Traditional Rites and Rituals

Definition

Myoje, which is also called Myosa or Myojeonjesa, is a gravesite rite. Myoje includes various gravesite rites - Seilje or Seilsa refers to the gravesite rite for five or more latest generations that is held once a year, while Jeolsa, for four latest generations that is held on traditional Korean holidays such as Seol, Hansik, Dano, and Chuseok. Today, Myoje also refers to as Sije, Sisa, and Sihyang as a common practice and these terms mean Myoje that is dedicated to five or more generations, while Sasanje is dedicated to four latest generations.

Days to hold Myoje

According to the Chu Hsi's Family Rituals , Myoje is held in the first part of March, however, as Confucian scholars of China's Song Dynasty held Myoje also on Hansik (Cold Food Festival: the 105th day after the winter solstice) and the first day of October, Myoje is generally held in March, Hansik, and on October 1. However, as Korean people put emphasis on Myoje from ancient times, Myoje had been also held in ancestor-memorial days from the Goryeo period, and in traditional Korean holidays – Seol, Hansik, Dano, and Chuseok in the Joseon period.

Object of Myoje

The objects of Myoje written in the Chu Hsi's Family Rituals, were originally four latest generations, but Myoje for five or more generations was held once a year too. Thus, depending on the region, people hold Myoje dedicated for ancestors from the progenitor to their parents at each gravesite in October; Seilsa, Myoje for five or more generations, is held in March or October; and Jeolsa, Myoje for four latest generations, in Seol, Hansik, Dano, and Chuseok. As for Bulcheonwi (The shinwi (memorial tablet) that will not be taken out of a shrine forever), it is enshrined at a shrine, so Charye or Jeolsa could be held instead of Seilsa, and also it can be dedicated together with five or more generations at the time of Myoje in October.

Myoje and Jeolsa

In Dongguk sesigi (A Record of Seasonal Customs in Korea, by Hong Seok-mo, in 1849?), Jeolsa was defined as a memorial ceremony in which the attendants go to the ancestral graves to hold the ceremony usually in the four major traditional Korean holidays – Seol, Hansik, Dano, and Chuseok. On the day, the ceremony offers drink and food such as liquor, fruits, dried meat or fish, sikhye (sweet rice drink), tteok (rice cakes), noodles, soup, and skewered meat. In general during Hansik and Chuseok, the memorial table is arranged with the largest number of dishes, although it depends on the household. Going to gravesites to hold a memorial ceremony in traditional holidays is Korean custom, and the ancient Korean government added Dongji (winter solstice), making it as the five Jeolsa.

Myoje and Sije

Sije (seasonal rites) is originally held in February, May, August, and October by taking the ancestral tablets of four latest generations out of the shrine to Daecheong (main floored room) of Anchae (Women’s quarters) or Sarangchae (Men’s quarters). It was regarded as the most important ancestral service in Chu Hsi’s Family Rituals. However, since ancient times, Korean people have held Myoje in traditional holidays – Seol, Hansik, Dano, and Chuseok, so ancestral services have been performed more at gravesites than in the shrine. Thus, as a compromise plan, Charye dedicated for four generations has been held in the shrine in Seol, Dano, Chuseok and Dongji; Myoje for five or more generations, around October; and Sije for five or more generations, at gravesites. As there was no detailed explanation in Chu Hsi’s Family Rituals, and its Jesa method was based on Chinese lifestyle, Korean people interpreted into our own way, and certain ritual procedures were slightly changed depending on the household situation. Based on Sarye pyeollam (Easy Manual of the Four Rites, by Yi Jae[1680-1746, civil servant of Joseon]), the Myoje procedure is as follows;

Venues

Myoje is generally held at gravesites, but when it rains, it is performed as Mangje (a memorial service by looking out on an ancestor’s grave) with the paper tablet in the joint at Jaesil (a building for holding a memorial service next to a grave or shrine).

