This essay examines the character of marriage payments in ancient Korea with the focus on properties of Son-in-law Chamber(Sŏok). This examination deals with the followings: the narrative system and its way of ‘Account of the Eastern Barbarians(Dongyizhuan)’ in Sanguozhi which carries the information on ancient Korea before the 3rd century; the prescriptive rules of marriage in socio-economical context of ancient Korea; and the functioning of the marriage payments involved in marriage practice while examining the cases of Goguryeo. This examination tells us that there existed the practices of bride-wealth as well as patrilineal descent in the Yemaek communities such as Buyeo, Goguryeo, Okjeo, and Ye. While doing this research, this essay draws its attention to the connectedness of the customs as follows: levirate, patriarchal family ethics, the principle of woman's and child's patrilineal affiliation, and the relation of war and a living, sex distribution, and the rule of marital residence. In doing this, the implication of bride-wealth is confirmed both in mythological narrative and historical account. While there existed many historical cases concerned with Goguryeo's marriage practices, we don't have such materials related to the practices of Baekje and Silla. Nevertheless, we can expect, from living conditions or original customs of Three Kingdom, that there existed some sharing in marriage practices. Historical ideas and practices express all their contemporary social system or its part. For full account of ancient Korean social history, accordingly, we need take into account varied academism such as cultural anthropology and social one as well as empirical studies.

This essay examines the character of marriage payments in ancient Korea with the focus on properties of Son-in-law Chamber(Sŏok). This examination deals with the followings: the narrative system and its way of ‘Account of the Eastern Barbarians(Dongyizhuan)’ in Sanguozhi which carries the information on ancient Korea before the 3rd century; the prescriptive rules of marriage in socio-economical context of ancient Korea; and the functioning of the marriage payments involved in marriage practice while examining the cases of Goguryeo. This examination tells us that there existed the practices of bride-wealth as well as patrilineal descent in the Yemaek communities such as Buyeo, Goguryeo, Okjeo, and Ye. While doing this research, this essay draws its attention to the connectedness of the customs as follows: levirate, patriarchal family ethics, the principle of woman's and child's patrilineal affiliation, and the relation of war and a living, sex distribution, and the rule of marital residence. In doing this, the implication of bride-wealth is confirmed both in mythological narrative and historical account. While there existed many historical cases concerned with Goguryeo's marriage practices, we don't have such materials related to the practices of Baekje and Silla. Nevertheless, we can expect, from living conditions or original customs of Three Kingdom, that there existed some sharing in marriage practices. Historical ideas and practices express all their contemporary social system or its part. For full account of ancient Korean social history, accordingly, we need take into account varied academism such as cultural anthropology and social one as well as empirical studies.

Marriage, Son-in-law Chamber(Sǒok), Bride-wealth, Dowry,Levirate