The subject of this study is the Kyŏngwŏn Yi Lineage, which was heralded as a prominent lineage in Koryŏ from the 11th to the 13th century. This lineage has long been considered a representative one in the Koryŏ society, but the meaning of the surname was only analyzed in political & social terms rather than kinship terms, leaving the true connotation of the surname in context of its time yet to be fully understood. Therefore this study aims to determine the lineage’s unknown qualities, and also find the meaning of ‘surnames’ in Koryŏ. Under that goal, the lineage members, internal cohesion, their marital relationships as well as sociopolitical status, are all examined here.
The term ‘Kyŏngwŏn Yi lineage’ referred to all individuals bearing that surname. The Kyŏngwŏn Yi surname was inherited patrilineally and was understood to represent their ancestral bloodline, fostering a sense of fellowship among those who shared it. However, this sense of shared identity was insufficient to compel them to organize and operate as a cohesive patrilineal faction. This was because the daily life of Koryŏ people primarily occurred within a cognatic three-generation segment (comprising both paternal and maternal relatives), a dynamic that significantly influenced kinship structures.
The marital relationships of the Kyŏngwŏn Yi lineage were characterized by a bilateral kindred structure, where proximity was determined by genealogical distance from other members, irrespective of patrilineal or matrilineal lines.
Kyŏngwŏn Yi members intermarried with both the royal family and non-royal households. Royal marriages often involved consanguineous marriages between Kyŏngwŏn Yi women and Koryŏ kings or princes. This practice was favored by the Koryŏ royal family, which viewed Kyŏngwŏn Yi females as close relatives and ideal matches. In non-royal marriages, the lineage considered not only the reputation of other households or the careers of their members, but also the overall status derived from one's bilateral relatives within a cognatic three-generation segment when selecting spouses.
The Kyŏngwŏn Yi lineage was highly regarded in Koryŏ due to its longstanding marital ties with the royal family and its consistent production of high-ranking government officials. However, this prestigious reputation did not uniformly benefit all members. Only individuals within the sphere of relatives of Queens who originated from the Kyŏngwŏn Yi lineage were recognized as “oech'ŏk(外戚)” and subsequently appointed to dignified posts. Those who were not part of such privileged groups had to continuously strive to gain similar privileges through the Civil Service Examination or by becoming high-ranking officials.
This article examines how lineages in early and middle Koryŏ operated within society, focusing on their surnames and the structure of their member relationships. It also discusses the broader meaning encapsulated by surnames during this period, which calls for a reassessment of previous studies that primarily assumed the existence of cohesive kinship groups.