'Spring Breeze Seolleongseolleong Gugak Concert' to Be Held at Garden of Knowledge in Jeonnong-dong on April 18
Royal Procession at 9 AM and Ritual Ceremony at Seonnongdan on the 19th... 2,500 Servings of Seolleongtang to Be Shared
Dongdaemun Cultural Foundation (Chairman Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu) announced on the 9th that it will hold the 46th Seonnong Daeje, a cultural festival blending tradition and modernity, at 'Seonnongdan Historical Park (Jegi-dong)' and 'Garden of Knowledge (Jeonnong-dong)' from April 18 to 19.
Seonnong Daeje was a ritual during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties where the king offered sacrifices to Seonnong and Hujik, praying for a bountiful harvest, and personally plowed the fields. This custom, through which the king conveyed the importance of agriculture to the people and shared meat soup after the ritual, is said to be the origin of Seolleongtang.
Although Seonnong Daeje was suspended during the Japanese colonial period, it was restored in 1979 through the efforts of the 'Seonnongdan Preservation Committee' formed mainly by residents of Jegi-dong, and has continued to this day.
The festival opens with the 'Spring Breeze Seolleongseolleong Gugak Concert' held at 5:30 PM on the 18th at the 'Garden of Knowledge' in Jeonnong-dong. Along with artists from Dongdaemun-gu, lively gugak melodies will be performed by ▲Yuhuiska ▲Akdang Gwangchil, enhancing the spring atmosphere.
On the main event day, the 19th, at 9 AM, the 'Jeonhyangrye' ceremony, which delivers incense and ritual texts for the sacrificial rites, will take place at the Dongdaemun-gu Office plaza, followed by a reenactment of the royal procession.
About 300 citizens, including the ritual officers of the Seonnong Daeje Preservation Committee, traditional market merchant associations, Seoul Yakryeongsi Association, foreign exchange students, and children’s Taekwondo teams, will participate in the royal procession heading to Seonnongdan, magnificently decorating the city center.
From 10:30 AM, the sacrificial rites will be conducted at Seonnongdan Historical Park. Visitors can closely experience traditional harvest prayer ceremonies such as Seonnong Jehyang, ritual music, and Ilmu performances.
While the rites are underway, a 'Seolleongtang Sharing Event' will be held at the playground of Jongam Elementary School across the street. This event revives the tradition where the king personally plowed the fields and shared food with the people. 2,500 servings of Seolleongtang will be prepared, with serving volunteers from the Korean Red Cross Dongdaemun Branch and Dongdaemun-gu Volunteer Center.
Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, "Seonnong Daeje is a precious traditional cultural asset of our region that we will inherit and widely promote together with residents," adding, "We will develop it into a cultural festival that all Seoul citizens can enjoy and remember beyond Dongdaemun-gu."
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