Royal religiosity: Confucian thoughts in Joseon Jongmyo shrine

Abstract

While the geopolitics of East Asia is a crucial issue among its nations (Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam), Chinese culture has been transmitted into the lifestyle and history of each ethnic society in these countries. The globalization of philosophy, cosmology, and literature (either officially or individually) has spurred alternative lines of thought, and the transnational movement of traditional religions was no exception. Korea’s history proves that the fundamental teachings of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism were passed onto the ancient and medieval kingdoms and dynasties in which they transformed local cultures and structures. The national philosophy of leadership was also affected by the dynamic of Chinese religions rather than that of Shamanism. Daoism arrived at the Goguryeo kingdom in 624 CE, while Buddhism was the key teaching for the establishment of the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). Neo-Confucian thought served as one of the most substantial influences for the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Then, how did the Chinese tradition emerge in early Joseon? What was the social function of Jongmyo (宗廟)? How was the metaphysical philosophy of this religion embodied in the royal shrine? This paper explores the history, composition, procedure, and peculiarity of Jongmyo Jerye (ritual), Jerye-ak (musical performance), and architecture to argue that Confucian values of the initial royal religiosity are re-creatively represented in the State Shrine as the intellectual thoughts of the Joseon dynasty (or early modern Korea) in the aspects of Ye (禮, courtesy), Hyo (孝, filial piety), Chung (忠, loyalty), Samjae thought (三才思想), and the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory (陰陽五行說).

Keywords

• east asia
• politics
• korean history
• ritual
• confucianism
• jongmyo