatic purposes so therefore tend to exaggerate the experiences, neverthless, they have some truth to it.

[florel]

Aging said:

Our guy Soon Shin is an aristocrat but doesn't wear any special hats. Chun-su is a commoner but now gets to wear a special hat. I assume there is a code to the hats, but then I'll see a character wear a hat that doesn't seem to match I disagreeumptions. Does anybody understand the hat code?

To what degree does aristocratic system still hold in Korea. Did it end as part of the government/legal system with the end of the Choson dynasty? Does having an aristocratic background confer social status?

Hello ! I'm Korean who is watching YSS in Europe via Internet. Even though I have missed most of the show, I can answer your historical question.

During Chosun (or Joseon) dynasty period, the social hierarchy was composed of two or four castes.
There were two social classes, formally and theoretically : Yang-Ban (aristocrats) and Yang-In (the Commoners). But, the reality was more complex and the social class was generally divided into four categories : Yang-Ban (aristocrate-bureaucrat class called often "Sa-Dae-Bu"), Jung-In (Middle Class - doctors, merchants, lower offcials, etc), Sang-Min (most of them were peasants) and Chun-Min (serfs or slaves).

IN THEORY, everyone, sauf serf/slave caste, could ascend in Yang-Ban class if one could pass the official examination destinated for the recruitment of bureaucrats. But this was not possible in reality for the Commoners, because the super-difficulty of the exam obligated every candidates to dedicate more than fifteen or twenty years to study (even full life time).

The costume (encluding hat and hairstyle) was the mark of social segregation like as in medieval european societies.

In Chosun period, Korean men wore a special type of hat, called "Kat".
This hat was made by horse-hair (sometimes by different materials in the case of Sang-Min's hat for exemple) and worn by adult men (=married men).






The form of Kat distinguishes Yang-Ban from Jung-In and the adult from the young. The kat of nobleman is bigger and larger than that of merchants or doctors.

If Chun-Su begins to wear this special hat, it signifies he has got married (so became adult). In the episode to which you refer (I could'nt watch it), I suppose Chun-Su became adult merchant.



Before the Imjin Korean-Japanese War (that will be seen in our show), the social hierarchy was rigorously fixed. But it became entirely overturned after the war. Henceforth rich commoners could infiltrate into the aristocracy by purchasing a noblel status represented by genealogy book. At the same time, many slaves were escaped or emancipated. (There was many falsification of genealogy books of noble clans by the Commoners or by escaped slaves.) On the contrary, more and more poor noblemen has been degraded to the level of miserable peasants in the late Chosun dynasty.

The cast system and slavery were completely abolished after the fall of Chosun dynasty, as Mr. JPH said.


I am happy I am a common republican now.

[Eowyn]

Guest-florel said:

The cast system and slavery were completely abolished after the fall of Chosun dynasty, as Mr. JPH said.

I am happy I am a common republican now.

[Aging Warrior]

Thanks florel. That answered a lot of questions.

[florel]

After searching Internet a little bit, I found my comment need an auto-correction.

It's ten years ago when I studied Korean history in school, so I forget something.

Formal and official two castes are Yang-In (everyone sauf slaves) and Chun-Min (slaves/serfs), not Yang-Ban and Yang-In. In this legal system called Yang-Chun-Je, nobles and commoners are theoretically egal. Everymen, except slaves, have to pay tax and to undertake military service.
But there are a lot of class difference in society as I have already mention it.



One more precision about the abolition of salvery.

1801 : emancipation of public slaves (attached to central and local governments)

1886 : abolition of the succession of slaves' status and interdiction of slave commerce

1894 : abolition of slavery



These legal edicts does not reflect directly social practice and mentalities. Slaves and serfs exist even during the period of Japanese occupation (1910-1945).
According to many historians, this is Korean War (1950-1953) that changes entirely korean society.


I watched today episodes #33-34. Excellent !
Many korean spectators say that the show becomes better.

[Soju]

There was an article in the NYT the other day about how in China recently, a porter (called a "Pole man" because they carry baskets on poles) accidently brushed against the wife of a well-off man.

Some words were exchanged, and the well-off man declared "I am an official!", and beat the pole-man with his own pole.

The common people, upon seeing this or hearing of it, then rioted.

Although this took place in the present day, I couldn't help but picture them wearing Chosun-era (or rather Ming-era) clothes.

[luvarchfiend]

it is hard to believe that in this day and age that sort of thing is still happening. it is sad commentary on humankind....we have progressed so very little.

[TheBo]

Florel! Thank you for your excellent postings. I wondered about the hat thing, myself.

Bo

[ronin]

Soju said:

There was an article in the NYT the other day about how in China recently, a porter (called a "Pole man" because they carry baskets on poles) accidently brushed against the wife of a well-off man.

Some words were exchanged, and the well-off man declared "I am an official!", and beat the pole-man with his own pole.

The common people, upon seeing this or hearing of it, then rioted.

Although this took place in the present day, I couldn't help but picture them wearing Chosun-era (or rather Ming-era) clothes.

I thought the Chinese communists got rid of class system or class mentality. Even though China is a wealthy modern nation, wouldn’t the well off Chinese man treat the poor Chinese man as a fellow Chinese brother?

[aging warrior]

Thanks so much for the HatHistory.... wonder about the beads... their size and color... is that also part of a rank symbol?

I've really come to love these historical dramas... the military training, their manner of dress, no slack cut to anyone...

[Aging Warrior]

Person who isn't Aging Warrior,

It's rude and misleading to post with a name that's already used by someone else on this forum. Please use another name if you post again.

[ID]

This situation is getting more and more pitiful. Now they're using member's names. I want to ask whoever is doing this, please, since you WILL see this post, please tell me why is it that you can't find something better to do? There is so much things in life. Go out and get a job. Go out and date. Go out, and, well, do something better for the world, than pissing us off.