Jade Seal of Emperor Gojong

Emperor Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon and the first emperor of the Korean Empire, passed away in 1919. Upon his death, this royal seal was dedicated to him with the temple name “Gojong,” a posthumous title “文獻武章 仁翼貞孝” meaning “The Master in Literary and Martial Arts, Benevolent Ruler with Sincerity and Filial Piety,” and the honorary title of “Great Emperor (太皇)”. The full inscription of the seal is “文獻武章 仁翼貞孝 太皇帝寶” meaning “The Master in Literary and Martial Arts, Benevolent Ruler with Sincerity and Filial Piety, The Great Emperor’s Seal”. Royal seals of Joseon royal household were the personal seals of the king’s immediate family members, including the queen, crown prince, and consort of the crown prince, as well as the king himself. The seals were offered during state rites such as royal entitlement and bestowal of honorific titles, including posthumous or honorary titles. They represented the power and legitimacy of the royal household. Unlike state seals for diplomatic and administrative documents, Royal seals were made for ceremonial use, not for practical use. The seals were kept in the royal palace and permanently enshrined with its owner in the spirit chamber of the Royal Ancestral Shrine upon the owner’s death.
Royal seals of Joseon royal household were the personal seals for the king’s immediate family including the queen, crown prince, and consort of the crown prince as well as the king himself. The seals were offered during state rites such as royal entitlement and bestowal of honorific titles including posthumous or honorary titles, serving as a symbol of the power and legitimacy of the royal household. Unlike state seals for diplomatic documents or administrative paperwork, this seal was made not for practical use but ceremonial use. The seals were kept in the royal palace and permanently enshrined with its owner in the spirit chamber of the Royal Ancestral Shrine upon the owner’s death.
Emperor Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon and the first emperor of the Korean Empire, passed away in 1919. Upon his death, this royal seal was dedicated to him with the temple name “Gojong,”a posthumous title “文獻武章 仁翼貞孝”meaning “The Master in Literary and Martial Arts, Benevolent Ruler with Sincerity and Filial Piety,”and the honorary title of “Great Emperor (太皇)”. The full inscription of the seal is “文獻武章 仁翼貞孝 太皇帝寶”meaning “The Master in Literary and Martial Arts, Benevolent Ruler with Sincerity and Filial Piety, The Great Emperor’s Seal”. Royal seals of Joseon royal household were the personal seals of the king’s immediate family members, including the queen, crown prince, and consort of the crown prince, as well as the king himself. The seals were offered during state rites such as royal entitlement and bestowal of honorific titles, including posthumous or honorary titles. They represented the power and legitimacy of the royal household. Unlike state seals for diplomatic and administrative documents, Royal seals were made for ceremonial use, not for practical use. The seals were kept in the royal palace and permanently enshrined with its owner in the spirit chamber of the Royal Ancestral Shrine upon the owner’s death.