From Tangible to Intangible

We are pleased to present a media showcase of ‘Kisa chin p’yori chinch’an uigwe’, a royal commemorative manuscript from 1809 which illustrates ceremonies conducted in honour of Lady Hyegyong, widow of Crown Prince Sado whose memoirs are celebrated for their historical significance to this day. High-resolution digital images of the manuscript provided by the British Library is visualised using LG Electronics technology, developed for the showcase by Chung-Ang University. Come along this January to discover a new way of experiencing history.

Kisa chinp'yori chinch'an uigwe

Uigwe is a collection of Royal Protocols that records and prescribes through prose and colourful illustration the major ceremonies and rites of the royal family. The exquisite value of the Uigwe lies with its rarity. During the Joseon period, the Uigwe served as a valuable reference for later generations when organizing similar cer­emonies or events, thereby minimizing trial and error. Nowadays, the Uigwe is an important source document for us to understand the traditional royal culture of Korea. The Uigwe was inscribed into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2007.

Kisa chinp'yori chinch'an uigwe (己巳進表裏進饌儀軌, Records of the ritual presentation and banquet in the kisa year) was produced in 1809 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the consummation of the marriage of Lady Hyegyong (惠慶宮洪氏, 1735-1815), widow of Crown Prince Sado.

Kisa chinp’yori chinch’an uigwe’ was purchased by the British Museum in 1891 for £10 from a certain H Fauré, a Parisian cheese merchant and it was transferred from the British Museum to the British Library on its establishment in 1973. This lavishly illustrated manuscript records detailed of writings and drawings about royal ceremonies at Changgyeonggung Palace. It is a valuable source for restoring and reproducing court music, as it vividly describes the seating plan of the participants, the musicians' position and how they played, and the shape and name of each musical instrument in natural colors. The National Gugak Center published records of royal Joseon rituals and banquets in 2018, courtesy of the British Library.

Lady Hyegyeong (6 August 1735 – 13 January 1816), also known as Queen Heongyeong, was the wife of Crown Prince Sado and mother of King Jeongjo during Joseon Dynasty. She wrote Hanjungnok (The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong) which is an autobiographical manuscript that details her life during the years she was confined to Changgyeong Palace.