I don't know if you can say that you like it or not - it's meant as a shrine. There are 19 memorial tablets of kings and 30 of their queens, placed in 19 chambers. Jongmyo Shrine is a Confucian royal shrine and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Seoul. Four times a day there is a guided tour in English. Jongmyo Shrine is a Confucian sanctuary dedicated to the Joseon dynasty dead members. It consists of 2 main memorial halls – Jeongjeon and Yeongnyeongjeon Jongmyo Shrine is a Confucian royal shrine and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Seoul. Several kings and queens were enshrined with the passage of time, making it necessary to expand to what we see today. Excellent location, a short block from Subway Line #2 (the Green Line). The tour takes about 1 hour. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and I'm glad I allowed a full day to visit the site and to enjoy the royal culture festival. In this shrine are kept the so-called memorial tablets for the kings and queens of the last dynasty of Korea. The site does tie in well with Seoul’s other World Heritage Sites as they cover the places where the kings lived, were buried and Jongmyo is where their souls rest. Located in the center of Seoul, you can easily get there by subway, the syop is Jongno 3 ga on the line 1. It was dedicated to the memorial services for the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. In the freezing cold of early January it is all very austere, but I'm glad I went for a second time to hear more of the explanations of the guide. Jongmyo is less known than other historic sites in central Seoul, but I think it is worth visiting if you are into Korean Confucian culture, architecture or history. Jongmyo Shrine Seoul - Comprehensive travel guide of Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul, Explore Location, Opening Closing Timings, How to reach, Entrance Fees, Opening Closing Days & Hours, Images of Jongmyo Shrine Seoul, South Korea at ixigo trip planner I was sort of looking forward to seeing the architecture of the site. A similar passageway to the Royal Joseon Tombs, called Sillo, consists of 3 separate footpaths paved with stones for ancestral rituals. In 2008, I chose to visit Jongmyo on the first Sunday of May, the only time of the year when Jongmyo is backed to its glory by the performance of Jongmyo Daeje. This memorial service called JongmyoJaerye has been designated as UNESCO World Heritage because it is the oldest complete ceremonial service in the world. Jongmyo, a Confucian shrine dedicated to the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), is considered the oldest royal Confucian shrine preserved in the world. Jongmyo Shrine is well-connected by public transportation. This is sober stuff. The original tablets were saved in the invasion by hiding them in the house of a commoner and also survive to this day. It is a pretty austere site to get a grip on. My second visit was rewarded with a serene environment and lush green landscapes in the center of old Seoul. It was destroyed by the Japanese and rebuilt in 1601. [not verified in body] Such shrines existed during the Three Kingdoms of Korea period (57-668), but these have not survived. It isn’t really an easily accessible site, which is why I was glad to see that access to this site is now by guided tour only (about every 2 hours in English). According to UNESCO, the shrine is the oldest royal Confucian shrine preserved and the ritual ceremonies continue a tradition established in the 14th century. It is beautifully serene and peaceful (most of the time). What makes Jongmyo Shrine special is it's unique architecture and peacefulness. [citation needed] Each room is very simple and plain in design. You can only visit the shrine with a guided tour (except on Saturdays apparently) but the tour is included in the ticket price. Jongmyo Jerye and Jeryeak were designated as the first of South Korea's Masterpieces of the Oral … Several public buses serve the Jongmyo Shrine bus stop. When to Get There Jongmyo is open Wednesdays to Mondays throughout the … [5] Today[when?] The simple and elegant buildings of this shrine have faithfully kept their original forms since the 16th century. You have to watch your step walking here: the spirits have their own path that leads directly to the shrine. Essentially it is a walled park with two large rectangular courtyards lined with bulky wooden buildings fronted with closed doors on one side. We visited on a Saturday – the only day when visitors are allowed to wonder around unguided. It was built in 1394 and has been used to the early 20th century. It was destroyed by the Japanese and rebuilt in 1601. This royal shrine and its surroundings are well-preserved in their present form since the 16th century, where visitors can marvel at traditional Korean architecture and performance of memorial services during the Joseon Dynasty. Visiting together with Changdeokgung with be a bit too much (although perfectly doable) as there is obviously much more to see there. [citation needed] The main halls are surrounded by hills. It is where the past kings and their queens of the Joseon Dynasty, who founded the country and endeavored for the best of … The guide was passionate & informative & ensures to sensitive tourists … The Jongmyo Shrine grounds is literally across the street from the Changdeok Palace compound. Esoteric maybe, but worth knowing about within the overall context of the shrine and the Jerye! They really lend themselves to animation and those in the museum also have English sub-titles. The Jongmyo Shrine was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995. I had hoped that “National Museums of Korea” would have made the animations available on the Web but I can’t find any - perhaps I should have videoed them! Jul 22, 2014 - Jongmyo Shrine is the oldest Confucian royal shrine of Seoul in South Korea. [2] In addition to the tablet, there is a panel listing each king's accomplishments. According to UNESCO, the shrine is the oldest royal Confucian shrine preserved and the ritual ceremonies continue a tradition established in the 14th century. The complex is still used today for ritual ceremonies. and, best of all, CGI videos which first show the stages in the construction and extension of the shrine and then bring the ceremony to life by animating the relevant “Uigwe”. It keeps the traditional dances and musical for over several hundred years, 40 Votes The Jongmyo Shrine was added to the UNESCO World Heritagelis… [not verified in body] The Jongmyo Shrine was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995. 