South Korea Jongmyo: Everything you need to know about Seoul's royal shrine Seoul, Travel to South Korea 5 (2)Jongmyo Shrine is a religious complex dedicated to the rulers of the Joseon Dynasty, housing the tablets of kings and queens. Jongmyo Confucian Shrine has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.Le Jongmyo Shrine was completed in 1395, during the reign of the first king of the Joseon dynasty (King Taejo). Also destroyed in 1592 during the Japanese invasion, the site was rebuilt shortly after and then gradually expanded to accommodate the various commemorative tablets of successive sovereigns.These tablets, called " shinju", on which are inscribed the names of these illustrious leaders, serve to shelter the spirits of the deceased. The shrine is today a haven of peace, mostly covered by forest, forming a large 19-hectare park in the heart of Seoul, just south of the Changdeokgung Royal Palace. Summary hide Pratical information Getting to Jongmyo Shrine Jongmyo Shrine Hours and Fees Jongmyo Shrine Map A Brief History of Jongmyo Shrine Visit the different structures of the Jongmyo sanctuary 1. Oedaemun Gate (Main Entrance) 2. Spirit Path 3. Jeongjeon (Main Pavilion) 4. Yeongnyeongjeon (Pavilion of Eternal Peace) 5. Hyangdaecheong 6. Jaejung 7. Jeonsacheong Akgongcheong (8 and 9) What to do around Jongmyo Shrine? Pratical informationGetting to Jongmyo ShrineJust like Gyeongbokgung Palace to the west or Changdeokgung Palace just to the north, the shrine is located close to several public transportation options. The visit is also ideally combined with Changdeokgung Palace, since the two sites are literally neighbors, separated only by a road that is about to be covered (work in progress).Address: 157 Jong-ro, Hunjeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South KoreaYou have the above location on Google Maps but if you plan to use the local navigation app Naver Map, it's here (it's in Korean by default...):Jongmyo Shrine Map on Naver Map Location of Jongmyo Shrine MetroThere are several stations nearby, the latter are at distances varying between 600 m and 1 km, which remains reachable on foot. One station is however only 300 m away, making it the main access point by metro (see below).This is to inform that if you want to walk a little to get to the sanctuary, it is possible. An example would be to stop at Eujiro 3-ga station, join the Cheonggyecheon promenade and then the shrine.. For others, in direct mode, there is of course a station next to the main entrance of the Jongmyo sanctuary.Stop at Jongno 3-ga Station in any case, but you can arrive from three different lines:If you arrive from the line 1, head towards the exit 11If you arrive from the line 3, head towards the exit 8If you arrive from the line 5, head towards the exit 8 By busIts central location means that there is plenty of choice when it comes to bus numbers passing in front of the sanctuary. In addition to the 12 and city tour buses, which stop at different bus stations, depending on your starting location you can take the following buses: 101, 103, 143, 150, 201, 260, 262, 270, 271A, 271B, 370, 720, 721, 7212 or 9301.For example, buses 103 or 210 depart from Seoul Station.You have to stop at the bus stop The 4th edition of the series (but I imagine it's also indicated in English, so stop Jongmyo logically).Jongmyo Shrine Hours and FeesOpening timesJongmyo Shrine is closed every Tuesday. The timetables depend on the time of year:February to May : 9:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m. (last admission at 17:00 p.m.)june to august : 9:00 a.m. – 18:30 p.m. (last admission at 17:30 p.m.)september and october : 9:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m. (last admission at 17:00 p.m.)November to January : 9:00 a.m. – 17:30 p.m. (last admission at 16:30 p.m.)Its particularity being that it is mandatory to do the visit with a guide appointed, EXCEPT Saturdays and the last Wednesday of the month.Entrance feesAgeIndividual rateAdult1₩Child (7 to 18 years old)₩500Free for children under 7 and over 64.If you take the Royal Palace Pass, it includes admission to the following 4 main palaces as well as the Jongmyo Shrine. The latter does not really save money since it costs 10₩, while the respective rates if taken outside the pass are as follows:Gyeongbokgung Palace (3₩)Deoksugung Palace (₩1)Changgyeonggung Palace (₩1)Changdeokgung Palace and Secret Garden (₩3 and ₩000 respectively)Jongmyo Shrine (₩1)So it barely saves 1₩, but it's still convenient to avoid queuing.Guided toursYes, you read that right above, it is mandatory to visit the sanctuary via a guided