20th Anniversary Ceremony of the Gyeongbokgung Palace Guard Change
Guardians of Deoksugung, Changdeokgung, and Incheon International Airport Gathered Together
Over 240 royal gatekeepers from across the country will gather on the 3rd at Heungnyemun Plaza in Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul. They will participate in a special appointment ceremony event marking the 20th anniversary of the Gyeongbokgung Palace Royal Gatekeeper Changing Ceremony.
The royal gatekeeper was an official position responsible for guarding the gates of the capital city and palaces during the Joseon Dynasty. The appointment ceremony was an event where the Joseon king visited Heungnyemun Gate to appoint and congratulate the gatekeepers. According to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, it was first held in the first year of King Yejong’s reign (1469).
The Cultural Heritage Administration’s Headquarters for Palaces and Royal Tombs and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation have been reenacting the appointment ceremony since 2002 based on historical records. According to old documents, the king appointed the gatekeepers by marking a dot next to the name of the most trusted candidate from a list of recommended high-ranking officials, a method called nakjeom (落點). These gatekeepers were responsible for the frontline protection of the palace.
At the 20th anniversary ceremony, royal gatekeepers from across the country will gather at Heungnyemun Plaza in Gyeongbokgung Palace to pay homage to the king. They have experience participating in the royal gatekeeper changing ceremony at Deoksugung Palace, which began in 1996 and boasts the longest history, as well as the gatekeeper escort ceremony at Donhwamun Gate of Changdeokgung Palace, the palace most favored by Joseon kings. Some have also taken part in the Jeju-mok government office gatekeeper changing ceremony guarding Jeju, or the airport gatekeeper changing ceremony symbolically responsible for security at Incheon International Airport. A Cultural Heritage Administration official said, "You can see the unique characteristics of gatekeepers from different regions."
Various performances and experiences will also be available. The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation’s performing arts troupe will present Gainjeonmokdan (佳人剪牧丹) and Jinju Geommu (晋州劍舞), and the Jeju-mok government office gatekeeper troops will perform a group sword dance as a congratulatory performance. Gainjeonmokdan is a traditional court dance performed to Hyangak accompaniment music. It depicts a beautiful person wearing a hongsaengsaekche costume and a geumbonggwan crown picking peonies. Jinju Geommu is a sword dance passed down from the Jinju region. There will also be an event to experience the elite soldiers called gapsa (甲士) who guarded the king during the Joseon Dynasty. Participants who score high in the spear and curved bow tests, which are part of the gapsa selection process, can receive souvenirs.
Meanwhile, the Headquarters for Palaces and Royal Tombs will hold gatekeeper events at Donhwamun Gate of Changdeokgung Palace until the 16th. At 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., there will be a royal guard ceremony protecting the palace, and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., a watch ceremony guarding the city gates will be held. The gatekeepers will stand guard at Donhwamun to protect Changdeokgung Palace. A representative from the Headquarters said, "It is special because you can see the palace guard culture of the late Joseon period set in the era of King Jeongjo," adding, "Rare weapons such as matchlocks and deungpae will also be showcased." Deungpae is a small, lightweight round shield made from rattan vines.
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