The Return of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe from France

: Records of the State Rites of the Joseon Dynasty

The National Museum of Korea has opened a special exhibition, "The Return of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe from France: Records of the State Rites of the Joseon Dynasty" (1392~1910), for the first-ever public showing of the "Oegyujanggak Uigwe (a collection of royal protocols originally preserved in the royal library named Oegyujanggak on Gangwha Island)."

The exhibition shows 165 relics and artifacts, including 71 volumes of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe such as "Pungjeong Dogam Uigwe (Uigwe for the Royal Banquet)" and the other relics such as the "Drawing of Palace in Ganghwa Prefecture." This exhibition has been organized to inform the public on the importance and the content of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe materials that had been kept in the National Library of France and recently were returned to Korea after 145 years. Above all, this event brings Koreans together to celebrate their repatriation.

The Joseon Dynasty uigwe texts were inducted into UNESCO's Memory of the World Program in 2007. Thus, historical and cultural value of Joseon's recordkeeping tradition have already been recognized globally.

Ceremonial records in the form of uigwe were kept throughout Joseon, indicating the value placed on ritual propriety in the Confucian world. They are also very meaningful in what they reveal about the philosophy and systems of Joseon rule.

Notably, most of the uigwe documents stored at Oegyujanggak were special editions "for the king's perusal" (御覽用), which means that their paper quality, binding, calligraphy and illustrations are superior to that found in the regular editions. Moreover, thirty of the texts returned from France are the only extant copies today. They represent an important turning point in uigwe research going forward.

Click here for the exhibition details!