본문 바로가기주메뉴 바로가기하단 바로가기
  • About the site
Introduce
Numerous topics related to Korean culture and art are mentioned in middle and high school national history textbooks, but most of them are briefly described by era, making it difficult to understand their concepts, transition processes, and characteristics.
<Culture & Art Stories from Korean History> produces and provides video materials based on expert commentary on the flow, change process, characteristics and characteristics of each major topic in the field of culture and art in Korean history.
사이트소개 창 닫기
Scenario

Jongmyo jerye-ak – The ritual music of the Royal Ancestral Shrine. It is the bridge that connects the ancestors and their descendants.
Let’s take a look at the meaning and beauty of the Jongmyo jerye-ak.

Combining with song to elevate respect – The reason why music is included in the rites ceremony

Jongmyo, acknowledged by the world as a precious cultural heritage site!
Jongmyo is the resting place for the sinju (ancestral tablets) of Joseon’s greatest kings and queens as well as where the ancestral memorial service is held. The ritual held at the Jongmyo is called the Jongmyo jerye. This ritual has been passed down since the Joseon Dynasty and is not commonly seen anywhere in the world.

However, there is something needed for this somber ceremony. And that is music and dance!

“When King Taejo established the kingdom, he declared, “I will rule this state by rites and music.” While the “rites” is for maintaining order, the “music” is for harmony. As such, he thought that music was extremely important while performing a ceremony. He felt that songs were the most important of all, and these songs were accompanied by instrumental music. And along with the songs were dances. That is why, when music is performed during the Jongmyo jerye, song, dance, and instrumental music are all included.” Song Jiwon / Chief of Research Institute of Music and Humanities

The performances are intended not simply to enhance the mood of the ritual, but also to complete Confucian ideals.

Orchestral groups are seated on parts of a stage. Closest to the spirit chambers is the deungga on the upper stage. In the Jeongjeon courtyard is the heonga, and between the two is the space where the dancers performed. These three positions represent heaven, earth, and man respectively.

The instruments used follow the “eight tone” theory, and are made using eight different types of materials, including metal, stone, silk, bamboo, and gourd.

The Jongmyo jerye-ak existed in the Goryeo Dynasty as well, but the songs and format we know today originated around 500 years ago in the early Joseon period.

His majesty visited Jongmyo to perform the ceremony. the newly composed music for the Jeongdaeeop (Great Exploits of Pacification) and Botaepyeong (Preserving the Peace) were performed. Thus did the ceremony proceed. - Sejong sillok (Veritable Records of King Sejong), Year 10 of King Sejong’s Reign (1464)

The Jeongdaeeop and the Botaepyeong are songs used in the Jongmyo jerye-ak. Surprisingly, these songs were composed by King Sejong himself.

Sejong’s son Sejo adapted the Jeongdaeeop and Botaepyeong from hoeryeak, or ceremonial court music, for use as memorial music in order to pass on this beautiful music to future generations. Afterwards, the lyrics, the organization of instruments, and the positions of ceremony participants went through several rounds of changes before it settled into the form we see today.

Jongmyo jerye-ak, music filled with the utmost devotion to the ancestors and that has been passed down with great care! The beauty of the performance will surely touch you once you understand the deep meaning behind it.

King Sejong the composer, King Sejo the arranger? The beauty of the Jongmyo jerye-ak

The Jongmyo jerye-ak, a music beloved in modern times for its musicality, was music that instilled Confucian ideals into the ritual.

The most important feature of the Jongmyo jerye-ak is that is a composite art form, bringing together song, instrumental performance, and dance. And each song and dance possesses a deeper meaning.

The songs of the Jongmyo jerye-ak are called “akjang.” The Botaepyeong and Jeongdaeeop, with each consisting of 11 songs, are performed during the rite. The lyrics of the Botaepyeong and Jeongdaeeop described the literary virtue and military achievements of past kings.

“The poems praising the achievements of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty were converted to song. If you grasp the meaning of the lyrics, you could change your mindset, and wholeheartedly value the songs.” Hong Chang Nam / National Gugak Center, Court Music Group

The Botaepyeong, which praises the past kings’ literary virtues, was performed at the start of the ritual and again when the king offers the first cup of liquor to his ancestors. The Jeongdaeeop, or songs praising military conquests, were performed when the second cup is offered, and, when the last cup is offered.

The dances of the Jongmyo jerye-ak were called “ilmu”. The ilmu were divided into two types, the munmu and the mumu, which praised the literary virtue and military achievements, respectively, of past kings. During the munmu, the dancer holds a yak and a jeok in their hands, and through a series of controlled movements, praises the previous kings’ literary virtue.

“The flute-like object is the “yak” and the item shaped like a dragon’s head is the “jeok”. If you look at the jeok, there is a thing called a “yuseul.” The dangling pheasant feathers that make the yuseul represent writing. The musical instrument refers to the notion of governing a country by means of rites and music. On the yak, there are musical notes. This can be seen as a type of scale. So they are considered to represent order.” Kim Tae hoon / National Gugak Center, Dance Troupe

Mumu is a dance that praises a king’s military achievements. Performers dance while carrying swords, spears, and shields. The mumu is considered a much more powerful dance than the munmu. When you compare the two, the differences between the munmu and the mumu are quite clear.

“The word ilmu itself means “row” or “to line up.” Originally, there were dances with 8, 6, or 4 lines of 64, 36, or 16 people moving in unison in this standardized pattern. There was a solemn beauty to it due to the synchronicity of their movements, and this is what set it apart from the individual beauty of folk dancing.” Kim Tae hoon / National Gugak Center, Dance Troupe

The Jongmyo jerye-ak, where song, music, and dance came together to praise the virtues of the ancestors, and to pray for the good fortune of all descendants.

Despite the hardships of the past, like the Japanese occupation, the Jongmyo jerye-ak has persevered. It is now more than just traditional music for memorial rites, it has become for Koreans a precious classical music form and one that is ideal for meditation.

[Epilogue]
Must-Know Facts on Culture and Art in Korean History

1. The music that accompanies the Memorial Ritual is called the Jongmyo jerye-ak.
2. In the Jongmyo jerye-ak, song, music, and dance are the three parts making up the art form.
3. The Botaepyeong and Jeongdaeeop were added to the Jongmyo jerye-ak during the reign of King Sejo.

Jongmyo Jerye-ak, the Royal Ancestral Ritual Music