The 447th Anniversary Celebration of Yi Sun-sin's Birth

Hyeonchungsa

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Shrine Management Office of the Cultural Heritage Administration will hold the ‘Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin General’s 477th Birthday Commemorative Tea Ceremony’ at 11 a.m. on the 28th at the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Shrine (Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do) to honor the great achievements of Admiral Yi Sun-sin in overcoming national crises together with the entire nation on the occasion of his 477th birthday.

This commemorative event will be scaled down to a tea ceremony only, officially inviting only descendants of Admiral Yi Sun-sin to prevent the spread of COVID-19, presided over by Kim Hyun-mo, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration.

The tea ceremony (茶禮) consists of the initial offering ritual (初獻禮) which includes incense burning and offering a cup of wine by the chief officiant (初獻官, the head of the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Shrine Management Office) and the reading of a congratulatory text by the celebrant (祝官), followed by the secondary offering ritual (亞獻禮) performed by a representative descendant, and the final offering ritual (終獻禮). Afterwards, a flower offering and incense burning in the name of the President will take place.

To prevent COVID-19 infection, no official luncheon or archery competition will be held. Instead, utilizing outdoor spaces where social distancing is possible, a small exhibition titled “Sincerely Embracing Chungmugong” will be held to share various cultural events with the public.

At Chungmugong’s old residence and the worship area, exhibitions such as “Old Residence Conversations through Calligraphy” calligraphy exhibition, “Engraving the Spirit of Asan, Yi Sun-sin” wood carving exhibition, and “Chungmugong’s Body and Mind (一路同行): Faith and Journey Together” painting exhibition will be held, allowing visitors to feel the life and spirit of Yi Sun-sin.

Vehicles carrying persons with disabilities will be allowed to enter up to Chungmum Gate only on the day of the event, the 28th, for viewing convenience. Entry is limited until 10 minutes before the event starts (10:50 a.m., masks required). After disembarking, they will be guided to park in a designated disabled parking area outside the shrine grounds to ensure smooth event operation.

Additionally, to honor ordinary people who donated funds for the reconstruction of the Chungmugong Shrine during the harsh period of Japanese colonial rule, a special exhibition commemorating the 90th anniversary of the shrine’s reconstruction titled “Chungmugong Protected by the People” will be held at the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Memorial Hall. About 20 letters containing donation envelopes and related documents from that time will be introduced. This exhibition aims to reflect on the true value of the preservation movement of Chungmugong’s heritage, protected by the national donations of 1932 during Japanese colonial rule, and to introduce the social spread of cultural heritage preservation efforts at that time.

From the day after the birthday, April 29, through May 1, the 5th Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Shrine Moonlight Night Experience will be held in collaboration with Asan City to comfort the minds and bodies of citizens exhausted by COVID-19 and help restore daily life. This event is open to the public without prior reservation during night viewing hours (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.), allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the shrine. The Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Shrine Management Office hopes this event will serve as a small stepping stone toward the transition to normal life.

The Cultural Heritage Administration’s Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin Shrine Management Office hopes that, inspired by the spirit of Chungmugong who trained and sacrificed himself to protect the country during the crisis of the Imjin War, the COVID-19 situation will be wisely overcome and that this will become a festival for all citizens.