Procedure of Myoje

The procedure of Myoje, based on Sarye pyeollam (Easy Manual of the Four Rites, by Yi Jae[1680-1746, civil servant of Joseon]), is as follows;

1. Purify oneself one day before the day and the host of the household leads several ceremony officiants to gravesites.

Offerings should be prepared for each grave and also for god of land. The host of the household wears Confucian scholar's white robe, makes two bows with the main officiant at the grave, walk around the grave by taking care of the grave with grief three times. Then he cleans up the gravesite and its surrounding.

2. Jinchan

Offerings will be arranged on a clean mat in front of the grave. If there is stone statue, offerings will be placed on top of that.

3. Chamsin

All the attendants except or including the host make two bows.

4. Gangsin

The host burns the incense, pours liquor to the Gangsin cup, pours it onto mosa (a bowl in which a bundle of bands and sand are filled) or onto the below ground, and then makes two bows for Gangsin (inviting the ancestral spirit to the memorial service). According to the Chu Hsi’s Family Rituals, Chamsin is performed first then Gangsin, however, in Gyeongmong yogyeol (Essentials of Enlightenment, by Yi I in 1577), Gangsin is performed before Chamsin.

5. Choheon (First libation)
초헌 헌작(안동 풍산 류씨)

The host offers the second libation and makes two bows.

7. Jongheon (Last libation)

The last libation is offered and two bows are made. The second and last libations are performed by the son, younger brother, or close friend.

8. Hapmun
합문(안동 풍산 류씨)

The main officiant sticks the spoon in the rice bowl and puts chopsticks on the plate evenly, which is called Sapsijeongjeo. All the attendants lie down flat solemnly and wait for a while, which is enough time to have a meal.

9. Jinda

All the attendants except or including? the host make two bows.

국궁(안동 풍산 류씨)
합동 묘제(남양주 청풍 김씨)
재실 묘제(연천 청풍 김씨)
10. Bunchuk

The invocation official burns the written invocation.

11. Sansinje (Mountain God Ritual)

Then, the mountain god ritual will be performed to express gratitude to the mountain god who protects the graves and mountain. If graves are situated in the same mountain, after the end of holding Myoje at various gravesites, the mountain god ritual will be held on the west side to the grave, which is located at the highest position compared to others.

  1. ① Jinchan: Lay out a clean mat and arrange offerings on the mat.
  2. ② Gangsin: Without burning the incense, pour liquor on the ground for inviting the spirit to the service. Two bows will be not performed.
  3. ③ Chamsin: All the attendants to Sansinje make two bows for Chamsin.
  4. ④ Choheon: The Choheongwan (who is responsible for the first libation) offers the first cup of liquor. When the main officiant puts the chopsticks on a plate orderly and steps back, the invocation official reads out the written invocation in the west of the Choheongwan. After the invocation, the Choheongwan makes two bows for the first libation.
산신제 초헌 재배(안동 풍산 류씨)
산신제 독축(대전 안동 권씨)
축문 : 유세차 간지 모월 간지삭 모일 간지에 모관 OOO는 감히 토지의 신에게 아룁니다. 모가 공손히 올해 제사를 모친 모관 부군의 묘소에서 지내옵니다. 이에 보호됨은 실로 신의 아름다움에 의뢰한 것이오니, 감히 술과 음식으로 경건히 올립니다. 상향
  1. ⑤ Aheon: The Aheongwan (who is responsible for the second libation), offers the second cup of liquor and makes two bows.
  2. ⑥ Jongheon: The Jongheongwan (who is responsible for the last libation) offers the third cup of liquor and makes two bows.
  3. ⑦ Sasin: Few minutes later, when the main officiant puts the chopsticks down, all of the attendants to Sansinje make two bows.
  4. ⑧ Bunchuk: The ritual will be ended by burning the written invocation.
  5. ⑨ Cheolsang: (Partaking of offered food and drink) All the offered food and drink will be removed from the mat and partaken by attendants.