Joseon Dynasty Reenactment

[Anchor Lead]

Admirers of history reenacted the Jongmyo Daeje rite of the Joseon Dynasty in the heart of modern-day Seoul. This masterpiece of World Cultural Heritage drew scores of tourists from Korea and abroad.

[Pkg]

A royal procession exits Gyeongbokgung Palace in the very heart of Seoul. It moves towards the Jongmyo Shrine to conduct the largest ancestor worship rite of the Joseon Dynasty. The king is escorted by more than a thousand security guards and government officials. The procession catches the eyes of onlookers and tourists.

[Soundbite] Cho Eun-young(Visitor) : "It was a great opportunity to witness this historic scene. It's not easy for children to see it in daily life."

[Soundbite] Tourist from U.S.

Incense is burned to call on the spirits of the ancestors. The king personally offers liquor to his deceased predecessors to pay homage. The dancers stage a solemn dance to the ritual music to express respect. This year, some 30,000 people came to see the reenactment of the Royal Ancestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity 16 years ago.

[Soundbite] Michael Reiterer(EU Ambassador to Korea)

The Royal Ancestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine represents the spirit of the 500-year-old Joseon Dynasty and Koreans' respect for their ancestors.