16세기 재산상속의 한 실례 -1579년 권지 처 정씨 허여문기의 분석-

Abstract

In this article, I analyze Mrs. Chung(鄭氏)`s manuscript of inheritance in 1579

to research the actual conditions of inheritances of properties and successions of

ancestor worship in the Chosun(朝鮮) Dynasty. She was Kwon Ji(權祉)`s wife, a

stem of Tonglae Chung(東萊 鄭氏). He was a stem of Yechoen(醴泉) Kwon and the

father of Kwon Munhae(權文海) who was a famous scholar in Chosun Dynasty.

Kwon Ji was dead at 1577 and Mrs Chung handed down her properties to

three legitimate sons and daughter, three concubinary son and daughters obeying

their promise in his lifetime. This manuscript was issued at 1591 by Mrs Chung,

and is handed down in her descendant to now. It was valid in persons` signature

and forms of documents due to customary regulations at that time.

She handed down her properties observing laws and customs at that time. In

the actual conditions of an inheritance of properties, daughters were equal to

sons not only formally but also materially. Nobis(奴婢) were divided by ages and

sexes, and lands were divided by sizes and districts equally to every successors.

In the succession of ancestor worship, they did not obey laws and li(禮) but

customs. The legitimacy eldest son succeeded to his father, the other son did his

maternal grandfather, and concubinary son did his grandfather.

Through these phenomena, we know that women were equal to men and

Confucian norms were not persuaded widely in the 16th Century of Korea.