This idyllic sanctuary of Chongmyo in the heart of the South Korean capital of Seoul is a place of peaceful meditation and for almost the entire year the ancient shrine is deserted, its buildings and courtyards silent, little indicating the unique importance of this sacred building.

Chongmyo was built in 1395 as an ancestral shrine in order to commemorate the spirits of the deceased kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.

Great festivities once took place in Chongmyo and today the sanctuary often fills with life and each first Sunday in May is set aside for a regal ceremony of ancestral worship. It is then that the shrines and their ancestral plates become the centre of dignified festivities.

As in days of old, in the Hall Of Eternal Peace the deceased Korean monarchs of the Joseon Dynasty are entertained with music and sacrifices.

Although the Joseon Dynasty hasn’t ruled here for more than a hundred years, the traditions and rituals of Chongmyo continue to play an important role in the cultural life of the Korean people.