Baekjeong

Korean untouchable caste

The baekjeong were an untouchable caste in Korea, originating from some minority, nomadic groups of disputed ethnicity. In the early part of the Goryeo period (918–1392), these minorities were largely settled in fixed communities. who were primarily butchers. The baekjeong occupied specific professions like butchery, tanning, basket weaving and performing executions. From the time of the Joseon dynasty, it became an insulting title used to refer to the lowest class of society. In addition, since the Joseon dynasty, "baekjeong" has been also used to denigrate a person. In contemporary South Korea, the term is mainly associated with the meaning of a butcher and even used in the restaurants' names.

According to Jeong Yakyong, one of the most distinguished scholars on the methodology of historical researches in the reign of King Jeongjo (1777 1800) and King Sunjo (1801 1834), one theory holds that they were of "Tatar" origin. The term "Tartar" seems to have been a general term for all northern peoples, Mongols, Manchurians, and so on. In his book, the origin of the baekjeong is attributed to a nomadic group from the Goryeo period known as the Yangsucheok (Hanja: 楊水尺) or Mujari (hangul=무자리). The Sino Korean term baekjeong (白丁) originally meant "common people", a meaning which it retains in Chinese and Japanese. Based on information in the Goryeosa, the chief surviving history of Goryeo Korea, scholars assume that a baekjeong is "a person who has no burden of duties (역, 役)". The term is a compound of baek (Korean: 백, Hanja: 白), which means "white/innocent/blank", and jeong (Korean: 정, Hanja: 丁) "person, man". They descended from the Jurchen or Khitans dating back to the beginning of Goryeo. They enjoyed group life among themselves so they continued to live in temporary residences while moving to various areas. They were distributed nationwide, but were especially concentrated in the provinces of Pyeongan do and Hwanghae do. Moreover, it seems that the baekjeong did not change their existing lifestyle or occupation easily. The organization was involved in taking action, coordinating improvements, and acting at times as the official representative of the baekjeong in legal matters. Nonetheless, the Gabo reform ensured that baekjeong could become officials, scholars, or artists if they had the ability. Although they were still largely limited to their traditional occupations, modified regulations in 1896 allowed non baekjeong to become licensed butchers, eventually leading to meat businesses which have pushed many out of one of the few occupations open to them. However, while improvements to the social status of the baekjeong came slowly, it was different for the commoners (the lower of the yangmin), who had economically been little different from slaves. Respect for government officials plunged in the 17th century as they fled from the invading Japanese and Manchurians, leaving the civilians at their mercy. The government also awarded many militiamen yangban class status in exchange for their voluntary militia activities against these invaders. In time, with the rise of commerce, merchants bought forged family histories and official status documents as well. Eventually, around three fourths of the population were yangban in name.

The term "baekjeong" is still used in modern South Korean society. This is particularly common in occupations dealing with raw meat, which carry a negative social stigma. In spite of this, "baekjeong" is widely used in Korean restaurant names, denoting barbecue establishments where raw marinated meat is served and cooked at the table. In this context, baekjeong is descriptive and carries no negative connotation.

Throughout much of the Joseon Dynasty, they were also forced to serve as executioners. When the baekjeong community were called upon to supply an executioner, the job was assigned to some hapless member, sometimes practically an insane person.

The baekjeong did jobs that no self respecting Buddhist Korean would touch, including anything working with animals. Slaughtering animals, leather making these kinds of unclean duties were avoided by other Koreans, and so were filled de facto by baekjeong.

The group had long suffered severe social discrimination in Korean society. The baekjeong were seen as contemptible and polluted people that others feared and avoided meeting. (a traditional Korean horsehair hat). When baekjeong went outside their houses, they had to wear a paeraengi Although this uprising was ultimately unsuccessful, it was an important impetus behind the Gabo Reform, and helped to abolish the class structure that had placed legal restrictions on certain groups. However, the baekjeong benefited much less from these changes than other groups, such as the slaves.

The other major religious influence on human rights came through Christianity. Some missionaries had converted baekjeong to Christianity, stating that everyone has equal rights under God. In 1900, leaders from 16 counties petitioned the mayor of Jinju to be allowed wear the same clothes and hats as other people. When others in the north refused to wear the humiliating garb traditionally expected of them and were jailed, an effort was made to release them. It advocated both for individual civil rights as well as communal fellowship, recognizing that the group must maintain its identity under the strain of changes such as urbanization and industrialization which threatened to atomize the community. The young socialists in the Hyŏngp'yŏngsa forged connections with other movements, attempting to broaden the movement and work towards "the reconstitution of Korea as a whole." Their efforts included attacking social discrimination by the upper class, authorities, and "commoners" and the use of degrading language against children in public schools.

Osgood, Cornelius. 1951. The Koreans and Their Culture. New York: Ronald Press. Passin, Herbert. 1957. "The Paekchŏng of Korea: A Brief Social History" Monumenta Nipponica. 12 (3/4): 195–240. Kim, Joong Seop. 1999. "In Search of Human Rights: The Paekchŏng Movement in Colonial Korea" Pp. 311–335 in Colonial Modernity in Korea, edited by Gi Wook Shin and Michael Robinson. Cambridge; London: Harvard University Asia Center. Kim, Joong Seop. 2003. The Korean Paekjŏng under Japanese rule: the quest for equality and human rights. London; New York: Routledge. 上原善広, 2006. "コリアン部落". ミリオン出版. 金永大, 1988. "朝鮮の被差別民衆". 解放出版社. 金仲燮, 2003. "衡平運動 朝鮮の被差別民・白丁その歴史とたたかい". 部落解放・人権研究所