King Jeongjo, son of Crown Prince Sado, hosts a great feast in the name of his father and for his mother's 60th birthday at Hwaseong Fortress, 33 kilometers south, and a huge endeavor to reach in the formal royal processional. The National Gugak Center hosts the performance at the Yeakdang: Taepyeongseogok: King Jeongjo Hosts a Feast for Citizens in the Name of His Father.
King Jeongjo and "The Music of Great Peace"
Scholar-sovereign King Jeongjo's celebrated visit to Hwaseong Fortress
King Jeongjo (r. 1776-1800) was the sovereign at the forefront of both scholarship and politics in the Joseon Dynasty of the late 18th century. With his deep knowledge of musicology surpassing that of other Joseon Dynasty kings, he wrote music manuscripts, while, early in his reign he founded Gyujanggak, which functioned as the royal library and a political and academic center that led the Joseon Dynasty to its heyday of culture. The center was also in charge of retraining elite government officials. King Jeongjo presented musical instruments to the center in an action signaling that bureaucrats should know music well. He engaged in a large-scale literary compilation project and wrote scholarly manuscripts demonstrating the nation's interest in literature as well. In addition, aware of their significance, he strove to modify and improve the national rites.
In 1795 (the 19th year of King Jeongjo's reign), his mother, Lady Hyegyeong, reached her sixtieth birthday, as would have King Jeongjo's father, the Crown Prince Sado known for his tragic death. King Jeongjo planned to visit the newly-constructed Hwaseong Fortress with his mother in order to celebrate her birthday there. An expression of filial piety toward his mother on one hand, on the other hand, the renowned visit also served to parade the King's achievements in order to provide impetus to political reform. The dates for the eight-day journey from February 9-16, 1795 in the lunar calendar were selected in order to avoid the busy farming season of June in which Lady Hyegyeong's actual birthday fell.
Offering jinchan, a court banquet, at Bongsudang on the fifth day of the celebrated trip to Hwaseong Fortress
The most significant event of the eight days was Lady Hyegyeong's 60th birthday celebration that took place at Bongsudang on the fifth day of the journey (the third day at Hwaseong Fortress) beginning at 8:45am on February 13, 1795 in the lunar calendar. The banquet featured the offering of a cup of liquor seven times to the guest of honor. King Jeongjo offered the first cup of liquor to Lady Hyegyeong, and then he received a cup of liquor from his mother. After that, key invited figures took turns offering the cup of liquor to the Lady. When each cup of liquor was offered, various court dances were performed accompanied by music. In total, fifteen kinds of court dances were presented: Heongseondo, Geumcheok, Sumyeongmyeong, Hahwangeun, Pogurak, Mugo, Abak, Hyangbal, Hakmu, Yeonhwadaemu, Suyeongjang, Cheoyongmu, Geommu, and Seonyurak.
The performances included various dances descended from the Goryeo Dynasty as well as dances newly created during the Joseon Dynasty, for example, Geommu (the Sword Dance) and Seonyurak (the Boating Dance). A temporary stage was constructed to provide expanded performance space at Bongsudang. Heonseondo (Offering the Heavenly Peach) which depicts the offering of seondo, the fruit of perennial youth and longevity, which emerges once in three thousand years, was the first dance performed. In it, King Jeongjo's heartfelt wish for his mother's longevity is well-expressed.
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| If you look closely, you can even see the "cranes" that performed in the Crane Dance. |
Order of the ceremony
Chapter 1: Prepare the opening of a new age
Chabi: Preparing the feast
45 minutes before the beginning of the ceremony, female officers, female butlers, and female staff in charge of Jeongjae (royal court dance) stand by and install musical instruments. 30 minutes before, royal families, concubines and high officials are ushered by court ladies into the banquet hall. At 15 minutes before, at the first drum beat a court lady reports to King that the feast is ready to begin. At the next drum beat, all the guests move to the place where they bow, escorted in by court ladies.
