All Topics  
Cheonmin

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Cheonmin
 
 
  Topics Cheonmin Topic Home

Cheonmin, or "vulgar commoners," were the lowest class during the Goryeo
Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty was a sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo of Goryeo. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392....
 and Joseon
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 periods of Korean history. Members of the class included slave
Slavery

Slavery is a form of forced labor where a person is compelled to Labor for another . Slaves are held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase, or birth, and are deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to receive Remuneration in return for their labor....
s, butcher
Butcher

A butcher is someone who prepares various meats and other related goods for sale. Many butchers sell their goods in specialized stores, although in the Western world today most meat is sold through supermarkets....
s, shamans, shoemakers, metalworkers, nobi
Nobi

Nobi means, a human who is liked by every one in the world, simple, talkative and a very good sense of humor. It's also a Korean word for a system of servitude which was in place from about the 4th century....
, magicians, sorcerers, prisoners, jailkeepers, and performers such as acrobat
Acrobat

Acrobat may refer to:* Someone who practices acrobatics* Adobe Acrobat, a family of computer programs for making or reading PDF files* Acrobat , from U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby...
s, kisaeng
Kisaeng

Kisaeng , sometimes called ginyeo , were female Korean entertainers. Kisaeng are artists who work to entertain others, such as the Yangbans and kings....
, and prostitutes. Those born into this class, in particular butchers, were typically barred from most forms of social advancement, including entry into government service or taking the gwageo
Gwageo

The gwageo were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty dynasties of Korea. Typically quite demanding, these tests measured candidates' knowledge of the Chinese classics, and sometimes also of technical subjects....
 civil service examinations.

In everyday life, these looked-down-upon Koreans lived in their own small villages, away from all other Koreans.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Cheonmin'
Start a new discussion about 'Cheonmin'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Cheonmin, or "vulgar commoners," were the lowest class during the Goryeo
Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty was a sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo of Goryeo. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392....
 and Joseon
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 periods of Korean history. Members of the class included slave
Slavery

Slavery is a form of forced labor where a person is compelled to Labor for another . Slaves are held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase, or birth, and are deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to receive Remuneration in return for their labor....
s, butcher
Butcher

A butcher is someone who prepares various meats and other related goods for sale. Many butchers sell their goods in specialized stores, although in the Western world today most meat is sold through supermarkets....
s, shamans, shoemakers, metalworkers, nobi
Nobi

Nobi means, a human who is liked by every one in the world, simple, talkative and a very good sense of humor. It's also a Korean word for a system of servitude which was in place from about the 4th century....
, magicians, sorcerers, prisoners, jailkeepers, and performers such as acrobat
Acrobat

Acrobat may refer to:* Someone who practices acrobatics* Adobe Acrobat, a family of computer programs for making or reading PDF files* Acrobat , from U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby...
s, kisaeng
Kisaeng

Kisaeng , sometimes called ginyeo , were female Korean entertainers. Kisaeng are artists who work to entertain others, such as the Yangbans and kings....
, and prostitutes. Those born into this class, in particular butchers, were typically barred from most forms of social advancement, including entry into government service or taking the gwageo
Gwageo

The gwageo were the national civil service examinations under the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty dynasties of Korea. Typically quite demanding, these tests measured candidates' knowledge of the Chinese classics, and sometimes also of technical subjects....
 civil service examinations.

In everyday life, these looked-down-upon Koreans lived in their own small villages, away from all other Koreans. Cheonmin did tasks other Koreans considered dirty or improper. They held specialties such as butchery, shoemaking, magic, voodoo
Voodoo

Haitian Vodou or Vaudou is a religion originating from the Caribbean country of Haiti, located on the island of Hispa?ola. It is based upon a merging of the beliefs and practices of West African peoples, , with Roman Catholicism, which was brought about as African slaves were brought to Haiti in the 16th century and forced to convert...
, entertaining, and other "forbidden" tasks. Even today, when the Korean governments grants citizenship and political freedom to these people, the influence of the past segregation of the cheonmin is strong.

See also

  • List of Korea-related topics
    List of Korea-related topics

    This is a list of articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. For help on how to use this list, see the #Introduction below....
  • Korean culture
  • Untouchable (social system)
  • Burakumin
    Burakumin

    , are a Japanese people social minority group. The burakumin are one of the main demographics of Japan, along with the Ainu people of Hokkaido, the Ryukyuans of Okinawa and the Zainichi Korean and Han Chinese descent....
     — the Japanese equivalent to cheonmin


External links