Jongmyo Shrine

Jongmyo Shrine, dedicated to the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty

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Planning the visit

Jongmyo Shrine is stop 3 of 9 on the Royalty Route.

You will find the stamp at the Ticket check at Jongmyo Shrine.

Admission is charged: Adults KRW 1,000.

The two closest stamp points are Changdeokgung Palace, 0.8 km away, and Gyeongbokgung Palace at 1.6 km. All three fit into one day.

Details

Address: 157, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Stamp zone: Ticket check at Jongmyo Shrine
Hours: Appointment access (please visit the website) (Ticketing closes 1 hour before closing / Open access every Saturday, the last Wednesday of every month, traditional holidays and public holidays / Closed every Tuesday)
Admission: Adults KRW 1,000
Phone: 02-765-0195
Website: http://jm.cha.go.kr
Coordinates: 37.57495, 126.99388

What the campaign says about it

Jongmyo Shrine is dedicated to the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty, as well as members of the royal family posthumously honored as monarchs. Construction began in 1394 CE (3rd year of King Taejo) and was completed the following year. Given its roots in Confucianism, the Joseon Dynasty placed great importance on performing ancestral rites. Since faithfully following Confucian rites was directly related to the authority and righteousness of the royal family, one of the first things King Taejo (Yi Seong-gye) did was to commission the Jongmyo Shrine. Not surprisingly, Jongmyo served both as a symbol of the nation and a sacred sanctuary that gave legitimacy to the royal family. The Jeongjeon (treasure) at Jongmyo, which is the main venue where ancestral rituals were performed, enshrines the past monarchs of Joseon. It is also the longest stand-alone wooden building in Korea. When it was first built, Jongmyo Shrine was a modest structure. Over the years, however, structures were added adjacent to the original building as more space was required. Meanwhile, the four direct ancestors of King Taejo as well as kings and queens who were not enshrined in Jeongjeon, are enshrined in a separate building, Yeongnyeongjeon (treasure). The simple and modest building preserved in its original form exudes a sense of understated beauty, and the rituals performed inside Jongmyo are called Jongmyo Jerye (national intangible cultural heritage and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage). Jongmyo Jerye, also called the “Daeje,” is a solemn ritual held in strict compliance with traditional Confucian protocols. The music played during the Jerye ceremony is called the Jongmyo Jeryeak (national intangible Korean Heritage and UNESCO Intangible Korean Heritage). The music, which combines music, song, and dance, is unique in that it is the music of the royal court preserved in its original form and that it represents the unique cultural characteristics of Korea as a nation. Early in the Joseon Dynasty period, the Jongmyo Jeongjeon enshrined the four direct ancestors of King Taejo (his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather). However, it ultimately became a shrine for the four direct ancestors of the reigning monarch and past kings and queens of Joseon of great merit and reputation. Jongmyo, along with Sajikdan where rituals dedicated to the gods of land and grain were performed, is considered the most important ceremonial venue of the Joseon Dynasty. Jongmyo Yeongnyeongjeon sits to the northwest of Jeongjeon. Today, it enshrines the four direct ancestors of King Taejo as well as the kings and queens who no longer have a place inside Jeongjeon. Jongmyo Jerye, also known as Daeje, refers to the ritual ceremonies held at Jongmyo Shrine. Jongmyo Jerye is divided into regular rituals and special rituals. Regular rituals were held in January, April, July, and October (i.e. first months of the four seasons), whereas special rituals were held whenever the country would go through great success or tragedy. Since Korea gained independence in 1945, Jongmyo Jerye rituals have been held on the first Sunday of May every year. Also known as Jongmyoak, Jongmyo Jeryeak refers to music performed during the Jongmyo Jerye. It features dance, song, and instrumental music. Jongmyo Jeryeak was originally created in 1447 CE (29th year of King Sejong) to be used for royal ceremonies. It received an update in 1464 CE (10th year of King Sejo) to suit ancestral rites at the Joseon court.

Quoted from the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign.

Getting there

Get off at Jongno 3-ga station on subway line no. 1 → Take exit no. 11 and walk for 4 minutes

Photographs

Photographs supplied by the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.