ICHCAP

Following the completion of the large-scale renovation of the Jongmyo Shrine Main Hall, which took place over five years since 2020, the Jongmyo Daeje ritual was held on May 4th, 2025, marking the first time in six years that the Main Hall opened its doors to the public.

The Jongmyo Daeje is the largest and most important ritual performance held at Jongmyo Shrine, a national shrine home to the spirit tablets of Joseon Dynasty kings and queens, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recognized as a representative and comprehensive ritual consisting of both tangible and intangible cultural heritages, including royal court ceremonies, Jongmyo Jeryeak, and il-mu(traditional dance), the Jongmyo Daeje was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001.

The ceremony proceeded in the order of the royal ancestral ritual, from the ritual at Yeongnyeongjeon Hall, the royal procession(Eogahaengnyeol), and the ritual at the Main Hall, and was open to the public both on-site and via live-streaming on YouTube. Additionally, from April 24th to May 4th, a 11-day “Jongmyo Shrine Week” was held, featuring various public programs such as night performances of Jongmyo Jeryeak, hands-on experiences with ritual instruments, a reenactment exhibition of the royal hall, and making scratch postcards of the Main Hall.

The Korea Heritage Service stated, “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Jongmyo Daeje being designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage and the 30th anniversary of Jongmyo Shrine being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, making this year particularly significant.”

Reference: https://www.kh.or.kr/brd/board/715/L/menu/373?brdType=R&thisPage=2&bbIdx=117842&searchField=titlecontent&searchText=