Read Mode

Jongmyo Shrine's Royal Ancestral Ritual and Music



At the Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul, a Confucian ritual is held as a tribute to the ancestors of the Joseon dynasty (14th to 19th century). The ritual involves song, dance, and music, and is performed once a year on the first Sunday in May. It is organized by descendants of the royal family, and takes the ancestral tablets to Jeongjeon, with the greatest going to Yeongnyeongjeon. It was believed that the tablets of subjects who did great service to the kings are stored in Gongsindang. It is considered a unique Confucian ritual, which is no longer practiced in China. This tradition is based on texts in classical Chinese literature about the cult of ancestors and the idea of filial piety. It also includes a prayer for the eternal peace of the ancestors’ spirits in a shrine which is the spiritual resting place of their souls.

As far back as the fifteenth century, the rituals involved were defined and their sequence remained unchanged until today. The priests are dressed in ritual costumes with crowns for the king and diadems for the others and make offerings of food and wine in ritual vessels. The Jongmyo Jerye is music meant to accompany the rituals and is performed on traditional instruments such as gongs, bells, lutes, zithers, and flutes. Generally, two different types of the orchestra are employed: deungga (登歌), an ensemble that performs on the terrace of the shrine, and heonga (軒架), an orchestra playing on the grounds of the shrine. Both orchestras are different in their instrumentation.

There are 64 dancers in the performances, which have eight lines and represent the opposing but complementary forces of Yin and Yang as laid out by Confucian texts. Munmu, accompanied by the harmonious and soothing Botaepyong music, features a left-hand stepping motion and symbolizes the Yang force. Mumu, accompanied by the smooth and soothing Jeongdaeeop music, features a right-hand movement and represents the Yin force. Additionally, the songs sung in Jongmyo jeryeak are often called akjang (movement) and they are included in both the deungga and the heonga. The songs were composed during the reign of King Sejong the Great who lauded the preceding kings and the forefathers of King Taejo, the founding father of the Joseon Dynasty.

Currently, the rituals are organized and performed by the descendants of the former royal family, the Korean Imperial Household. Assistance is provided from other cultural organizations to carry out the rituals, and the role of the King is played by a senior member of the Household, usually the Hereditary Prince Imperial of Korea, an ancestor of his who technically would have performed these rites in Korea if Korea were a monarchy. In the current cultural climate, the ancestral ritual is frequently considered to be devoid of meaning, in particular in the context of Christianity's growing influence.

References

[1] [2] [3] [4]


Edit
Discussion
History