The Seokjeon Daeje, also sometimes called Seokjeonje, is a ceremonial rite performed twice annually to honor

Confucius Confucius ( ; zh, s=, p=Kǒng Fūzǐ, "Master Kǒng"; or commonly zh, s=, p=Kǒngzǐ, labels=no; – ) was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. C ...

. It is held at Confucian sites across

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

including hyanggyos and the Confucian temple Munmyo located at Sungkyunkwan, on Confucius' birthday in fall and the anniversary of his death in spring. ''Seokjeon'' is made up of the two Chinese characters, 釋 (to lay out) and 奠 (alcohol), and ''Seokjeon Daeje'' means "Laying out offerings ceremony". It involves an elaborate ceremony with sacrificial offerings of alcohol and foods, as well as an elaborate dance known as ''munmyo ilmu'' accompanied by musical performances ''munmyo jeryeak''. In 2011, Korea nominated the ceremony for the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...

list; however, it did not satisfy the criteria for selection and UNESCO invited the Korean government to submit it again in the future with additional information. The ceremony is recognized in Korea as important intangible cultural heritage no.85. Traditional rituals of East Asia

Ceremony Procedure

The Seokjeon rite resembles a large-scale version of

Jesa Jesa (, ) is a ceremony commonly practiced in the East Asian cultural sphere. Jesa functions as a memorial to the ancestors of the participants. Jesa are usually held on the anniversary of the ancestor's death. The majority of Catholics, Budd ...

ancestral funerary rites. (1) Entrance and preparation: Welcoming the honored spirits by way of the main gate and the spirit path (yeongsin). The master of music leads the musicians and dancers to their places. The usher escorts the Confucian scholars to their places. The usher conducts the reader of the invocation or ceremonial address and the deacons to their places. The reader and the deacons bow four times. The announcer requests that the first offerer opens the ceremony. Music is played by the Ground Orchestra, and the Civil Dance begins (2) Offerings of Tribute and Sacrificial Food (jeonpyerye) to the spirits of Confucius and the Four Assessors. The first offerer kneels in front of the tablet of Confucius, burns incense three times, offers the sacrifices, and rises. The first offerer proceeds to the tablet of Tseng Tzu, kneels, burns incense three times, offers the sacrifice, and rises. The first offerer proceeds to the tablet of Mencius, kneels, burns incense three times, offers the sacrifice, and rises. (3) First Wine Offering (choheon). The announcer escorts the first offerer to the wine table for the offering to Confucius. Attendants pour the wine from the cattle-shaped pitcher to the brass cup. They turn the wine cup over to the worshippers. They receive the wine cup and circle the wine cup three times above the smouldering fire. (4) Music is played by the Terrace Orchestra and the Civil Dance begins. The first offerer offers wine, retreats a few steps, and kneels. The music and dance cease. The reader sits at the left of the first offerer, reads the invocation, and rises with the first offerer. The announcer escorts the first offerer back to his place. Music by the Terrace Orchestra and the Military Dance are performed. rituals at the Confucius shrine, or munmyo, the king's personal presence was not essential. The monarch would send high-ranking officials to honor the rites for Confucius. (5) The Rite of the Secondary Wine Offering (aheon) The announcer escorts the second offerer to the basin to wash his hands and then to the wine table for offering to Confucius. The announcer escorts the second offerer back to his place. (6) The Rite of the Final Wine Offering (jongheon) to Confucius and his four assessors, and to the other thirty-four spirits honored in the ceremony. The announcer escorts the last offerer to the basin to wash his hands and then to the wine table for offering to Confucius. Music by the Ground Orchestra and the Civil Dance begin. The last offerer proceeds to the tablet of Confucius, offers wine, and rises. He then proceeds to the wine table for the other four sages. The announcer escorts the last offerer back to his place. The announcer and usher escort the east and west assistant officers, respectively, to the basin to wash their hands, thrice burn incense, and offer wine to each of the eighteen Koreans dedicated on the east and west of the Great Master, as they rise.

Spirituality

Although Confucianism is generally considered an ethical and philosophical system rather than a religion, there are many spiritual aspects of the Seokjeon Daeje relying on belief in ancestral spirits. The front gate of Munmyo, Sinsammun (spirit-three-gate), is kept closed except during ceremonies such as the Seokjeon Daeje and the Goyurae ceremony which is held for important events such as university graduations at SKKU, matriculation ceremonies, and inaugurations of new university presidents. The central entrance, usually reserved in royal palaces for kings, is intended only for the spirits of Confucius and his disciples. The path known as Yeongshin (spirit path) stretching from Sinsammun to Daeseongjeon is intended only for spirits, and visitors are prevented from crossing it during ceremonies by specially designated workers.

