Koreans consider jesa, an ancestral ritual, very important, especially the jesa of deceased parents. On the anniversary of a relative's death, special food, a memorial tablet and photographs are placed on a table and the descendents prostrate themselves before them. On April 5 every year, people visit the gravesites of their ancestors. Jesa is offered also on Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival) and Seollal (New Year celebration), the two biggest festivals in Korea. Ancestors are worshiped not because they are considered gods but to convey honor and show gratitude.

Sacred space in the middle of Seoul

Jongmyo is  surrounded by a forest in the middle of Seoul, Jongmyo is a sacred place. The main hall, Jeongjeon, has been referred to as the Parthenon of the East. Jeongjeon is the widest wooden structure in Korea. It has 20 front columns and is 70 m across. It is a splendid structure with the front measuring 101 meters wide.

The front yard of Jeongjeon is bare but the building is full. This is a place where the sinwi (ancestral tablets) of the ancestors of the royal family, kings and queens, and famed subjects of the royal family during the 500-year Joseon Dynasty are placed. Construction began in 1394, the year Joseon founded its capital in Seoul. It was finished the following year. The purpose of the place was to worship ancestors of royal family and to emphasize the moral duty of obeying parents and parental figures. From 1395 to today, jesa has been offered here every year with no exception.

When you enter the main entrance of Jongmyo Shrine, you will find panseok (stone slab) placed along the middle of the courtyard. A sign says this path should not be walked on by visitors since panseok is for gods to walk along. The Jongmyo Jerye on May 3 is divided into three parts. The first is a jesa in Yeongnyeonjeon placed in the most inner sanctum of Jongmyo Shrine. In Yeongnyeonjeon, 34 sinwi are kept in 16 rooms. The sinwi of kings, queens, and the ancestors of the Joseon royal family are held here. Although the 16 rooms have a door for each room, they are all connected inside. After the jesa in Yeongnyeonjeon, one-hour-long royal carriage parade begins at 11:30 a.m. The parade leaves Geongbok Palace, passes Sejongno, Jongno, and then arrives at Jongmyo Shrine.

In the Jongmyo Jeongjeon ceremony, the king and crown prince participate. In Jongmyo, there is a place called Jaegung, which has a bathing room and is where the king and the crown prince stay. It does not have any special features other than a stone covered floor for easy drainage.

Traditional court music

The biggest event during Jongmyo Jerye is held in the afternoon in the Jeongjeon courtyard. The yard is covered with rough slabs and stretches 109 meters from east to west and 69 meters from north to south. Officiating priests fill the ceremony platform. With the beginning of jesa, the "Jongmyo Jerye Ak" begins. Jongmyo Jerye Ak is a musical and dance performance to make the ceremony magnificent, grand and sacred. This performance also gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 2001.

Watching Jongmyo Jerye, we can see a part of Korean culture. While the music is played, incense is burned and its aroma is sent to heaven to call upon the spirits of the ancestors. Drink is poured to the ground to call upon the spirits from the underworld. White silk is offered to the ancestors. For gods to come and enjoy, cups of liquor are placed on the jesa tables and memorial tributes are recited. The king, the crown prince, and the prime minister together offer food and drinks to the ancestors. The meat used is raw to honor the way ancestors ate raw meat.

The costumes worn at the ceremony are elaborate. This is especially true for the king. The king wears a crown with 12-rows of jade beads. Grand, sacred, and elaborate Jongmyo Jerye is the most important ceremony in Korea and it is a precious and unique part of its heritage.

Eastern culture

On May 13 every year at 10, a jesa that commemorates Confucius and his sages is held at Seonggyungwan. This is also a national jesa but is a smaller than Jongmyo Jerye. While Jongmyo Jerye was organized by the royal family, and the king participated, the Seonggyungwan Jesa was held by Confucian scholars who also had official positions.

Seonggyungwan was a university ran by the state in Joseon. Its history goes back to Gukjagam which was established in the year 922 during the Goryeo Dynasty. The name was changed to Seonggyungwan in 1356. The current location was established in 1398 after the Joseon Dynasty chose Seoul as its capital. The current Sungkyunkwan University is an education institution that carries the tradition of Seonggyungwan into today's world.

Seonggyungwan is designed as a place to study as well as a place to hold jesa for sages. The main sacred hall where ancestral tablets of sages are collected is located in front of the Seonggyungwan building. The magnificent main hall is called Daesungjeon, and in here 21 ancestral tablets of Chinese sages and 18 Korean sages are stored.

When a jesa starts in Seonggyungwan, a dance called Palilmu begins. Participants form a square eight people by eight, and they dance raising their arms very slowly. It does not express joy but sacredness. It is hard to get a good view of the jesa in Jongmyo Jerye because there are too many officiating priests and the whole area is too big. However, since the front yard of Seonggyungwan is not as big, the whole thing can be seen close up.

After washing their hands, the priests enter the main sanctuary forming a line. The food offered here also is raw, even rice, millet, beef, and lamb. The priests have to adhere to several restrictions before the jesa. For instance, they bathe, wear new clothes, and sleep in a separate annex building. They don't drink alcohol or eat garlic and they don't visit sick people or mourners' houses. They don't listen to music, or do anything that is rough and aggressive.

The jesa of Seonggyungwan is done in the same way as it has always been. The vessels that they use to offer food are old and their design cannot be easily found anymore. Therefore, the jesa in Seonggyungwan continues the tradition of jesa of sages even after the tradition was ended in China. Therefore, it is a valuable ceremony that shows the culture of the East.

When jesa is over at Seonggyungwan, priests share liquor with the guests. Sharing jesa food was considered very auspicious. Therefore, no food should ever be turned down.

Behind the Seonggyungwan main sanctuary, there is a residence where a Confucian scholar stayed, and Myeongnyundang which is a lecture hall. In the grounds of Myeongnyundang, two 600-year-old ginko trees provide cool welcoming shade in the summer. Because Confucius taught under a ginko tree, ginko trees are traditionally planted at Confucian schools and temples.