Jongmyo (Korean: 종묘) is a Confucian royal ancestral shrine located in the Jongno District of Seoul, South Korea. It was first built during the Joseon period (1392–1897) to hold ceremonies for deceased kings and queens. UNESCO states that the shrine is the oldest royal Confucian shrine still existing today, and the rituals performed there continue a tradition begun in the 14th century. Shrines like Jongmyo existed during the Three Kingdoms of Korea period (57–668), but none of those have survived. Jongmyo was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995.

Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung are located to the north of Jongmyo. Yulgok-ro separated Jongmyo from the palaces from 1932 to 2019, until Yulgok-ro was changed into a road tunnel, reconnecting Jongmyo with the palaces. The main buildings of Jongmyo were built in October 1394 when Taejo, the founder and first king of Joseon, moved the capital to Hanseong (modern-day Seoul). The shrine was destroyed by fire during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) and later rebuilt in the early 1600s.

The shrine continues to be the site of the Jongmyo Daejae ancestor-worship ceremony, where family members of the imperial family pay respect to the spirits of their deceased ancestors.

History

The Jongmyo Shrine was built in 1394 at the order of King Taejo. At that time, it was considered one of the longest buildings in Asia, if not the longest. The main hall, called Jeongjeon, had seven niches, or myoshil, each used to hold spirit tablets for a king and his queens. Later, King Sejong (r. 1418–50) expanded the complex by adding a hall named Yeongnyeongjeon. As more kings ruled, the complex grew from west to east to make space for more tablets, eventually reaching 19 niches. However, during the Japanese invasions of Korea from 1592 to 1598, the original shrine was destroyed by invaders. A new complex was built in 1601 and remains today. The original spirit tablets were hidden in a commoner’s home to protect them during the invasion.

A king’s tablet was placed in the shrine three years after his death, which marks the end of the mourning period. There are 19 tablets for kings and 30 for their queens, placed in the 19 niches. Each niche is simple in design. Two kings’ tablets are not kept here. Alongside each tablet, a panel lists the king’s achievements.

The two most recent additions to the shrine were in 1973 and 1991. These were for Crown Prince Euimin and his wife, Crown Princess Bangja, placed in Yeongnyeongjeon Room 16.

Today, the Jeongjeon hall is designated as National Treasure No. 227 and is the longest traditional building in Korea.

Description

From the king's throne room in Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Jongmyo Shrine would be on the king's left, and the Sajik Shrine, another important Confucian shrine, would be on the right. This arrangement was based on Chinese traditions. Because Changdeokgung Palace was built before Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Jongmyo Shrine was connected to Changdeokgung Palace. The king entered and left through the north gate instead of the south gate. The main halls of the shrine are surrounded by hills. The south gate was used by spirits to enter and exit, the east gate was for the king, and the west gate was for the people who performed royal rituals.

The main building of the Jongmyo Shrine has two sections: the Jeongjeon Hall and the Yeongnyeongjeon Hall. The Yeongnyeongjeon Hall honors kings whose ancestors were older than the current king or whose reigns were short. The Jeongjeon Hall displays portraits of kings known for their important achievements during their rule. Nineteen kings and thirty queens are honored in the Jeongjeon Hall, while sixteen kings and eighteen queens are honored in the Yeongnyeongjeon Hall.

When the king visited the shrine, he followed a specific path and performed rituals, including washing and offering sacrifices, with many people joining him.

In front of the main hall is the Woldae Courtyard, which is 150 meters long and 100 meters wide.

Rituals and performances

Each year, a detailed performance of ancient court music and dance called jongmyo jeryeak is held during the jongmyo jerye ritual. In the past, musicians, dancers, and scholars performed Confucian rituals, such as the jongmyo daeje (royal shrine ritual), five times a year in the courtyard. Today, these rituals have been recreated and brought back to life. The jongmyo daeje is recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 56 and is performed every year on the first Sunday in May. The jongmyo jeryeak, which is traditional court music from the Joseon era, is played by the Royal Court Orchestra and is designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 1. This music originated from Chinese court music introduced to Korea during the Goryeo period (918–1392). In 1447 and 1462, King Sejong created new music for the ritual, using hyangak (with some dangak).

The songs are performed to invite the spirits of ancestors to come from heaven to witness the king’s achievements in building the dynasty and protecting the country. This encourages descendants to follow their example. Today, members of the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association perform the rites with music and dance provided by musicians from the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts and dancers from the Gukak National High School.