03

Chinjesulchan 親祭設饌 展

Viewing Information

Period

November 2025 - Present

Location

Gallery 3

Exhibits

⟨Sangjun⟩, ⟨Heejun⟩, ⟨Gyo-ui⟩,⟨Jegi-do Screen⟩, etc.

The bonte museum presents the exhibition ⟨Offering Food at the Ancestral Rites⟩, offering a fresh perspective on the gradually fading Confucian ritual culture. Since ancient times, humans have understood death not as the end of life, but as a journey to another world. The belief that the soul does not vanish but remains on the path connecting this world and the next was a significant worldview within Joseon Dynasty Confucian thought. Funeral rites (喪禮) were ceremonies to help the deceased depart peacefully, while the subsequent ancestral rites (祭禮) were acts by the living to remember their ancestors and honor their spirit. While the formal rituals have changed with the times, the spirit of 'respect' and 'remembrance' they embody remains a deep-rooted part of our culture to this day. Through traditional ancestral rites, which may feel somewhat unfamiliar, we aim to provide a time to calmly reflect on our contemplation of life and the quiet beauty inherent in ritual.

List of Works

Sangjun, Heejun

Outside the shrine, the jar storage area held six jars, called 'jun,' for storing water and liquor. Among them, the elephant-shaped jar was called the 'sangjun,' used to hold clear water and unfiltered liquor. Because elephants were perceived as animals symbolizing the warm southern regions (Nanyue), the sangjun was considered a jar vessel suitable for summer rituals. Conversely, the ox-shaped jar, called the Heejun, held clear wine and ceremonial wine. The ox was regarded as a large sacrificial offering, symbolizing richness, fragrance, and abundance. Due to this symbolism, it was used as a jar suitable for spring rituals. Following these symbolic meanings, both the Heejun and Sangjun were placed together on the jar stand for spring and summer rituals.

Rail, Carriage

On the altar in the shrine, two types of vessels were placed: the 'gwi' (匱) and the 'bo' (簠). The oval-shaped gwi symbolized heaven and held millet and sorghum. Conversely, the rectangular bo symbolized earth and was used to hold rice and millet. During the Joseon Dynasty, the tradition of serving rice, soup, and liquor in separate vessels meant the gwi and bo were individually arranged for distinct purposes. For ancestral rites honoring multiple deities or family members, the table was further arranged by adding two gwis and two bos per person. On the ancestral rite table, the gui and bo were typically placed side by side in the center, with the gui in the front row and the bo in the back row, aligned in two rows to form a set.

Doctrine

The spirit chair is a seat for the soul. Upon it was placed either a memorial tablet inscribed with the deceased's information or the spirit tablet, the vessel for the soul. Within the ritual space, it was positioned between the folding screen and the ancestral altar. Since the spirit chair was not intended for actual human use, its seat was very narrow and its legs were long, giving it a somewhat unstable appearance. Its three sides, including the backrest and armrests, were enclosed, reinforcing its symbolic role as the place where the spirit resided. It was constructed higher than the ritual table so that the spirit tablet and spirit tablet stand were clearly visible from the front.

Ceremonial Screen

This folding screen depicts various vessels used in ancestral rites, recorded through illustrations and Chinese characters. The 'Sacrificial Vessel Diagram' (祭器圖) is an exquisitely painted illustration depicting ritual vessels and ornaments used in ceremonies. The 'Sacrificial Vessel Diagram' folding screen held by the bonte museum is characterized by its depiction of vessel forms in gold on a black background. The screen features a 'zhuo' (酌), a three-legged wine cup with widely flared sides; a 'sanroe' (山罍) jar adorned with mountain and cloud patterns, and a wine jar with a handle. Annotations placed between the illustrations explain the role each vessel played in ancestral rites, revealing the meaning and function embodied in each ritual object.

Gallery 1

Traditional Craft

Gallery 2

Contemporary Art

Gallery 3

Chinjesulchan

Gallery 4

Traditional Funeral Rites

Gallery 5

Planned Exhibition

Outdoor

Sculpture Park

Founder: Haeng Ja Lee
Business Registration Number: 616-82-82730
Address: 69, Sallongnam-ro 762, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

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CEO: Sunhee Kim
Address: 8880 Rio San Diego Drive, Suite 350,
San Diego, California 92108

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