tour. Guided tour times en anglais for Jongmyo Shrine are as follows:10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 14:00 p.m. and 16:00 p.m.No need to book in advance as such but not knowing the possible quota, take it into account.If you want a complete tour combining Changdeokgung Palace, the Secret Garden and also Jongmyo Shrine, while enjoying a more intimate group, you can do so via the link below (English tour only though).A quick aside to mention the fact of planning your visits a minimum. I specify this because visits to the main sites like those mentioned above (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung), do not have a common weekly closing date, you could find yourself in the same situation as us.Note that originally, we had actually planned to visit the sanctuary, then, in the process, to go to the Changdeokgung palace right next door. But the latter is closed on Mondays, so we said to ourselves that we would do that on Tuesday…. the day the sanctuary is closed…So, as planned, we weren't able to visit both in quick succession. And who says change of plan, says loss of time. Certainly, to a lesser extent, but still, the time to decide what to do instead and how to fit in the undone visit, that counts. Fortunately we had some leeway given the total time spent in Seoul.Moreover, we didn't even know it (I just learned it while writing this article) but since it is necessary to do the tour with a guide, you might prefer the Saturday option which allows you to visit freely.As for us, we were lucky, because the good news in all this is that we ended up doing the visit the following day, a Wednesday. And it was all good for us, because we were the last Wednesday of the month. Not only The visit is free in this case, but it is also free.Jongmyo Shrine MapTo help you find your way around the information I will provide below, here is a Jongmyo Shrine Map. I indicate the numbers corresponding to the photos and associated explanations. This will only be useful if you come across it one day while doing the free tour, and as I like complete articles, the information is there just in case.1. Oedaemun Gate (main entrance) 2. Spirit Path 3. Jeongjeon (Main Pavilion) 4. Yeongnyeongjeon (Pavilion of Eternal Peace) 5. Hyangdaecheong 6. Jaejung 7. Jeonsacheong 8. Akgongcheong Jeongjeon 9. Akgongcheong Yeongnyeongjeon A Brief History of Jongmyo ShrineThe shrine on the day of the ancestral royal ritual, called Jongmyo jerye, which takes place every year. Photo credit: Noh Mun Duek / CC BY-SALe Jongmyo Shrine was built as early as 1394 by the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, King Taejo, when the capital was moved to what became Seoul. The main pavilion, named Jeongjeon, is over 100 m long, making it one of the longest wooden buildings in Asia at the time. It was originally built with seven spiritual chambers. They were to house the spiritual tablets of the kings and queens, preserved according to the principles of Confucianism.There was a three-year mourning period after the death of a king or queen before a memorial tablet for the deceased could be brought to Jongmyo. The shrine was expanded whenever space was lacking, as long as the Joseon Dynasty lasted.In summary, here are the key dates to remember:1395 : The construction of the main pavilion, Jeongjeon, is completed. It is then composed of 7 spiritual rooms.1421 : The annex building, Yeongnyeongjeon (Pavilion of Eternal Peace) is built, adding 6 additional spiritual rooms to the site.1592 : the sanctuary will not escape the ravages of the Japanese invasion.1608 : Jeongjeon was rebuilt, increasing to 11 spiritual rooms. The Yeongnyeongjeon Hall, also rebuilt, increased to 10 rooms. Luckily, the tablets had been saved from the fire.1667 : Yeongnyeongjeon is expanded by 2 additional rooms, reaching 12 spiritual rooms.1726 : Jeongjeon is expanded to 15 spiritual chambers.1836 : the latest expansion of the pavilions. Jeongjeon, increases to 19 spiritual rooms, their current number, when Yeongnyeongjeon is expanded, including 16 spiritual rooms within it. This doubles the initial capacity.1995 : Jongmyo Confucian Shrine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.That same year also saw the addition of the annual ritual called Jongmyo Jerye added as Oral and Intangible Heritage by UNESCO, along with the ritual music accompanying it, Jongmyo jeryeak.Every year, during the 1st Sunday in May, we can still admire this ritual established to honor the ancestors. An important ceremony, which was previously conducted by the king himself.Visit the different structures of the Jongmyo