# Musuri > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Musuri > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Musuri.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musuri > Source revision: 1329883373 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Female Korean court slaves}} {{about|the Korean term|a king of Moab|Muṣuri|a town|Musiri|a musician|Musiri Subramania Iyer}} {{Infobox Korean name/auto |hangul=무수리 }} '''''Musuri''''' is a [Korea](/source/Korea)n term referring to female [slave](/source/Slavery)s in charge of odd chores in the court during the [Goryeo](/source/Goryeo) and [Joseon Dynasty](/source/Joseon_Dynasty) of [Korea](/source/Korea). Their main tasks were miscellaneous works such as drawing water from a well, making a fire in the [fireplace](/source/fireplace) or cleaning.{{cite web|url=http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=B&i=141132&v=45 |script-title=ko:무수리 |publisher=[Empas](/source/Empas) / [Britannica](/source/Britannica) |language=Korean}}{{cite web|url=http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=239100&v=45 |script-title=ko:무수리 |publisher=[Empas](/source/Empas) / [EncyKorea](/source/EncyKorea) |language=Korean}} ==Etymology== Every palace had wells, and drawing water and delivering it as needed were an important part of a tomusuri's duty. For this reason, ''musuri'' were also called ''susa'' (水賜, literally "giving water") or ''susai'' (水賜伊, a female in charge of giving water) and their residence was called a ''susagan'' (水賜間, a place for those drawing waterhttp://kordic.empas.com/dicsearch/view.html?i=22578300 {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}). On the other hand, male slaves were called ''paji'' (巴只). Although the terms, ''susai'' and ''paji'' do not appear in [Goryeosa](/source/Goryeosa), a book compiled about the "History of Goryeo", the [Annals of King Taejong](/source/Annals_of_the_Joseon_Dynasty) (Taejong sillok) mention the class. From this record the Joseon royal court followed the system of the former state; Goryeo, young boys designated as male slaves were called ''paji'', in charge of cleaning in the court, while female slaves were called ''susai''. The record indicates that the system of ''susai'' and ''paji'' existed since the Goryeo Dynasty. The term ''musuri'' was originally used in the [Mongol](/source/Mongol) court, so it is assumed that the term came into use in the late Goryeo period. At first ''musuri'' travelled in and out of the court, but [King Taejong](/source/Taejong_of_Joseon) changed the system to prevent their spreading court affairs. Since December 1411 in the [lunar calendar](/source/lunar_calendar), the musuri stayed at court all the time. ==Roles and class== As well as drawing water ''musuri'' were assigned all rough work, according to each office's character. They were from the public, mostly married women, and entered the palace through a [nain](/source/Gungnyeo)'s recommendation. In a broad sense, ''musuri'' were part of the ''[gungnyeo](/source/gungnyeo)'' (court ladies), but they could be allowed to go out of the court, which differentiates them from the ''gungnyeo'' with a rank, who entered the place in their early age and had "[gwallye](/source/gwallye)" (冠禮, coming-of-age ceremonies). Thus the musuri were maids to assist ''gungnyeo'' at court and belonged to the lowest class in society. In an exception to the class system it was said that [King Yeongjo](/source/Yeongjo_of_Joseon) (r. 1724–76) was born to [King Sukjong](/source/Sukjong_of_Joseon) and [Consort Suk of the Choe clan](/source/Consort_Suk_of_the_Choe_clan), who had been a ''musuri'' at [Queen Inhyeon](/source/Queen_Inhyeon)'s (仁顯王后) quarters. King Yeongjo was very sensitive about his mother's class during his lifetime, avoiding any mention of her humble origin.{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aD3VENtRJ4IC&q=musuri+king+yongjo&pg=PA57 |title=The Confucian Kingship in Korea: Yŏngjo and the Politics of Sagacity |author=Haboush, JaHyun Kim |publisher=[Columbia University Press](/source/Columbia_University_Press) |year=2001 |pages=57–60|isbn=0-231-06657-0}}{{cite web|url=http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=301261&v=44 |script-title=ko:영조 (英祖) |publisher=[Empas](/source/Empas) / [EncyKorea](/source/EncyKorea) | language=Korean}} ==Attire== ''Musuri'' wore a somber [ensemble](/source/hanbok) made with a blackish cotton with some red. They rolled up their hair into a [cushion](/source/cushion) shape and wore a wide belt made of the same fabric as their clothes, with a tag (''pae'', 牌) on it. The tag was equivalent to an [identification card](/source/identification_card) when they came to work from outside, or went on an errand between buildings in the palace. At that time, ''nain'' (assistant court ladies) and ''[yangban](/source/yangban)'' (noble women) wore a very short upper garment called a ''donggeungnae jeogori'' (동그래저고리), a variety of ''[jeogori](/source/jeogori)'', but the length of a musuri's jeogori was long, just like that of male slaves. ==See also== *[Cheonmin](/source/Cheonmin) *[Charwoman](/source/Charwoman) *[Lady-in-waiting](/source/Lady-in-waiting) *[Dae Jang Geum](/source/Dae_Jang_Geum) ==References== {{Reflist}} Category:Women by social class Category:Society of Goryeo Category:Society of Joseon Category:History of women in Korea --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Musuri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musuri) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musuri?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.