Chapter 2: Jeongjo and Lady Hyegyeong take the first step toward reconciliation
Siyeon: Starting the feast
At the third drum beat, Jeongjo enters. In a minute Lady Hyegyeong enters and takes a seat. At the solemn announcement by the master of ceremony, royal and noble ladies bow to Lady Hyegyeong twice, and then Jeongjo and his subjects bow twice.
Two female officers present Lady Heygyeong with a list of food, a scarf and flowers, while the other two female officers are sprinkling flowers. Two female singers enter, and stand on the east and west sides of the hall respectively. They sing for Lady Hyegyeong a celebratory song "Jangrakjang, song of happy longevity" composed by Jeongjo himself. The feast now begins.
Chapter 3: The living (Lady Hyegyeong) and the dead (Crown Prince Sado) pray for the reconciliation of all people
Chugwon: Praying for longevity
Jeongjo offers liquor and submits a written gratitude praising the virtue and wishing the longevity of his mother Lady Hyegyeong. It is read aloud by a court lady, Jeon-un. After the reading is finished, everybody hails three times, "May the queen mother live a thousand years."
Chapter 4: In exuberance, Lady Hyegyeong takes the cup that Jeongjo is offering
Jinjak: Offering liquor with the most respectful manners
Offering cups of liquor to Lady Heygyeong according the royal ranks is not just a to offer liquor but a courtesy to wish her good health and longevity.
The first cup by Jeongjo, the 22nd King of Joseon, son of the late Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong
The second cup by the eldest daughter Princess Cheongyeon and second daughter Princess Cheonseon. Princess Cheongyeon (1754 - 1821) is from the royal family of Joseon, the eldest daughter between Honorary King Jangjo (Crown Prince Sado) and Queen Heongyeong (Lady Hyegyeong). She was a duchess in her living time, honored as a princess later by Emperor Gojong. Princess Cheongseon, second daughter of Lady Hyegyeong, was also a duchess in her living time and honored to be a princess in 1899.
The third cup by Daughter-in-law of Lady Hyegyeong. Lee, wife of Hong Naksin, who was a younger brother of Lady Hyegyeong.
The fourth cup by Duke Kim Giseong, first son-in-law. He was ordained Duke Gwangeunbuwi after marrying Duchess Cheongyeon.
The fifth cup by Hong Naksin, younger brother of Lady Hyegyeong and brother-in-law of Crown Prince Sado. Jeongjo gave the brothers of Naksin miliary poisitions to take care of Lady Hyegyeong.
Chapter 5: Announcing new beginning at the end of the feast of all citizens
Payeon: Ending the feast
To keep the excitement of the feast until the last minute, a female singer sings "Gwanhwajang, song of admiring glory." afterwards all the female dancers come out hauling a boat named Chaeseon and dances to the boating music "Seonyurak, joy of boating: singing "Eobusa, song of fishermen."
Lady Hyegyeong and royal family members exit and the feast Bongsudangjinchan officially ends. But Jeongjo stays and entertains himself with his subjects, praising that the feast was "the happiest occasion in a thousand years". He tells his subjects that "10 years later I will pay respect again to Hyeonryungwon, the mausoleum of my father and hold a banquet to celebrate my mother's 70th birthday. So preserve all the apparatuses used today."
Lady Hyegyeong's 60th birthday celebration on the state of the National Gugak Center in 2018
The reenactment of Lady Hyegyeong's birthday celebration premiered in April 2001 as a performance for the 50th anniversary commemoration of the opening of the National Gugak Center. It has been performed several times onstage since then, to growing popularity. In 2018, the production will be the year-end performance presented by the National Gugak Center.
The faithfully-staged reconstruction of the court banquet for Lady Hyegyeong at Bongsudang in 1795--which was developed with the support of historical research for its premiere by the National Gugak Center--is a successful example of the recreation of a royal ceremony practiced 223 years ago. It was made possible thanks to the written document entitled Wonhaengeulmyojeongniuigwe. This year's performance includes the offering of a cup of liquor five times in total. Stage settings, video images, the arrangement of characters, and the organization of court dances for each liquor offering differ somewhat from those in previous years.
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