“2006 Jongmyo Daeje” (Jongmyo Grand Memorial Services) takes places in Jongmyo Shrine on Sunday May 7^th. The grand memorial services are organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and the Foundation for the Preservation of Cultural Properties (FPCP), and conducted by the Committee for Jongmyo Royal Ancestral Rite.

 

While Jongmyo Jerye (royal ancestral rite) along with Jongmyo Jeryeak (royal ancestral ritual music) was proclaimed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001, the royal shrine of Jongmyo was inscribed in the UNSECO World Heritage List in 1995.

 

Given this, the organizers invited dignitaries from home and abroad this year to transform the annual reenactment of Jongmyo Jerye into an international cultural event and thereby more enhance their values as World Heritages. Among the dignitaries are Mr. Mounir BOUCHENAKI, the Secretary General of ICCROM (International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage); government officials working in the field of intangible cultural heritage from various countries such as Vietnam and Thailand; and diplomatic officials including the French and Egyptian Ambassadors to Korea.

 

Jongmyo Daeje, the largest royal ancestral ritual in the Korean history, symbolizes the history and spirit of the 500-year long Joseon Dynasty and is now practiced just once a year on the first Sunday in May. The austere and solemn rite, as the national manifestation of filial piety and ancestral worshipping, the two basic tenets of Confucianism, takes the role of enhancing the solidarity of people and bring them closer together through that very common denominators. In addition, the royal ancestral rite, held in the architectural space of Jongmyo Shrine, boasts of majestic and refined beauty and is regarded as the essence of Oriental art in harmony with nature. Jongmyo Daeje is a spiritual and cultural heritage transcending time and space.

 

The Jongmyo Jerye services largely consist of three parts: ushering in the spirits, entertaining them, and sending them off. Their procedural steps are called respectively Yeongsin (welcoming of the spirits), Jeonpye (gift offering), Jinchan (food presenting), Cheonjorye (offering of ritual food), Choheonrye (first offering of wine), Aheonrye (second offering of wine), Jongheonrye (last offering of wine), Eumbok (partaking of sacrifice offerings), Cheolbyeondu (overturning of ritual dishes), Songsin and Mangryo (burning of the written prayer).

 

Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to the ritual music (both instrumental and vocal) and dance for the royal ancestral rite. Two orchestras, each located on and in front of the Shrine platform, play ritual instrumental music according to the order of the rites. The music is accompanied by Jongmyoakjang, songs praising ancestors’ virtues, and Ilmu, dances representing the civil and military exploits of the kings.