17世紀朝鮮時期的郷村支配體制是守令、士族所主導。18世紀開始，由於新興勢力的成長和郷論的分裂，該體制逐漸衰弱，士族支配體制加速衰弱是由在地勢力相互間的郷中爭端一一「郷戰」所引起的。
嶺南地區的郷戰類型與其它地區大體上是一樣的。在區域內最爲嚴重的糾紛及引起郷論分裂的郷戰，是為了掌握黨派、嫡庶，以及各門之間在郷村內主導權等等的各種是非。因為書院是在地士族們在郷村營運上最具代表性的機構，是故以書院為媒介的郷戰較多。本文將從18世紀以後嶺南地區內以書院為媒介的郷戰中，針對「黨派之間的郷戰」、1商庶之間的郷戰」、「門中之間的是非」等3種情況的發展過程進行分析，藉以觀察當時郷村的變化。

The rural community governing system in the 17the century, namely, in early Joseon Dynasty was led by rural community administrative heads and official families. Due to the growth of the new emerging forces and division of rural community consensus in the 18th century, the system began to decline gradually. The reason why the governing system by official families declined furthermore was that there were conflicts in opinions of the forces residing in provincial areas, that is, hyangjeon (local strife). The types of local strife in Yeongnam Region were generally similar to those in other regions. The most serious local strife within Yeongnam Region were mainly the domination of factions and various issues to vie for leadership between legitimate and illegitimate children and among clans. Since Confucian Academy was the most representative body to operate rural community by official families residing in provincial areas, there were relatively many local strife by Confucian Academy. This paper aims to examine the changes of rural community those days by analyzing three situations: local strife among factions, among clans and between legitimate and illegitimate children.