Royal Tombs and Royal Ancestral Shrine of Joseon

After King Taejo, the founder of Joseon, designated Hanyang as the capital in 1395, Jongmyo was built.

Based on the Confucianism, it was built to the east of the royal palace, while Sajikdan, the Altar for the State Guardians, where ritual services for gods of the earth and crops were held, was erected to the west.

Jongmyo was burnt down during the Japanese invasion of 1592 and restored in 1608. As more kings and queens were enshrined in time, the shrine was expanded. Jongmyo is divided into two areas, where the ancestral rites were held and where the preparations for rites took place.

As more spirit tablets were enshrined, Jeongjeon was extended to its right becoming the long horizontal wooden structure today. 49 halls with spirit tablets for the deceased kings and queens are housed in Jeongjeon. Auxiliary buildings next to Jeongjeon stored ritual items.

Gongsindang houses spirit tablets of meritorious officials and this building is located to the east below the stone yard of Jeongjeon. It is believed that this was built in 1395 when Jongmyo was first created.

It was moved to current position in 1410 when the side corridors were constructed.

To the west below the stone yard of Jeongjeon is Chilsadang, where seven deities who deal with various aspects of human lives are enshrined. Rituals performed here involved elements of both local religion and Confucian philosophy. 

The building was constructed before 1414 and repaired in 1713.

Jongmyo Jerye was the most important rite and the king personally managed. There were at least five major rituals in Jeongjeon in a year, in spring, summer, autumn, winter and the annual “sacrificial day” after the winter solstice.

In Yeongnyeongjeon, the rites were performed twice in spring and autumn. Except the regular rites, there were occasional ones for important national events or natural disasters.

Rituals consisted of four proceedings: greeting spirits, entertaining the spirits, spirits’ giving and sending the spirits. The well-preserved rite with ritual music and dance is remaining.

Jaegung is where the king and the crown prince prepared their purification before attending the rites as performing ablutions. To the north is Eojaesil, where the king stayed; to the east is Sejajaesil, a room for the crown prince; to the west is a building for bathing.

Jeonsacheong, laid out in a square shape to the east of Jeongjeon, was where people prepared ritual food and kept the ritual vessels and utensils. In the yard, the stone mortars and the fireplace for cooking are still seen.

Around the well, fences were made to limit people’s access.

Food to be offered on the altar was examined on Chanmakdan. Tremendous care was taken in the preparation of ritual food because most of it was raw. A tent was set up for sanitary purposes. Ritual animals were examined on Seongsaengwi before sacrificed.

Only the qualified animals were offered.

The construction of royal tombs progressed along with the state funeral procedures. Dogam, a temporary office, was set up to oversee related rituals and tasks.

The tomb site was selected based on geomancy and the distance from the capital as regular visits for maintenance and rituals were needed.

After all the necessary arrangements were made with the burial, the site of the royal tomb became a ritual space to serve the deceased ancestral spirit. Here, you will see Taereung, the tomb for Queen Munjeong, the second consort of the 11th King Jungjong.

The entrance to the royal tomb and the management office were considered secular. Royal tombs resided in carefully selected locations with mountains behind and water in front, and geumcheongyo bridge was made over the stream.

After passing over the bridge, one would enter the sacred ground.

Hongsalmun is a red spiked gate that signals the realm of the spirits and gods. The gate was installed where hyangeoro, a path for incense, started. Hyangeoro has two levels, one path for the king and the other for incense and written prayers.

In front of the east gate of the Main Hall, there are two platforms with gray tiles. They are called panwi in Korean. A king and a prince stood and paused on these platforms in preparation to enter the sacred space for ancestral rituals.

The ritual pavilion jeongjagak, literally means T-shaped building. Before the rite, the king purified his body and mind and prepared the solemn occasion. 

During the ritual the king gave a deep bow holding the written prayers, burned the incense, offered the sacred liquor and burned the prayer paper.

Royal tombs of the Joseon dynasty were constructed according to the rules written in Five Rites of the State with little changes for the five centuries of Joseon. Occasionally, royal tombs incorporated some unusual factors such as regional characteristics. 

Behind of jeongjagak, burial mounds are located. The mounds were made according to the burial type, single mound or double mounds. Taereung features a single mound surrounded with various stone statues and structures to show royal dignity.

Underneath the burial mound is where the body was buried. The height of the mound is about 6 meters. It was protected by surrounding byeongpungseok (retaining stones) and nanganseok (fence stone).

King Sejo outlawed the use of byeongpungseok, Nevertheless, Taereung still features those elements.

In front of the burial mound, jangmyeongdeung, a stone lantern stands. According to records, it is said that smokes flow through the holes though no sign of a fire is traceable. The lantern of Taereung was made in the octagonal shape.

Approaching the burial mound, you will find four stone statues. Two munseokin (stone civil officials) are standing facing each other on either side holding a scepter in hands. 

Two museokin (stone military officials) guard the deceased on the lower platform with their hands resting on a long sword.