Daily life in Kaesong during the Goryeo dynasty
A grounded look at medieval Korea, where palace administration, Buddhism, celadon, markets, scholars, and households shaped daily routines.
Kaesong was the capital of the Goryeo dynasty. In the 12th century, its palace, government offices, Buddhist institutions, markets, craft workshops, and surrounding farms supported officials, monks, artisans, merchants, servants, and families.
Housing and Living Spaces
Homes used timber, earth, thatch or tile, papered interiors, courtyards, storage spaces, and heated floors in some settings. Domestic areas supported cooking, weaving, study, ancestor rites, sleeping, and storage.
Food and Daily Meals
Meals included rice, millet, barley, beans, vegetables, fermented foods, fish, seaweed, meat for some households, and tea among elites or monasteries. Markets and tribute systems supplied the capital.
Work and Labor
Work included government service, scholarship, Buddhist ritual, celadon production, weaving, farming, market selling, transport, food preparation, and domestic service. Craft workers supplied court and temple demand.
Social Structure
Kaesong included royal and aristocratic families, officials, monks, scholars, artisans, merchants, farmers, servants, and enslaved or unfree people. Status depended on lineage, office, education, land, craft, and legal condition.
Tools and Technology
Tools included celadon kilns, brushes, paper, looms, carts, lamps, cooking vessels, agricultural tools, and printing or manuscript materials. Ceramic and written technologies were especially important.
Clothing and Materials
Clothing used hemp, ramie, silk for elites, leather, hats, robes, belts, shoes, and jewelry. Rank and office shaped formal dress, while ordinary clothing emphasized durability.
Daily life in Kaesong adds medieval Korea to the site, bridging earlier Silla and later Seoul coverage.