Water carrier (south Korea)

(Korea) Believe it or not, these two water carriers apparently held one of the most lucrative occupations during the late 19th century in the South of Korea according to Historian Robert Neff. Like many other cities in Joseon Korea, Seoul was filled with wells. These water carriers played a significant role in the daily lives of the city's residents. 

During this period, the public water supply system wasn't very well-developed, and most people relied on communal wells and nearby streams for their water needs. Commoners obtained water from shared wells, while some aristocratic 'yangban' families had their own private wells. These water carriers were responsible for delivering water to households and businesses in the city. Each household contributed a monthly payment of approximately 500 cash (equivalent to 20 cents), in exchange for a daily delivery of two water buckets sourced from nearby wells. Numerous households needed about seven buckets, whereas larger homes require up to 40. A water carrier typically serviced around 30 homes. Water carriers possessed unique "privileges" not granted to other men, such as entering customers' homes without notifying the female occupants beforehand. 

Neff writes that with a large number of members (2,000 in 1902), water carriers in Seoul formed a strong guild and positions within the guild were highly sought-after. So when members chose to leave their occupation, they could sell their positions (similar to how New York taxi drivers sell their medallions) for up to 18 times their monthly earnings.

Call me boring, but I personally would be interested in watching a documentary about the daily life of these water carriers in those days.

This photo was taken somewhere between 1880-1910.

~@AsianHistoryJunkie

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