''Yeolnyeo'' (), also called ''Yeolbu'' (), is defined as 'virtuous woman' during the

Joseon dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

. In

Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

, the emphasis was placed on the study of

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

. Women were educated to be

filial Filial may refer to: * Filial church, a Roman Catholic church to which is annexed the cure of souls, but which remains dependent on another church * Filial piety, one of the virtues in Confucian thought * Filial hybrids, used in genetics (written ...

to their parents and in-laws, loyal to their husbands and to obey their sons after the deaths of their husbands.

Gyeongguk Daejeon ''Gyeongguk daejeon'' (translated as the State Code or the National Code) is a complete code of law that comprises all the laws, customs and decrees released since the late Goryeo Dynasty to the early Joseon Dynasty. Sorted according to the relev ...

, a code of law completed in early Joseon, stipulated a "prohibition of remarriage of widows". Widows who remarried could be sentenced to death. A woman's chastity and loyalty to her spouse were considered so important that the government gave awards called ''yeolnyeo'' to those who led an exemplary life by remaining loyal to their late husbands. Originally intended to set a good example, the award created a situation which got worse in late Joseon, where widows would kill themselves in order to be acknowledged as 'virtuous women', a title that brought honour to both sides of the family. It reached a point where a betrothed woman would commit suicide if her husband-to-be died before the wedding ceremony.

References

{{authority control Culture in Joseon History of women in Korea Confucian ethics Social history of Korea

See also

References