| Famitsuu/sandbox/Kisaeng | |
| Hangul | 기생 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | gisaeng |
| McCune–Reischauer | kisaeng |
 |
| Part of a series on the |
| Culture of Korea |
|---|
| Society |
| Arts and literature |
| Other |
| Symbols |
|
Kisaeng (Korean: 기생; Hanja: 妓生; RR: gisaeng), sometimes called ginyeo (Korean: 기녀; Hanja: 妓女), were female entertainers who worked to entertain others, such as the people of the highest class and kings. They come from the lowest class in the social rank of Joseon, and training to becoming a kisaeng starts from a early age. Aside from entertaining, they did needlework and medical work. Also outlaw yangban women (who did not follow) can become kisaeng.
They may had originated from the wonhwa, and they first appeared in Goryeo. The Goryeo dynasty had very little record of kisaeng, while Joseon had a lot.
They are often called the "Korean geisha" in western countries. Kisaeng and geisha do overlap, but they are different since they came from different countries.
They disappeared during Japanese Korea and there is no such report of them in the modern Korea.
Origins
edit
There are various theories concerning the origin of the kisaeng. The first such theory was formulated by the scholar Dasan, and theories have multiplied as the kisaeng themselves have receded further into the past.
One theory actually places their origins in the Silla dynasty, among the wonhwa, female predecessors of the hwarang. However, there is little to suggest a concrete link between Silla's wonhwa and the later kisaeng. Also, the wonhwa seem to have been chosen from among the aristocracy, whereas kisaeng were always members of the lower classes.[1] For these reasons, few contemporary scholars support this theory.
Many others trace their origins to the early years of Goryeo, when many people were displaced following the end of the Later Three Kingdoms period in 936.[2] At this time, a large number of Baekje people wandered the country. It is not clear whether this nomadic lifestyle was already established, or a consequence of the recent turmoil. In fact, a connection between these wanderers and the nomadic tribes of Manchuria has been conjectured. The first king of Goryeo, Taejo, considered these wanderers to be a threat to the stability of the state. He ordered that they be made into slaves of the government. Although no certain records exist, it is likely that the first kisaeng were drawn from these former wanderers.
Features
edit
They are commonly cheonmin women and rarely outlaw yangban women. Commonly, They wear a heavy hairstyle tied in a braid wrapping the head. Some kisaeng wore their hair simply in a braid or a bun. Later in the 19th century, the common hairstyle became illegal to kisaeng because the hairstyle were heavy that they might kill a person.
