[News Terms] Joseon Dynasty 'Sangchamui' Replica Displayed at Gyeongbokgung Palace

'Sangchamui' is a brief morning audience to greet the king
Reenactment of Yonggyoui and Yongpyeongsang at Sajongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace

'Sangchamui (常參儀)' was one of the court rituals during the Joseon Dynasty, referring to a simplified morning audience where court officials greeted the king every morning.

After the king received greetings from Sangcham officials of the sixth rank or higher, he was briefed on overnight state affairs by the Gyeseogwan (secretaries) and handled them. It is said that about 300 people, including the king, Gyeseogwan, and Sangcham officials, attended the event.

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Office of Palaces and Royal Tombs will showcase 20 replicas of 14 types of Sangcham, a type of royal meal, at Sajongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace, an auxiliary building from the Joseon Dynasty, starting from the 8th.
[Photo by Cultural Heritage Administration] [Image source=Yonhap News]

The morning audience was a ceremony where officials gathered in the morning to have an audience with the king. It symbolized officials paying respects to the king and reinforcing his authority, as well as having political significance in reporting and deciding on important state affairs.

In the Joseon Dynasty, court audiences included the 'Jeongji Johoe (正至朝會)' held in January and December, the 'Ail Johoe (衙日朝會, or Jocham 朝參)' held every five days, and the daily 'Sangcham (常參)'. Sangcham was further divided into 'Jojo (早朝)' held early in the morning, 'Ojo (午朝)' held at noon, and 'Manjo (晩朝)' held late in the afternoon.

In April 2008, the Cultural Heritage Administration and others reenacted Sangchamui set in the late reign of King Sejong (世宗), who was known for diligently participating in Sangcham during the early Joseon period.

The reenactment of Sangchamui, staged at Sajongjeon (思政殿) in Gyeongbokgung Palace, involved about 150 participants, including the king, high-ranking officials called Gyeseogwan who reported and discussed state affairs, Sangcham officials who greeted the king and exited, royal guards and attendants such as Ungeom, Naegwan, Sanseonsawi, and Siwigunsa, musicians, and assistants who helped with the ceremony.

From the 8th, the Cultural Heritage Administration’s Palace and Royal Tombs Division will showcase reenactment artifacts of Sangchamui at Sajongjeon, the Joseon Dynasty’s auxiliary palace hall in Gyeongbokgung. Fourteen types and twenty pieces of reenactment items will be displayed. This was prepared jointly by the Cultural Heritage Administration, Herm?s Korea, and Areumjigi. A Cultural Heritage Administration official explained, "It is an opportunity to vividly understand the excellence of our traditional craft techniques and the refined court life."

Sajongjeon in Gyeongbokgung Palace was originally built in the 4th year of King Taejo’s reign (1395) but was destroyed during the Imjin War and rebuilt in the 4th year of King Gojong’s reign (1867). It was used as the place where the Joseon kings attended to state affairs with their officials. It was designated as a national treasure in 2012.

The reenactment items are those used during Sangchamui. The most eye-catching are the 'Yonggyoui (the king’s throne)' and 'Yongpyeongsang (the low table where the king conducted state affairs)', which were produced and arranged based on historical verification of the throne’s position. Following the Joseon etiquette that "the king does not step directly on the bare floor," a jigi (a mat woven from sedge) was laid on the floor. Anyone visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace can freely view these items.