sanctuaryAlthough the likelihood that your visit will be accompanied, and that this site, formerly attached at Changdeokgung Palace neighbor, is not particularly big, a little background on what awaits you is never too much. This summary could also be useful to you if you are not very comfortable with English.Afterwards, I will admit that we skimmed over the site a bit. As it was our last day, we had already had our fill of historical sites. In addition, the Jongmyo sanctuary has an architecture that is considered quite simple. The pretty garden surrounding it is certainly pleasant but we still had a few visits to make, so we didn't linger there. Which means that there are quite a few photos missing here to illustrate the different places that make up this sacred place.1. Oedaemun Gate (Main Entrance)In our case, we arrived at the gate after walking along the Cheonggyecheon promenade for a while and then passing through the Sewoon Arcade shopping center. We then had a view of the shrine and the mountain behind, at the foot of which is the Changdeokgung Palace.Near the Oedaemun Gate (the main gate) is a stone tablet called "Hamabi", meaning the "tablet of dismounting from the horse". This implies that anyone, including kings, must dismount from their horse (or palanquin if applicable) when they reach the main entrance and pass through the gate on foot as a sign of respect to the ancestors.View of the mountain in the distance, with the shrine looming ahead.The public garden in front of the entrance to the sanctuary.2. Spirit PathAs soon as you pass through the door of the sanctuary, you will see a paved path in the middle. If you pay a little attention, you will see signs above all on it asking you not to walk on it. The first reflex is to say that it was the path of the kings, well, almost, but not quite. Reading the said sign, we can seriously translate: “Do not walk on this path. It is reserved for spirits.".Because yes, you are in a sanctuary, where the souls of the deceased rest, especially kings (and queens too). So, indirectly, it is indeed a path dedicated to noble sovereigns, but who are no longer of this world, not those brought to tread the ground of this sanctuary to preside over the ceremony of Jongmyo Jerye (also called Jongmyo Daeje).3. Jeongjeon (Main Pavilion)Three different buildings can be distinguished. First of all, the central pavilion. Jeongjeon is the main hall and the most important structure of Jongmyo Shrine. It is the location of the memorial tablets of 19 Joseon kings and queens. At 109 meters long, the building is considered the longest wooden structure (in one block) in the world.Three doors provide access to the courtyard. The southern door is said to be the one through which spirits could enter and exit. The eastern door, through which one entered, was reserved for the king and the officers accompanying the ritual. The door to the west, being close to the pavilion Akgongcheong, was reserved for artists such as musicians and dancers, participating in the Jongmyo Jaerye ceremony.On either side of the door leading to the long central pavilion, you have two annexes along the perimeter wall surrounding the great hall. On the left, you have the small sanctuary of Chilsadang and on the right, that of Gongsindang.South Gate of Jeongjeon.ChilsadangChilsadang is a place of prayer and worship. It contains spiritual tablets dedicated to the seven gods of heaven. These gods enshrined here include the gods of the gates, including the entrances and exits, all the halls, kitchens and other rooms, and even the roads. I won't hide from you that this is a translation found on the Seoul Guide website, and that they also refer to those who died of diseases, but hey, we're talking about the gods here, right?Officials came here to pray to the gods, hoping that royal and state affairs would proceed without difficulty or problems. These rituals to the seven gods of heaven involved both traditional religious practices and those specific to Confucian philosophy.GongsindangGongsindang (or Hall of Meritorious Officials) is the location of the tablets for those who helped the kings and queens enshrined at Jongmyo Shrine. There are 83 of them in this building, originally built with three rooms. It has since been expanded to sixteen rooms.4. Yeongnyeongjeon (Pavilion of Eternal Peace)Yeongnyeongjeon today houses 34 tablets spread across 16 spiritual chambers, including four generations of King Taejo's ancestors.The overall impression remains the same as with the main hall of Jeongjeon. There are three entrance gates, a large raised courtyard covered with stone slabs, and a