조선 전기 선왕의 후궁들은 재혼이 허락되지 않았으며, 아들들과 사가에서 살지 못하고, 국가에서 마련해준 공가인 궁가에 함께 모여 살았다. 태종이 죽자 세종이 부왕의 후궁들을 위해 의빈궁을 설치한 이후, 선왕의 후궁을 위해 자수궁, 영수궁, 수성궁, 창수궁, 정청궁, 인수궁 등이 설치되었다. 후궁의 궁가는 후궁들이 죽으면 곧 폐지되어, 중종대 이후에는 자수궁과 인수궁만 유지되었다. 선왕 후궁들은 품계에 따른 대우를 받았다. 국가로부터 의식주와 관련된 물품을 제공받고, 안전과 시위, 궁궐 유지를 위해 궁녀와 환관, 노비 및 여러 인력을 제공받았다. 그런데 자수궁과 인수궁은 불사 기능이 강화되어 비구니사찰이 되어 갔다. 이곳에 불당을 설치하고 불사를 크게 행하자 대간들은 이를 금지할 것을 청하고, 나아가 궁가를 폐지할 것을 요청하였다. 임난 이후 성리학이 심화되어 가는 한편 후궁들의 수도 줄어들어 자수궁과 인수궁에 사는 후궁이 없어지자 궁가는 현종 2년에 혁파되었다. 이후 숙종은 자신의 후궁들을 위해 궁밖에 사저를 마련해 줌으로써 후궁방에 거처하게 되었다.
This paper examines the treatment of concubines of former kings through the creation of detached palaces in the Joseon Dynasty. The concubines of the Joseon Dynasty were not allowed to remarry, and they lived together in a detached palace without living with their son’s family. After the death of King Taejong in the 4th year of King Sejong, Sejong established Eibingung for his father’s concubines, and King Munjong also set up Jasugung for his father’s concubines. Afterwards, the newly crowned kings installed detached palaces for their father’s concubines such as Youngsugung, Susenggung, Chansugung, Jengchenggung, and Insugung. The detached palaces were demolished when the concubines died, but Jasugung continued to remain, and the concubines also lived in the Insugung. Therefore, after King Jungjong, the concubines of former king lived in the Jasugung and Insugung. The concubines of former kings were treated according to their rank. The concubines were provided food and shelter, as well as personnel needed to maintain their safety and care. But Jasugung and Insugung used to be Buddhist temples, and they were the last spaces where the royal women remained. The concubines cut their hair, and moved to the palace shortly after the death of the king, and the maidens who served them also shaved their hair and became nuns. When the concubines set up the Buddhist temple in the detached palace, the count officials criticize it and asked for their prohibition. After the Imjin War, Neo-Confucianism deepened, while the number of concubines decreased, and the Jasugung and Insugung were closed in the second year of King Hyunjong. After that, Sukjong provided a house outside the palace and let the concubines live there with their son. So the concubines left the detached palace and resided with their son’s family. In short, the concubines of the former king lived individually with their son’s family in a private house away from the collective life of state administration in the palace.