The Seokjeondaeje ceremony, honoring the academic virtues of Confucius and other ancient sages, was held at the 129-year-old Sinan Jido Hyanggyo, continuing the tradition of Confucian culture.
On September 20, Sinan County in South Jeolla Province reported that over 70 participants, including local residents and Confucian scholars, attended the 'Gonggi 2577 Fall Seokjeondaeje' ceremony at Jido Hyanggyo.
The Seokjeondaeje is a traditional ritual that commemorates the academic virtues and spirit of Confucius and other scholars enshrined at the Confucian shrine. It is held annually in spring and fall at Sungkyunkwan and various hyanggyo across the country. This year's fall Seokjeondaeje was also conducted at hyanggyo nationwide on the same day.
During the ceremony, Kim Tae-sung, the newly inaugurated mayor of Sinan County, served as the chief officiant, offering the first cup of wine. Following him, the officiants, including the second and third officiants, paid their respects to the spirits of the sages.
The ritual began with the incense offering and the presentation of ceremonial food, followed by the chief, second, and third offerings, as well as the final rites and the sharing of food. The same traditional procedures were followed during the spring Seokjeondaeje held in March.
Jido Hyanggyo enshrines 18 sages, including the five Confucian saints: Confucius, Anzi, Zengzi, Zisi, and Mencius, as well as four notable figures from the Song Dynasty: Zhu Xi, Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi, and Zhang Zai, along with Korean scholars Seol Chong, Choi Chi-won, and An Hyang.
Established in 1897 under the principle of 'one county, one school,' Jido Hyanggyo features a ceremonial hall and educational spaces, including Daeseongjeon and Myeongnyundang. It is designated as a cultural heritage site and is maintained accordingly.
Kim Tae-sung expressed, "It is very meaningful to participate as the chief officiant in the fall Seokjeondaeje at Jido Hyanggyo for the first time since my inauguration," and added, "I would like to thank the Confucian scholars at Jido Hyanggyo for their efforts in preserving and passing down traditional culture."
He further stated, "I will do my best to protect the history and culture of Jido Hyanggyo and ensure it is passed down to future generations."
Meanwhile, Jido Hyanggyo also held the spring Seokjeondaeje on March 24, attended by over 40 local residents and scholars. At that time, Kim Dae-in, the deputy mayor of Sinan County, served as the chief officiant, with Im Hyun-yeok and Kim Chung-mo participating as the second and third officiants, respectively.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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