The Conception of Children in the Middle Period of the Chosun Dynasty as Portrayed in a Personal Diary

조선중기 양아록(養兒錄)을 통해 본 아동 인식

This study explored the conception of children as portrayed in a personal diary written the middle period of the Chosun Dynasty. The Yangalok is a daily record in which Moonkun Lee wrote how he brought up his grandson. The Yangalok is an important historical document, showing how people brought up their children and indicating their conception of childhood. Research questions included the definition of the period of childhood and a description of parent-child relationships. It was found that childhood was completed by age sixteen, the importance of the child as family member hinged on his position as an heir, and the parent-child relationship was defined by Chin(親), including qualities of both love and discipline.