long wooden building housing the spiritual chambers. The only notable difference is that the roof does not form a continuous line, but the central part is slightly raised. And in front of this area is not a staircase as in the Jeongjeon hall, but three sets of steps side by side.The so-called pavilion of eternal peace, Yeongnyeongjeon.5. HyangdaecheongAfter passing the pool, which I was taking pictures of, we walked along this building without really taking a look at it. We skipped it in favor of going to the essentials. But for your information, Hyangdaecheong is a storage room that contained important supplies, such as paper, incense, and offerings used during rituals.The day before one of these rites, the king would send an official to Hyangdaecheong to collect and prepare everything needed for the ceremony. It was therefore also here that the officials would gather and wait before performing the ancestral rituals.The basin in question, with the Hyangdaecheong building behind me.6. JaejungJaegung consists of three buildings, adjoining the main Jongmyo hall. These were used by the king and crown prince to prepare for ancestral rituals.The king and crown prince would enter through the main gate and purify their bodies and minds, each in their own chamber, then proceed to the Jeongjeon Pavilion through the west gate to perform the rites.Jaejung's entrance.EojaesilEojaesil, the central building, is where the king prepared himself before the ancestral rituals at Jongmyo Shrine. Inside Eojaesil is a portable throne or compact chair that was used to move the king around the shrine. There is also a screen used on special occasions decorated with peony, seen as a symbol of wealth and honor.On the right side of the building is normally a model of Emperor Gojong, who is wearing ceremonial clothing after proclaiming the establishment of the Daehan Empire in 1897. There are two types of ceremonial clothing, that of the emperor with 12 ornaments and that of the king with 9 ornaments.On the day of our visit, however, the mannequin and the chair were not in Eojaesil but in the building on the west side, the one called Eomokyokcheong.Eojaesil in front and the purification chamber on the left, Eomokyokcheong.SejajaesilSejajaesil was the equivalent of Eojaesil but for the crown prince, who made his own preparations there. Inside this room is a ten-piece screen depicted with vessels used for rituals.EomokyokcheongEomokyokcheong was the room used by the king as well as the crown prince to perform the purifying bath. Inside Eomokyokcheong, there is normally a palanquin that was used by the king to move around the shrine.7. JeonsacheongThese are the kitchens of the shrine. This is where the dishes and foods used for the rites were prepared. Right next to it is the Jejeong Well. Jejeong simply means "ritual well."It was used to provide water before and during rituals at Jongmyo Shrine. It was also the water from this well that was used to purify the participants in the ceremony, including the king and crown prince. This well is located next to the inspection tables of Chanmakdan and Seongsaengwi.It's not there but we are in the Jongmyo sanctuary.Chanmakdan It is in the form of a raised stone table. As soon as the food was prepared in the kitchen next door, it was placed on top of it in order to examine the food and ensure that the dishes that were going to be used in ceremonies were properly prepared. Once inspected and approved, the food was then placed on altars around the sanctuary where it was to be used for rituals and ceremonies.Nearby is another inspection table known as the Seongsaengwi. The latter was used to inspect animals such as cows and pigs before rituals, because yes, these rituals once involved animal sacrifices…This part being located behind in the north corner to the right of the main pavilion, we did not see it.Akgongcheong (8 and 9)You can see two small annex pavilions, not far from each main pavilion, Jeongjeon and Yeongnyeongjeon, outside the walls surrounding them. These were the pavilions of the court musicians. They served as dressing rooms, and where the musicians rehearsed songs that would be played during rituals at Jongmyo Shrine.What to do around Jongmyo Shrine?Gyeongbokgung PalaceIkseondong Hanok VillageInsadong NeighborhoodsChangdeokgung PalaceChanggyeonggung PalaceGwangjang MarketDid you like the article? share on Pinterest! Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 5 / 5. Number of votes: 2 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Capital Essentials to visit Palaces and monuments Unesco World Heritage Historic site 0 0 Roman 20/12/2020
