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Uigwe: The royal protocols
of the court of Joseon dynasty
Inscribed 2007
What is it
Uigwe is a collection of royal protocols that reflects
the beliefs, life and rituals of the Joseon dynasty
through detailed accounts of its ceremonies including
the language, dress, music, art, architecture, dance,
sports and food involved.
Why was it inscribed
Uigwe showed how Confucian rituals were performed
and evolved over the course of 300 years and are of
importance as no other Confucian monarchy in East
Asia has such records. Uigwe is also a good source for
the reconstruction of Joseon period buildings, as well as
other masterpieces of intangible heritage.
Where is it
Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, Seoul National
University and Jangseogak Archives, Academy of Korean
Studies, Bundang, Republic of Korea
Uigwe is a collection of royal protocols of the Joseon
dynasty (1392–1910) that both records and prescribes
through prose and illustration the major ceremonies
and rites of the royal family. The unique value of Uigwe
is that it records so many details of different aspects of
the life of the royal family. It documents the procedures,
protocols, formalities and requirements needed to
conduct important ceremonies such as weddings, funerals,
ceremonies honouring the dead, banquets, receiving
foreign missions and various cultural activities of the royal
family. It also includes details on the construction of royal
buildings and tombs.
Each Uigwe provides a detailed description of a particular
ceremony, from preparations and procedures to the
award-giving at the end of the function, and includes
the expenses and implements needed, so that later
generations could refer to it as a guide in performing the
ceremony the same way. Immediately after the ceremony,
an Uigwe would be compiled and published by a dogam,
an independent temporary government office, created to
deal with national matters of the greatest importance, such
as the funeral of a king or palace construction. In general,
� A funeral procession
recorded in the Myeongseong
Hwanghu Gukjang Dogam
Uigwe, the manual for the
state funeral of Empress
Myeongseong Hwanghu
(1873–95).
� A royal procession recorded
in an Uigwe.
five to nine copies were made of each Uigwe including one
for the king, one each for the four national archives located
in different parts of the country, and one for Yejo (the office
of protocol).
Categorized by time and theme, the surviving books
(3430 of which are covered by this registration) date from
the 17th century to the start of the 20th century. This long
time span makes it possible to record the changes that
took place over time in royal ceremonies and compare
them with other East Asian monarchies. The pictorial
records illustrate the rituals and ceremonies of the time
with great sophistication and vividness. For example, the
documentary painting of King Jeongjo’s visit to the royal
tomb of his father is composed of several scenes and is
15.4 metres long; its creation required the cooperation
of court painters and officials.
The Joseon dynasty existed at a time when Confucianism
flourished in East Asia and especially in Korea. Confucian
rituals penetrated deep into Korean society as a system
of practical ethics. It was Uigwe that expressed the ideals
of Confucianism and showed how Confucian rituals were
performed and evolved over the course of 300 years.
Uigwe: The royal protocols of the court of Joseon (Choson) dynasty 213