South Korea’s most solemn royal rite, the Jongmyo Daeje, will be held May 3 at Jongmyo Shrine, with expanded seating and live broadcasts aimed at bringing the centuries-old ceremony closer to the public.
Jongmyo Daeje, the highest state ritual of Joseon (1392-1910), honors the memorial tablets of past Joseon kings and queens, as well as emperors and empresses of the later Korean Empire, who are enshrined at the shrine.
The rite is classified as a gillye, or auspicious ceremony, under the 1474 state ritual protocol manual Gukjo Oryeui.
This comprehensive rite integrates royal ancestral ritual (Jongmyo Jerye), music (Jongmyo Jeryeak) and dance (Ilmu), and was inscribed in 2001 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the title “Jongmyo Jerye and Jongmyo Jeryeak.”
Since 2006, it has been held as an international cultural event, welcoming distinguished guests from Korea and abroad.
The ceremony is held annually on the first Sunday of May in accordance with Confucian procedures.
This year’s program will begin with a rite at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall at 10 a.m., followed by a royal procession from Gwanghwamun Gate to Jongmyo Shrine and the main ceremony at the shrine’s main hall at 2 p.m. The inner chambers of the main hall will be opened to the public after the rites.
The Korea Heritage Service said seating capacity has been increased this year to allow more visitors to attend. Large screens will also be installed at key locations within the shrine, as well as at Heungnyemun Square in Gyeongbokgung Palace, to broadcast the ceremony live. The event will also be streamed online via Korea Heritage Service's YouTube channels.
Seats for the main ceremony will be divided into advance reservations and on-site admission. Advance reservations will open at 2 p.m. on Friday on a first-come, first-served basis, while additional seats will be available on the day of the event.
Ahead of the ceremony, the Korea Heritage Service will host “Jongmyo Week” from April 25 to May 3, featuring cultural programs highlighting the site’s heritage.
Events include “Myohyeollye,” a performance based on a Joseon-era rite in which a newly married queen or crown princess paid respects to royal ancestors, scheduled for April 25-27. A nighttime performance of royal ancestral ritual music will be held from April 28-30 at 8 p.m. at the shrine’s main hall.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
