Joseon Royal Seals, Royal Books, and Royal Edicts Managed as 'Treasure'

'Geunmuk' and 'Amitayeoraegujondo' Also Designated as Treasures

Seals and documents used in the rituals of the Joseon Dynasty are managed as treasures. On the 20th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced the designation of 'Joseon Dynasty Royal Seals, Royal Documents, and Royal Edicts,' jointly managed by the National Palace Museum, the National Museum of Korea, and Korea University, as well as 'Geunmuk' at Sungkyunkwan University, 'Amita Yeorae Gujon-do' at Ulsan Museum, and the 'Wooden Seated Triad Buddha Statues of Sakyamuni at Donghwasa Temple in Suncheon' as nationally designated cultural treasures.

The Joseon Dynasty Royal Seals, Royal Documents, and Royal Edicts are seals and documents used in various rituals from the founding of Joseon in 1392 until its forced annexation by Japan in 1910. The royal seal (Eobo) is a seal made of gold, jade, or silver used when appointing the king, queen, crown prince, etc., or when conferring honorary titles praising their virtues. The royal document (Eochek) records the historical background, meaning, and content of the rituals and is classified into jade, bamboo, or gold documents depending on social status. The royal edict (Gyomyeong) is an admonitory document written on dark silk, containing instructions and teachings to fulfill responsibilities.

The royal seals, documents, and edicts were kept in the palace and, after the owner's death, enshrined in the ancestral shrine (Jongmyo). The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "The central part of the shrine held the spirit tablet, with the royal seals and documents placed on both sides in protective cases and document boxes." The designated treasures include 318 royal seals, 290 royal documents, and 29 royal edicts, totaling 637 items. Items produced during the Japanese colonial period or those belonging to crown princes who never became kings or concubines who bore kings, and thus were not enshrined in Jongmyo, were excluded.

The most notable value highlighted by the Cultural Heritage Administration is the diachronic and historical significance of the Joseon royal rituals. It is seen as symbolizing a unique royal culture unprecedented in world history. Related historical records such as the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat, and the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty confirm the makers, materials, and tools of these ritual objects, enhancing their academic value. The royal seals, documents, and edicts are also masterpieces of decorative art. The texts were composed by royal scribes, written by narrators, and crafted by the finest artisans of the time. They encapsulate Confucian virtues, the governing ideology of the Joseon Dynasty, and are already registered as UNESCO Memory of the World, requiring meticulous preservation.

Also designated as a treasure is 'Geunmuk,' a calligraphy album compiled by the renowned calligrapher and art connoisseur Oh Sechang (1864?1953) at the age of eighty. It contains the handwriting of 1,136 individuals, including Jeong Mongju (1337?1392) and Lee Do-young (1884?1933). The time span ranges from the late Goryeo period to the Japanese colonial era, and the writers’ social statuses vary from kings, middle-class officials, to monks. The album comprehensively includes the handwriting of famous calligraphers throughout history, allowing the study of prevailing calligraphic styles and their evolution in each period. A Cultural Heritage Administration official evaluated it as "the most outstanding in both quantity and quality among existing calligraphy albums."

'Amita Yeorae Gujon-do' at Ulsan Museum is a colored Buddhist painting created in 1565. Among the six extant early Joseon period paintings of Amita Yeorae Gujon-do, it is the only one with a confirmed production date. Painted on hemp cloth, it depicts Amita Buddha at the center with the Eight Great Bodhisattvas symmetrically arranged on both sides, similar to late Goryeo Buddhist paintings. The composition surrounding the principal Buddha, the exclusion of patterns, and the color-focused painting style also reflect early Joseon Buddhist painting elements. A Cultural Heritage Administration official stated, "It is a valuable resource for studying the forms and styles of late Goryeo and early Joseon Buddhist paintings."

The 'Wooden Seated Triad Buddha Statues of Sakyamuni at Donghwasa Temple in Suncheon' were completed in 1657 by seven sculptor monks, including Gyechan, Ingye, and Yeong-eon, and enshrined in the main hall of Donghwasa Temple. The triad consists of the principal Sakyamuni Buddha and the Medicine Buddha and Amita Buddha, all placed on a table-shaped pedestal (sumidan). The dedication inscription records the date of creation, the makers, and even the materials donated for production, indicating rich academic value. A Cultural Heritage Administration official said, "The upper surfaces of the pedestals of each Buddha also bear similar handwritten inscriptions, allowing cross-verification with the dedication inscription. The statues have been preserved intact at their original enshrinement site, making them fully worthy of treasure designation."