Seonjamje in Seongbuk-gu, Praying for Sericulture Prosperity, Resumes After 3 Years

Seongbuk-gu to Hold the 25th Seonjamje Ceremony for One Hour from 2 PM on the 20th...A State Ritual Led by the Queen to Worship Seoreung, the God of Sericulture...Interrupted for Three Years Due to Excavation and Reconstruction of the Seonjam Site, Now Resumed...Limited to Under 50 Participants to Prevent Infectious Disease Spread, Only Seonjamje Ceremony Conducted...Ceremony Recorded and Posted on Seongbuk-gu Office YouTube Channel

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will hold the 25th Seonjam Festival at the Seoul Seonjam Complex (Historic Site No. 83) on the 20th at 2 PM.

The Seonjam Festival is a state ritual in which the queen led ceremonies to the silkworm deity Seoreungssi, praying for a bountiful silkworm harvest. It was discontinued during the Japanese colonial period but was revived on May 16, 1993, by local residents and Seongbuk-gu Office, continuing up to the 24th festival.

This year's Seonjam ritual is being resumed after three years due to the completion of excavation and restoration work at the Seonjam Complex, which had caused a suspension of the festival.

To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, the event will be held with fewer than 50 participants, focusing solely on the Seonjam Festival, led by the Seonjam Festival Preservation Committee and the Jongmyo Ritual Preservation Society. The traditional procession of ritual officials, the selection contest for the Seonjam Queen, and the parade will not be held.

Additionally, for residents unable to attend in person, the ritual will be recorded on video and posted on Seongbuk-gu Office's YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, the Seonjam Complex located in Seongbuk-gu is estimated to have been constructed during the reigns of King Taejong to King Sejong. After a detailed excavation in 2016, restoration work began based on the size of the Seonjam Complex as depicted in the 'Chinjam Uigwe' (Silkworm Rearing Royal Protocol).

Experts speculate, based on the excavated remains and literature comparisons, that the actual size of the Seonjam Complex was about twice as large as it is today.

To ensure an accurate restoration of the Seonjam Festival, Seongbuk-gu Office held two academic seminars on Seonjam studies in 2019 and 2020 at the Seongbuk Seonjam Museum, which it established. Seongbuk-gu plans to continue improving the festival annually based on the results of these academic seminars.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, “Although the situation is difficult due to COVID-19, we could not give up on preserving traditional culture, so the ritual will be held on a reduced scale. We hope people will take an interest in the Seonjam Complex and Seonjam Festival, which are representative cultural assets of Seongbuk-gu, and we pray for overcoming COVID-19.”

For more detailed information about the Seonjam Festival, please visit the Seongbuk-gu Office website or contact the Seongbuk Seonjam Museum by phone.

Seonjam Complex (Historic Site No. 83) after the restoration work was completed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.