27 พ.ย. The tablets of the most important kings are located in the main building on the site: an elongated building with 35 rooms on a vast square. Even though I visited the site when it's truly active with the Royal Culture Festival taking place during the first week of May, the crowds were not that huge and the nighttime performance (entrance with prior registration) with royal ancestral ritual music was a truly unexpected highlight. "Temple Room", i.e. It is astonishing that this "green axis" will happen in a city of 10 million. Photos and description of the architecture of Jongmyo ancestral shrine, Seoul, South Korea [not verified in body], When it was built in 1394 by order of King Taejo, the Jongmyo Shrine was thought to be one of the longest buildings in Asia, if not the longest. I am excited by this development. I really like it, and is one of my favourite places in Seoul. The Green Line allowed easy access to other major attractions in the Seoul area. Like the Changdeok Palace, it suffers from a lack of fixtures and artifacts. I will say I am in the baffled camp. The sacred shrine, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, was erected in reverence for the Joseon Dynasty kings and queens and to house their royal family tablets. Jongmyo Shrine is the supreme shrine of the state where the tablets of royal ancestors (top right photo) are enshrined and memorial services are performed for deceased kings and queens. Originally, Jongmyo only referred to Jeongjeon (Main Hall) where the memorial tablets of Joseon’s reigning kings and queens are enshrined. Their bodies are buried elsewhere. 2.42 Score, Jongmyo shrine documents registered with UNESCO’s Memory of the World (02.11.17), The plan to build a skyscraper in front of Jongmyo was this week derailed after the latest intervention of the Cultural Heritage Administration (21.11.09), Seoul Not Giving Up on Skyscraper Plan near Jongmyo (21.09.09), The site has The tablets are kept behind closed doors. Also just to pick up on Rob’s point below; Korea’s attitude to entrance fees really should be commended. Jongmyo Shrine, the destination of the procession, was the setting of ceremonial rituals during the Joseon dynasty. The guide was passionate & informative & ensures to sensitive tourists to the meaning & customs of the shrine. Jongmyo (Hangul: 종묘; Hanja: 宗廟) is a Confucian shrine dedicated to the perpetuation of memorial services for the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897). Jongmyo Shrine is nothing to see. I think this is actually good as the guide was able to try and make some sense of the Confucian concepts behind the function of the shrine. A short walk to Jogyesa Temple, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jongmyo Shrine, Seoul Plaza and (for unique shopping) Insa-dong. These are over 3000 documents (now all inscribed on the “Memory of the World” register) which, with incredible detail, describe the many Joseon court rituals in the form of both text and beautifully drawn/painted scenarios in which the location of every “actor” in the ritual is shown and their movements through the ceremony are described. We only had 100 for the Huwon tour.). This one is still in place. The main distinctive element is the great square in front of the building, 150 meters long and 100 meters width. Currently, this ceremony is re-enacted on the first Sunday of May. The current form of the shrine has been the same since the 16th century. 3.00 California - United States of America - 15-Apr-10 -. [2] The Jongmyo Jerye-ak, the traditional court music of Joseon, is performed by the Royal Court Orchestra and has been designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property of South Korea No. Dedicated to the forefathers of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), the shrine has existed in its present form since the 16th century and houses tablets bearing … It is the oldest royal Confucian shrine preserved and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Get information like fast facts, when to visit, weather, places to visit, hotels, restaurants, things to do, transportation and much more. History When it was built in 1394 by order of King Taejo, the Jongmyo Shrine was thought to be one of the longest buildings in Asia, if not the longest. Jongmyo Shrine lies in the center of Seoul. It is also the best preserved of these shrines. That being said; I don’t think I have ever seen people look as bored as many did on my tour. I am sure that most tourists will visit it but, whilst the entry level on Floor 2 is good for the Joseon Palaces and kings etc, it is important to go down 2 further floors, past the display of the Korean Empire and the 2 imperial cars, to the basement level. Being the place where the royal ancestral tablets are enshrined, Jongmyo's atmosphere is solemn and sacred rather than splendid like the royal palaces. [citation needed] This practice of expansion continued, with the growth of the complex moving from west to east, because of the need to house more memorial tablets during the reigns of later kings until there were a total of 19 rooms. It serves as a shrine for deceased members of royalty. Others have praised the guided aspect, though I must say that we found our guided tour of the Huwon at Changdeokgung something of a disappointment - too many people and not enough “meat” in the explanations (not unreasonable given the range of visitors and their interests - or lack thereof! The 7 reviews to date of the Jongmyo Shrine are fairly “mixed” in terms of the degree of “value” which people