During the Joseon period, the standards and protocols for state rites and ceremonies were recorded in highly detailed illustrated texts called “Uigwe.” Along with other important royal documents, the Uigwe were kept in Oegyujanggak, the royal library established by King Jeongjo on Ganghwa Island. In 1866, the French navy, retaliating for the execution of several French missionaries, invaded Ganghwa Island, initiating the Byeongin War. After about one month, the French forces retreated from the island, but they took with them 297 Uigwe books that were then kept in France for 145 years, before finally being returned to Korea in 2011. Being produced primarily for the king, the Oegyujanggak Uigwe were made with the most advanced bookmaking techniques and the highest quality materials, including excellent handmade paper, silk covers, and brass fasteners. Beyond mere historical records, they are exceptional works of art, featuring exquisite calligraphy and amazingly detailed illustrations made with natural pigments. Some of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe books are particularly significant, in that they are the sole surviving copy and thus contain the only known description of certain rituals and procedures.