Hopae: Joseon Dynasty's Identification Tag
What is a Hopae?
A Hopae (號牌) was an official identification tag used during the Joseon Dynasty. Made of wood, it contained information such as the holder's name, origin, age, and residence.
During the Joseon Dynasty, it was mandatory for all men over the age of 16 to carry this ID.
The Beginning of the Hopae System
The Hopae system was fully implemented in 1416 (the 16th year of King Taejong's reign). Initially, it was introduced to reduce the number of thieves and vagrants and to manage population and military service obligations.
King Taejong refined the Hopae system with reference to the Baojia system of China's Ming Dynasty, enabling nationwide population tracking and control.
Structure and Content of the Hopae
Material: Mostly made of Hwangmok (yellow wood) or Baekmok (white wood)
Size: A standardized wooden tag measuring 4.2cm wide, 11.9cm long, and 0.6cm thick
Shape: Standardized shape with a rounded top and angular bottom
Information Inscribed:
Front => Name, age, title, social status
Back => Year of issue, seal of the issuing government office
Based on this information, officials verified residents' identities and used it for purposes such as conscription, tax collection, and apprehending criminals. It had to be carried at all times, including when filing petitions and initiating lawsuits.
Why Was the Hopae Necessary?
At the time, Joseon needed to accurately determine the population in order to impose military service and taxes.
However, as commoners deserted their residences or concealed their identities, administrative chaos increased, and the state mandated that all men carry a Hopae.
Different Hopae Based on Status and Class
Materials for Hopae were differentiated according to status, class, and occupation, and individuals were required to make and submit their own Hopae... Those who could not make their own were required to offer wood so that a artisan could make for them.
- Joseon Wangjo Sillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty) 1413, 13th year of Taejong's reign -
Officials of the 2nd rank or higher were produced and paid for by the government and everyone else had to make their own.
In particular, commoners who did not know how to write would pay private Hopae craftsmen to make them.
It had to be submitted to the Hansung-bu (Capital Prefecture) and local government offices along with a census register (identification certificate) and stamped before being used.
“Servants should write ‘servant of such and such house, age so and so, residence in such and such village, complexion, whether or not they have a beard, height in cheok and chon’ and have it stamped…”
From the Joseon Wangjo Sillok, Article 1, September of the 13th year of Taejong's reign
This passage clearly reveals that the detailed records of status and appearance in the Hopae Act of that time required lower classes, including servants, to specify even facial features and physical characteristics.
Who Was Required to Carry a Hopae and Their Obligations
In principle, all Yangin (commoner) men over the age of 16 were required to carry a Hopae.
It applied to most classes, from the Yangban (aristocracy) to the Sangmin (commoners) and Cheonmin (lowborn), but slaves, women, and some exempted classes were excluded.
Those who did not carry a Hopae or who forged one were subject to legal punishment, and regular household surveys (census surveys) were conducted to renew them.
Penalties for Violating the Hopae Law
Joseon strictly enforced the Hopae Law and imposed severe penalties for violations.
Failure to carry a Hopae: 50 strokes of the cane
Lending it to another person: 100 strokes of the cane + 3 years of hard labor
Forgery or false information by a criminal: Death penalty
“If a criminal falsely makes and carries a Hopae, they will be sentenced to death.”
- Sokdaejeon (Supplement to the National Code) -
Despite establishing strict rules to facilitate the implementation of the Hopae Act, illegal phenomena such as Yangin voluntarily becoming slaves of Yangban to avoid excessive national service, or forging Hopae by carving off parts of the official seal and rewriting them after receiving a seal from the government increased.
Why Did People Dislike the Hopae?
People did not like the Hopae because it was essentially a tool for imposing national service (labor) and taxes.
Although there are laws regarding the census, eight or nine out of ten omitted households and hidden laborers are missing.
- Joseon Wangjo Sillok 1435, 17th year of Sejong -
Changes and Abolition of the Hopae System
As the Joseon Dynasty progressed into its later period, the Hopae system gradually became nominal.
This was because the population increased and the limitations of administrative power made actual enforcement and application difficult.
The Hopae, which was first implemented nationwide in 1413 (13th year of King Taejong's reign) and repeated interruptions and re-enactments, was abolished in 1895 (32nd year of King Gojong's reign) with the Gabo Reform.
It was later revived during the Japanese colonial period as the Hwanguk Shinmin Certificate.
During the Korean War, resident registration cards for cities and provinces were issued to identify spies.
South Korea's first resident registration card was issued in November 1968.
In 1975, the current resident registration card, which includes 13 digits of personal information, began to be used.
Historical Significance of the Hopae
The Hopae was an institutional attempt by the Joseon Dynasty to directly manage its people.
It is regarded as the predecessor of modern population statistics and administrative systems and is considered the origin of the Korean identification system.
The Hopae system was a key means for the Joseon Dynasty to strengthen centralized rule and control population, military service, and security. Compared to today's resident registration card system, its historical significance is very significant and is an important legacy of Korean administrative history.
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