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Joseon Dynasty’s Royal Palanquins Go to Mokpo
- Writer
- Park Hyunju
- Date
- 2006-06-29
- Read
- 1979
Joseon Dynasty’s Royal Palanquins Go to Mokpo
National Maritime Museum holds a special exhibition under the title of “Royal Palanquin of the Joseon Dynasty” from June 30th to July 30th to show the sophisticated culture of the Royal family of the time.
Before the exhibition at National Maritime Museum, the royal palanquins were displayed at the National Palace Museum of Korea and Jeju National Museum under the same title. Visitors can see the exhibition free of charge.
The special exhibition will feature various palanquins such as the “Yeon” for the king, the queen or the crown prince, the “Deong” for the princess, and the “Bonggyo” that first appeared during the Korean Empire, along with flamboyant, ceremonial flags which accompanied the palanquin.
The royal palanquin of the Joseon Dynasty was not only a simple means of transportation, but also used when the royal family traveled outside the palace for state ceremonies. The highlight of the grandiose royal procession was palanquins accompanied by arrays of guards and major officials. This accompaniment was to exhibit the dignity of the king. To add more dignity, splendid and ceremonial implements were also used.
During the Joseon Dynasty, seeing the king’s procession was a once-in-a-life-time event for the people. The royal procession was beyond a spectacular scene to watch. Rather, it served as an opportunity for the king to listen to the people, and for the people to make an appeal to the king.
The king’s meeting his people during the royal procession is well recorded in Ilseongnok (National Treasure No. 153). The documents written by the successive kings of the Joseon Dynasty are an official daily record on the royal court and major officials and cover the period from January 1760 (the 36th year of King Yeongjo’s reign) to August 1910. On August 3rd in the 3rd year of his reign, King Jeongjo wrote in Ilseongnok (Vol. 78):
I am touched by the flood of people on the mountains and the grains covering the fields. This year’s good harvest is thanks to High Heaven… There are so many people watching my procession that they look like forming a fence. A blanket of people is covering the roads, and also in the crowd are the elderly and children. Coming here today to see the people, I feel my heart pounding at one thought. ‘How can I win the minds of all these people?’
The Mokpo exhibition will convey the symbolic meaning of the royal palanquin and ceremonial procession, and offer an opportunity to appreciate the essence of the culture of the royal family.
■ Special Exhibition on Royal Palanquins of the Joseon Dynasty
- Title : Royal Palanquins of the Joseon Dynasty
- Venue : Social Education Building, National Maritime Museum
- Time : Friday June 30th – Sunday July 30th, 2006
- Admission Fee : Free
- Events : 13:30pm - 16:00pm, Friday, June 30th
- Opening ceremony (13:30 - 14:00, Social Education B/D)- Special lecture (14:00 - 16:00, Audiovisual Lab.)· Theme: Cultural heritage from the Royal family of the Joseon Dynasty· Lecturer: SO Jaegu, Director of the National Palace Museum of Korea
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