Tag Archives: Joseon


Chongmyo Taeje

Chongmyo Taeje is a Confucian memorial ceremony held at Chongmyo (or Jongmyo) Shrine in Seoul, Korea, to honor the kings and queens of the Yi, or Joseon, Dynasty (1392-1910). The shrine houses the ancestral tablets of the monarchs; each year elaborate rites are performed to pay homage to them, and a number of royal descendants, robed in the traditional garments of their ancestors, take part. The rites are accompanied by court music and dance. The ceremony is a grand expression of the widespread Confucian practice of honoring ancestors, either at home or at their graves. More…Discuss

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The House of Yi

In the 13th century, Mongol forces from China invaded the nation that would become Korea. Peace came when Korea accepted Mongol suzerainty, but in 1392, Yi Songgye, a general who favored the Chinese Ming dynasty, seized the throne. He was the first of the House of Yi, or Joseon Dynasty, that ruled Korea until 1910. That year, Korea was formally annexed by Japan following the Sino-Japanese War, effectively ending the dynasty. Who are the living descendants of the House of Yi? More… Discuss