felt they had obtained from their visit. May 31, 2013 - Jongmyo Shrine is the oldest Confucian royal shrine of Seoul in South Korea. The construction of Jongmyo predates that of the main palace of Seoul, Gyeongbokgung. Location Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. and the “chairs” to “sit” on whilst viewing were at floor level – not good for ageing western joints and bones! Whether we “missed out” regarding a Jongmyo tour we will, of course, never know (though I note that there are 2 different tour routes according to whether there are over or under 200 people! Unlike most sites in South Korea, it is closed on Tuesdays. The slightly raised one in the centre was for those carrying the spirit tablets, incense and written prayers. Jongmyo shrine is a royal Confucian shrine in Jongno-gu, South Korea near the Changdeokgung Palace, unique for its traditional practice of ancestral worship hailing from ancient China. Find its location, facts, history, map, nearby attractions and more. [not verified in body] They used to be connected in the Joseon period, but were separated by a road built by Japanese colonialists. Such shrines existed during the Three Kingdoms of Korea period (57-668), but these have not survived. 1. [not verified in body] Nowadays[when?] To illustrate the problem I have deliberately not chosen a photo of the main Jeongjeon area – there are plenty of those on the Web – instead I show the 2 raised “inspection tables” of Chanmakilan and Seongsaengwi. [citation needed] However, during the Seven-Year War (1592–98), Japanese invaders burned down the original shrine and a new complex was constructed in 1601 and has survived to this day. The idea is to emphasize solemnity, piety and sublimity. The complex is quite unique in East Asia where normally the spirit tablets are kept in a small shrine in the house or palace in case of royalties, but Jongmyo was built apart from the palace which makes it different from other royal Confucius shrines in China. Their spirits are believed to reside in a special hole bored into the wooden tablets. The worth thing and the most important thing is annual holy services for the Kings and Queens at the fist Saturday in May. [5], Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the, Important Intangible Cultural Property of South Korea, Jongmyo Ancestral Shrine, Seoul, Korea, South, Confucianism - Jongmyo Royal Ancestral Shrine, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jongmyo&oldid=995197938, Buildings and structures completed in 1394, Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Important Intangible Cultural Properties of South Korea, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from February 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 December 2020, at 19:32. Surrounded by dense woodland, the impressive buildings of the Confucian shrine Jongmyo house the spirit tablets of the Joseon kings and queens and some of their most loyal government officials. It is also only about $1 to get it, making it one of the cheaper WHSs that I've been to. Jongmyo is a Confucian shrine dedicated to the perpetuation of memorial services for the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. [2] This court music has its origins in Chinese court music that was brought to Korea during the Goryeo period (918-1392). Like many buildings dating from the Joseon Dynasty, the Jongmyo Shrine was rebuilt in the early 17C on the ashes of the original edifice, destroyed by Japanese invasions. The whole park is really crowded with thousands of spectators and lots of people dressed in ancient Korean ceremonial robes, a real feast of sight. Jongmyo Shrine, the First Established Symbol of the Joseon Dynasty . : Royal Shrine) was reserved for a king and his queen. Source: Wikipedia, Image: Wikimedia. [not verified in body] The main buildings of Jongmyo was constructed in October, 1394 when Taejo, first king of Joseon Dynasty, moved the capital to Seoul. IMO, by far the best explanation of the shrine - its structure, purpose and history and of the ceremony which took/takes place there, is to be found in the excellent (and free) “National Palace Museum of Korea ” situated next to Gyeongbokgung Palace (The National Museum itself is well worth visiting too but is less good than the Palace Museum in respect of Jongmyo). 2.530 Average The rest of the year the complex is peaceful and quiet. Moreover, other ceremonies to report important state affairs or to pray for the state are performed at Jongmyo. During the Seven-Year War, Japanese invaders burned down the original shrine and a new complex was constructed in 1601 which has survived to this day. The Jongmyo Shrine is the oldest and most authentic royal shrine from the Confucian period. This Confucian shrine, an architectural masterpiece, remains the scene of rituals that pay tribute to past kings and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The shrine is a green area within the city and has clear flat pa... A must visit site that can be visited ONLY with free guided tours provided on-site. In the old times, this ceremony was held at the change of seasons and during the twelfth lunar month of the year. One of the buildings in Jongmyo has a video showing a recent ceremony, together with a spirit table “loaded” with replica plastic food and various pots and implements. Next to it is a similar building for the less important ancestors. Jongmyo is a Confucian shrine dedicated to the perpetuation of memorial services for the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. I am a big fan of the modern architect Mies van der Rohe who is famous for stating “Less is more”; as such I have a fairly high tolerance for buildings that others may see as monotonous, but however hard I tried I still didn’t get much from the structures, and perhaps that would be missing the point anyway. [3], An elaborate performance of ancient court music (with accompanying dance) known as Jongmyo jeryeak (Hangul: 종묘제례악; Hanja: 宗廟祭禮樂) is performed there each year for the Jongmyo jerye ritual.

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