Online reservations for a Joseon-era (1392-1910) ancestral rite ceremony combining royal music and dance at Jongmyo shrine in central Seoul on May 4 are scheduled to open Friday.
Jongmyo Daeje, the ritual, began as a royal procession to honor Joseon kings and queens. It was held five times annually before being discontinued under Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule.
Korea revived the practice in 1969, having since held it every year in early May. In 2001, UNESCO added the ritual to its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
The event will start at Yeongnyeongjeon, a hall on the Jongmyo compound, followed by a procession known as “eogahaengnyeol” stretching from the main Joseon palace Gyeongbokgung to Jongmyo. It will end at Jongmyo’s Main Hall, which will be unveiled to the public during the event for the first time following a five-year repair.
Reservations must be made on Ticketlink from 2 p.m. Friday; walk-ins are accepted.
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com
