Friday, March 29, 2024
FILM&DRAMAKOREAN HISTORY

Dong Yi, Court Lady Rankings, part 2

The concubines and court ladies in the Joseon palace were collectively called the ne-myeong-bu (내명부 內命婦) but they were divided into two groups:

ne-gwan (내관 were concubines

kung-gwan 궁관 were court ladies

There were 9 ranks altogether. The top 4 ranks were held by the concubines (see the concubine ranking system here) and the remainder by the court ladies. This post looks at the ranking system for the court ladies who were ranked below concubines.

In episode 12 of historical drama Dong Yi, Dong Yi moves into the kung-gwan inner court and becomes a court lady 궁녀 kung-nyo working in the investigations bureau. We are not told what her rank is but she has to speak plain Korean down to the palace slaves as she is now above them. She finds this difficult!

The other court ladies in the investigation bureau don’t want to accept her though, because originally she comes from the slave class.

episode 12 Dong Yi becomes a court lady, (MBC 2010)

The obvious difference between the concubines and court ladies is that the concubines are there to entertain the king and provide backup heirs – just in case the Queen doesn’t have any sons. The court ladies are there to work around the palace. Below the  ne-myeong-bu, are girls and ladies working in the palace who hold no rank at all.

So the court ladies have various jobs and hold a rank from 5 down to 9. They can’t move up to concubine level (1 to 4) unless they are ‘noticed’ by the king…

Court Lady ranking system

Here’s the ranking system for the 궁관 kung-gwan court ladies that I found here. For each rank there were two, three or four titles. (there was a separate system for the concubines and court ladies of the Crown Prince)

rank

romanization

hangul

hanja

Rank 5A 5

Sang-gung

Sang-ui

상궁

상의

尙宮

尙儀

Rank 5B 5

Sang-bok

Sang-shik

상복

상식

尙服

尙食

Rank 6A 6

Sang-chim

Sang-kong

상침

상공

尙寢

尙功

Rank 6B 6

Sang-chong

Sang-gi

상정

상기

尙正

尙記

Rank 7A 7

Chon-bin

Chon-ui

Chon-son

전빈

전의

전선

典賓

典依

典膳

Rank 7B 7

Chon-sol

Chon-che

Chon-on

전설

전제

전언

典設

典製

典言

Rank 8A 8

Chon-chan

Chon-shik

Chon-yak

전찬

전식

전약

典贊

典飾

典藥

Rank 8B 8

Chon-dung

Chon-che

Chon-cong

전등

전채

전정

典燈

典彩

典正

Rank 9A 9

Chu-gung

Chu-sang

Chu-gak

주궁

주상

주각

奏宮

奏商

奏角

Rank 9B 9

Chu-byon-chi

Chu-chi

Chu-oo

Chu-byon-gung

주변치

주치

주우

주변궁

奏變徵

奏羽

奏變宮

Read more about Dong Yi and the Joseon period 

What do the titles mean in the historical drama Horse Doctor?

How did people tell the time in the Joseon period?  

What can we learn about the status of women in the Joseon palace watching Jewel in the Palace?

What were the social classes in the Joseon period?

What can we learn about Joseon society through the paintings of Shin Yun Bok?

What was the Concubine Ranking System in the Joseon Palace?

Was there really a Court Lady Investigation Bureau in the Joseon Palace?

Joseon tombs in Gangnam, Seoul

Why Are Floors in Traditional Korean Hanok Houses Yellow?

4 thoughts on “Dong Yi, Court Lady Rankings, part 2

  • Hanja for the rank 종9품 is 奏徵 if I’m not mistaken… 🙂

    Reply
  • OMG thank you so much for doing this and the concubine ranks as i was getting really confused while watching !. i tried to find out my self but couldnt get any where.

    any chance you could translate what the tiles mean eg do they have a name in english ex with the Bin title u did their new name then bin.

    if i dont make sense sorry.

    Reply
  • How about the clothes they wear (hanbok)? Are the colors really significant? Does the series Dong Yi really follow the correct hanbok for their concubine positions?

    Reply
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