The 33rd Cheongryong Cultural Festival Held Successfully

On the 28th at 10 AM, the 33rd annual Cheongryong Cultural Festival, continuing the tradition of the Joseon rain ritual, will be held at Yongdu Neighborhood Park... Featuring attractions, educational activities, entertainment, and food, offering diverse experiences for residents -

On the 28th, Dongdaemun-gu, a city where history and culture breathe (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung), held the ‘33rd Cheongryong Cultural Festival’ at Yongdu Neighborhood Park.

Co-hosted by Dongdaemun Cultural Center (Director Yoon Jong-il) and the Cheongryong Cultural Festival Preservation Committee (Chairman Kim Young-seop), and sponsored by Dongdaemun-gu, this Cheongryong Cultural Festival is a representative cultural festival of Dongdaemun-gu held for 33 years, serving as a ritual praying for community harmony and abundant harvests.

By the order of Taejong, the 3rd king of Joseon, ‘Obangtoryongdan’ (Five-direction Dragon Altars) were established in five areas of Hanyang, and rituals were performed to the dragon gods. Among them, the first to be made was the ‘Dongbang Cheongryongdan’ located in the current Yongdu-dong area. Whenever drought occurred, rain rituals were held nationwide, and the ‘Dongbang Cheongryongje,’ a rain ritual of Dongbang Cheongryongdan, was characterized by drawing a dragon picture and performing the ritual, with the king personally bestowing a ceremonial gift and conducting the rite.

The Dongbang Cheongryongje was discontinued during the Japanese colonial period, but since 1991, the ‘Yongduje Preservation Committee’ and local residents have continued the ritual under the name ‘Yongduje,’ which has been inherited and developed into the current ‘Cheongryong Cultural Festival’ to this day.

Marking its 33rd year, the festival was planned as the ‘Six Senses Satisfaction Cheongryong Cultural Festival,’ composed of six contents: ‘things to see,’ ‘things to learn,’ ‘things to enjoy,’ ‘things to leave behind,’ ‘things to eat,’ and ‘things to take care of,’ aiming to present a richer and more diverse experience.

The Cheongryong Cultural Festival opened with a street parade, followed by a commemorative ceremony featuring congratulatory speeches by guests including Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, and Lee Tae-in, Chairman of the Dongdaemun Council, as well as awards for contributors. The core event, the Dongbang Cheongryong Jehyang (ritual), then proceeded.

The first order of the Dongbang Cheongryong Jehyang was the royal procession with the king and officials marching alongside a military band. The king bestowed ceremonial gifts to the officiants for conducting the ritual, and the officiants performed six ritual steps including the initial offering (Chohunrye), sharing of ritual food and drink (Eumbokrye), and the closing rite (Mangyorye), concluding the Dongbang Cheongryong ritual. The role of the king in this event was played by Ahn Chung-ryeol, CEO of Seungyeon Planning and a resident of Dongdaemun-gu.

After the ritual, various side events followed, including performances by local cultural and artistic groups, Bukcheong Lion Dance, and a traditional costume fashion show in which residents directly participated. Additionally, programs such as ▲traditional costume experience ▲Ojuk craft experience ▲rice cake making experience ▲pinwheel and keychain making ▲face painting were operated for residents to participate and enjoy. Food trucks and a calligraphy flag exhibition were also held, creating a joyful festival atmosphere.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “The 33rd Cheongryong Cultural Festival holds great significance in restoring the Dongbang Cheongryongje, one of our unique Obangtoryongje rituals, and in continuing it over a long period.” He added, “We will continue to devote sustained interest and effort to preserve the excellent cultural heritage of Dongdaemun-gu, where 600 years of history breathe.”