Uigwe
Encyclopedia
Uigwe is a collection of royal protocol
s of the Korea
n Joseon Dynasty
(1392 - 1910) which records and prescribes through text and stylized illustration the important ceremonies and rites of the royal family.
It has been designated as one of the UNESCO
's Memory of the World. Most of surviving uigwe are kept at Kyujanggak
and Jangseogak
libraries (the former Royal Libraries), and Bibliothèque nationale de France
.
and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak arranged for the transfer of these and other Korean artifacts to the Republic of Korea. In May 2011 South Korean president Lee Myung Bak and French president Nicolas Sarkozy finalized an agreement for the return of the 297-volume book on a renewable lease.
Protocol (diplomacy)
In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state.A protocol is a rule which guides how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and governmental fields of endeavor protocols are often unwritten guidelines...
s of the Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
(1392 - 1910) which records and prescribes through text and stylized illustration the important ceremonies and rites of the royal family.
It has been designated as one of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's Memory of the World. Most of surviving uigwe are kept at Kyujanggak
Kyujanggak
The Kyujanggak was the royal library of the Joseon Dynasty, and functions today as a key repository of Korean historical records. It was founded in 1776 during the reign of Jeongjo, at which time it was located on the palace grounds of Changdeokgung...
and Jangseogak
Jangseogak
The Janseogak refers to an archival collection currently held at the Academy of Korean Studies outside of Seoul, South Korea. The collection focuses on works dealing with traditional Korean history and culture and has its origins in the royal library once held at Changdeok Palace, a primary royal...
libraries (the former Royal Libraries), and Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
.
Content
Whenever a national ceremony or banquet directed by the government occurred, a temporary office called Dogam (都監) was established and took charge of the event. After the event was finished, the office transformed into an office Uigwecheong and compiled a book regarding the event for future similar events.- Uigwe for a Royal Feast (1630)
- Uigwe for the State Funeral of Queen Jangryeol (1688)
- Uigwe for the Funeral of Uiso, the Eldest Grandson of the King (1752)
- Uigwe for the Ceremony of Offering Honorable Names to Queen Jangryeol (1686)
- Uigwe for the Construction of the West Palace (1831)
Repatriation
In 1866, 297 volumes were seized by the French army, in reprisal of their brief military campaign in Kanghwa island. During its occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945, Japan had seized 160 volumes of the uigwe. In November 2010, a formal agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Naoto KanNaoto Kan
is a Japanese politician, and former Prime Minister of Japan. In June 2010, then-Finance Minister Kan was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and designated Prime Minister by the Diet to succeed Yukio Hatoyama. On 26 August 2011, Kan announced his resignation...
and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak arranged for the transfer of these and other Korean artifacts to the Republic of Korea. In May 2011 South Korean president Lee Myung Bak and French president Nicolas Sarkozy finalized an agreement for the return of the 297-volume book on a renewable lease.
See also
- Annals of the Joseon Dynasty
- DonggwoldoDonggwoldoDonggwoldo is a representative Korean painting of the early 19th century, depicting the two royal palaces, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung during the Joseon Dynasty. Donggwol is an alternative name of Changdeokgung, located to the East of the main royal palace of the dynasty, Gyeongbokgung...
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- Joseon Dynasty politicsJoseon Dynasty politicsThe politics of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910, were governed by the reigning ideology of Korean Confucianism, a form of Neo-Confucianism. Political struggles were common between different factions of the scholar-officials...
- Memory of the World ProgrammeMemory of the World ProgrammeUNESCO's Memory of the World Programme is an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and willful and deliberate destruction...