Gungnyeo

Gungnyeo
Models of gungnyeo in green dangui and blue chima, a bulky skirt
Korean name
Hangul	궁녀
Hanja
Revised Romanization	gungnyeo
McCune–Reischauer	kungnyŏ

Gungnyeo (literally "palace women") is a Korean term referring to women waiting on the king and other royalty in traditional Korean society. It is short for "gungjung yeogwan", which translates as "a lady officer of the royal court".Gungnyeo includes sanggung (palace matron) and nain (assistant court ladies), both of which hold rank as officers. The term is also used more broadly to encompass women in a lower class without a rank such as musuri (lowest maids in charge of odd chores), gaksimi, sonnim, uinyeo (female physicians) as well as nain and sanggung.

Although the first record of gungnyeo appears in Goryeosa, a compilation on the history of Goryeo, a provision was first made in 1392 by King Taejo per Jo Jun (趙浚) and other officers' suggestions after the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty. In 1428 Sejong the Great set up a detailed system regulating gungnyeo, in which female officers were divided into naegwan (internal offices, concerned with the royal court) and gunggwan (palace officers), and defined their ranks, titles, and social status. He further institutionalized the system, with revisions, in the Gyeongguk daejeon (Complete Code of Laws).

The gungnyeo were not clearly defined during the Goryeo period, and it is not known how they came to serve the court and what procedures applied to them. The use of the term during that period is therefore assumed to refer to all women in the king's service in the court. In documents related to Goryeo, the social status of gungnyeo was generally commoner or lower class, such as the daughters of slaves, concubines, or cheonmin (the despised). In the 22nd year of King Uijong gungnyeo roles were divided into sanggung (尙宮, managing the palace), sangchim (尙寢, managing bedding), sangsik (尙食 managing food), and another type of sangchim (尙針, managing sewing). Female musicians called yeoak were also a part of the gungnyeo.