The prince of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea was raised by a nanny. The queen, who had to take on her role as the mother of the kingdom, could not concentrate only on childcare, and it was too much to do the work of feeding, washing, and changing diapers for her baby by herself.
The prince regarded the nanny, who always cared for him, as another mother. Once the prince was crowned king, his nanny received a great court order in recognition of her contribution. She even had servants, riding in a sedan chair, and occasionally received royal gifts. For the nanny who came from the lowest class of people, it was like a story of rags to riches and the honor of her family.
However, not everyone could be the nanny. She had to undergo rigorous screening on her physique, breastfeeding, health, and so on. Among them, the criterion that was indispensable was the character. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty says, “As for the prince’s nanny, make sure to select a woman who is generous, gentle, warm, polite, courteous, and quiet to serve the prince as his teacher.”
The nanny who took the role of a mother nearest to the prince had to have a mother’s warmth in her behaviors.