Royal Banquet in the Year of Gichuk

This eight-panel folding screen depicts the royal banquets held at Changgyeonggung Palace in 1829 to commemorate King Sunjo’s (r. 1800–1834) fortieth birthday and the thirtieth anniversary of his enthronement. The banquets were hosted by Crown Prince Hyomyeong (1809–1830). Instead of waiting until King Sunjo’s birthday (the 18th day of the 6th month), the crown prince presented a royal banquet in the second month, followed by another in the sixth month to celebrate the king’s actual birthday. The festivities extended over multiple days with several banquets. The paintings on the screen illustrate the oejinchan (royal banquet for officials) held at Myeongjeongjeon Hall on the ninth day of the second month and the naejinchan (royal banquet for the royal family) at Jagyeongjeon Hall on the twelfth day of the same month. The first panel features a poetic exchange composed by senior officials of the Jinchanso (Provisional Bureau of Banquet), Saongwon (Bureau of Royal Cuisine), and Jangakwon (Institute of Royal Music) in response to a poem written by the crown prince the day after the banquet. Panels two through four depict the oejinchan at Myeongjeongjeon Hall, while panels five through seven illustrate the naejinchan at Jagyeongjeon Hall. The eighth panel lists the names of six senior officials and six junior officials of the Jinchanso.

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