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영어

This article reveals characteristics of the social status system in the Chosǒn dynasty by analyzing the operation of the Royal Officer Order(Chongban, 宗班) in the Chosǒn court. According to the Complete Code of Law(Kyǒngguktaejǒn, 經國大典), the Chosǒn government, on conferring titles of the Royal Officer Order, classified sons of royal families into sons of first wives, sons of concubines from common status, and sons of concubines from slave status. But, the Genealogy of the Royal Family(Sǒnwǒnkyebokiryak, 璿源系譜紀略) not only divided sons of royal families into these three categories, but even discriminated against sons of concubine's daughters and grandsons of concubine's sons. This discrimination on the basis of blood line was considered not only in the royal court, but was enacted commonly in Chosǒn society. This traditional discrimination existed even until the collapse of the Chosǒn court, and still persists in Korean society.