Munmyo Ilmu

The Munmyo Ilmu dance is performed in a grid of 8X8 dancers clad in red robes. Dance steps are slow, deliberate, and solemn. Throughout the ceremony, different hats are worn and different tools are held. Dancers raise their arms to the heavens to welcome spirits to earth, repeating the steps while facing each compass direction. The dance has been performed by SKKU students in recent years.

Musical instruments

To match the 64 dancers, there are 64 musicians playing a variety of percussion and woodwind instruments in a performance of ''munmyo jeryeak''. The music is a type of

Aak ''Aak'' is a genre of Korean court music. It is an imported form of the Chinese court music ''yayue'', and means "elegant music". ''Aak'' was performed almost exclusively in state sacrificial rites, and in the present day it is performed in ce ...

, punctuated by flat notes by striking a bell, which are maintained for several seconds before raising sharply at the end with the help of wood flutes. *

Pyeongyeong The ''bianqing'' (Chinese: 编磬) is a traditional Chinese percussion instrument consisting of a set of L-shaped flat stone chimes known as ''qing'', played melodically. The chimes were hung in a wooden frame and struck with a mallet. Along wit ...

(편경): an array of stone chimes *

Pyeonjong Bianzhong (Chinese:编钟) is an ancient Chinese musical instrument consisting of a set of bronze bells, played melodically. China is the earliest country to manufacture and use musical chimes. They are also called Chime Bells. These sets of ch ...

(편종): an array of bells *Teukgyeong (특경): a single stone chime *Teukjong (특종): a single bell * Nogo (노고): a drum on a stand *

Nodo Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, U.S. state of Nebraska. The boundaries are Omaha's 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline ...

(노도): a smaller version of the nogo * Eo (어): a statue of a tiger with a spiky spine, played by scraping a bamboo stick along the spine to create a ratcheting sound *Seoul (슬): a stringed zither *Geum (금): a stringed zither *

Hun The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...

(): a flute *So (소): a flute * Chuk (축): a wooden box

Honored Sages

The Seokjeon Daeje honors 39 historical figures of East Asia. The Five Sages include Confucius and his four disciples: *

Yan Hui Yan Hui (–481 BC) was a Chinese philosopher. He was the favorite disciple of Confucius and one of the most revered figures of Confucianism. He is venerated in Confucian temples as one of the Four Sages. Names Yan Hui is also known by his cou ...

(顔子, 안자, Anja) – (兗國復聖公, 연국복성공) * Zengzi (曾子, 증자, Jeungja) – (郕國宗聖公, 성국종성공) *

Zisi Zisi (; c. 481–402 BCE), born Kong Ji (孔伋), was a Chinese philosopher and the grandson of Confucius. Intellectual genealogy, teaching, criticism Zisi was the son of Kong Li (孔鯉) ( Boyu (伯鱼)) and the only grandson of Confucius. ...

(子思子, 자사자, Jasa Ja) – (沂國述聖公, 기국설성공) *

Mencius Mencius ( ); born Mèng Kē (); or Mèngzǐ (; 372–289 BC) was a Chinese Confucianism, Confucian Chinese philosophy, philosopher who has often been described as the "second Sage", that is, second to Confucius himself. He is part of Confuc ...

(孟子, 맹자, Maengja) – (鄒國亞聖公, 추국아성공) Ten of the

disciples of Confucius According to Sima Qian, Confucius said: "The disciples who received my instructions, and could themselves comprehend them, were seventy-seven individuals. They were all scholars of extraordinary ability." It was traditionally believed that Confuciu ...

are also memorialized. *Min Sun (閔損, 민손, Min Son) – (費公, 비공) *Ran Geng (冉耕, 염경, Yeom Gyeong) – (鄆公, 운공) *Ran Yong (冉雍, 염옹, Yeom Ong) – (薛公, 설공) *Zai Yu (宰予, 재여, Jae Yeo) – (齊公, 제공) *Duanmu Ci (端木賜, 단목사, Danmok Sa) – (黎公, 여공) *Ran Qiu (冉求, 염구, Yeom Gu) – (徐公, 서공) *Zhong You (仲由, 중유, Jung Yu) – (衛公, 위공) *Yan Yan (言偃, 언언, Eon Eon) – (吳公, 오공) *Bu Shang (卜商, 복상, Bok Sang) – (魏公, 위공) *Zhuansun Shi (顓孫師, 단손사, Danson Sa) – (陳公, 진공) There are also 24 Men of Virtue, six from the

Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

and 18 from Korea. The six Men of Virtue from Song are: * Zhou Dunyi (周敦頤, 주돈이, Ju Doni, 1017-1073) – (道國公, 도국공) * Cheng Hao (程顥, 정호, Jeong Ho, 1032-1085) – (豫國公, 예국공) * Cheng Yi (程頤, 정이, Jeong Yi, 1033-1107) – (洛國公, 낙국공) *

Shao Yong Shao Yong (; 1011–1077), courtesy name Yaofu (堯夫), named Shào Kāngjié (邵康節) was a Chinese cosmologist, historian, philosopher, and poet who greatly influenced the development of Neo-Confucianism across China during the Song dynast ...

(邵雍, 소옹, So Ong, 1011-1077) – (新安伯, 신안백) * Zhang Zai (張載, 장재, Jang Jae, 1020-1077) – (郿伯, 미백) *

Zhu Xi Zhu Xi (; ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), formerly romanized Chu Hsi, was a Chinese calligrapher, historian, philosopher, poet, and politician during the Song dynasty. Zhu was influential in the development of Neo-Confucianism. He con ...

(朱熹, 주희, Ju Heui, 1130-1200) – (徽國公, 휘국공) The 18 Men of Virtue from Korea are: * Seol Chong (薛聰, 설총, 650-730) – (弘儒侯, 홍유후) * Choe Chiwon (崔致遠, 최치원, 857-?) – (文昌侯, 문창후) * An Hyang (安裕, 안유, 1243-1306) – (文成公, 문성공) * Jeong Mong-ju (鄭夢周, 정몽주, 1337-1392) – (文忠公, 문충공) *Kim Goengpil (金宏弼, 김굉필, 1454-1504) – (文敬公, 문경공) *Jeong Yeochang (鄭汝昌, 정여창, 1450-1504) – (文憲公, 문헌공) * Jo Gwang-jo (趙光祖, 조광조, 1482-1520) – (文正公, 문정공) *

Yi Eon-jeok Yi Eon-jeok (25 November 1491 — 23 November 1553), sometimes known by his pen name Hoejae, was a Korean philosopher and politician during the Joseon dynasty. He was a public official and intellectual of the middle era of the Joseon Dynasty of ...

(李彦迪, 이언적, 1491-1553) – (文元公, 문언공) * Yi Hwang (李滉, 이황, 1501-1570) – (文純公, 문순공) *Kim Inhu (金麟厚, 김인후, 1510-1560) – (文正公, 문정공) * Yi I (李珥, 이이, 1537-1584) – (文成公, 문성공) *

Seong Hon Seong Hon (1535 – 1598) was a Korean philosopher, poet, and politician during the Joseon Dynasty. He was a Neo-Confucianist scholar who was a close friend of the scholar Yi I (Yulgok) and an older contemporary of Yi Hwang (Toegye), leader of th ...

(成渾, 성혼, 1535-1598) – (文簡公, 문간공) *

Kim Jang-saeng Kim Jang-saeng (김장생, 金長生) (July 8, 1548 - August 3, 1631) was a Neo-Confucian scholar, politician, educator, and writer of Korea's Joseon period. He was successor to the Neo-Confucian academic tradition of Yulgok Yi I (이이) and ...

(金長生, 김장생, 1548-1631) – (文元公, 문원공) *Jo Heon (趙憲, 조헌, 1544-1592) – (文烈公, 문열공) * Kim Jip (金集, 김집, 1574-1656) – (文敬公, 문경공) * Song Si-yeol (宋時烈, 송시열, 1607-1689) – (文正公, 문정공) * Song Jun-gil (宋浚吉, 송준길, 1606-1672) – (文正公, 문정공) *Pak Sechae (朴世采, 박세채, 1631-1695) – (文純公, 문순공)

Images

Image:Hun (wind instrument).jpeg, Musicians at a Seokjeon Daeje ceremony at Munmyo Shrine playing Hun Image:BakIMG 6111.JPG, Musician with a bak Image:ChukIMG 6107.JPG, Musician playing a Chuk Image:EoIMG 6114.JPG, Eo, a percussion instrument Image:Sungkyunkwan Sinsammun.jpg, Sinsammun is opened for Seokjeon ceremonies, allowing spirits to enter and follow the spirit path ''Yeongshin'' to the temple.

References

External links

Official website
{{coord missing, South Korea Education in the Joseon dynasty Tourist attractions in Seoul Jongno District Korean Confucianism