The Silver Grass of Hamheung at Yi Seong-gye's Tomb... Grass Cutting Event on Hansik Day

The Cultural Heritage Administration Holds 'Cheongwan Yechoe' Ceremony

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Office of Royal Palaces and Tombs announced on the 27th that the ‘Cheongwan Yechoeui (靑? 刈草儀)’ will be held on April 5th, the day after Hansik. This is an event to cut the silver grass (Cheongwan) covering the burial mound at Geonwonneung (健元陵) in Donggureung, Guri.

Geonwonneung is the tomb of Taejo Yi Seong-gye (1335?1408), the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. It is the only Joseon royal tomb covered with silver grass on the burial mound. According to his will, silver grass was brought from his hometown Hamheung to create the mound. The ‘Geonwonneungji (1631)’ in the section on tomb maintenance records, “It is said that when the Bongneung was made in the past, the silver grass was brought from Hamheung. It is said to be Taejo’s silver grass.”

The silver grass at Geonwonneung was trimmed once a year. The ‘Geonwonneungji’ states, “When the leaves and stems are cut during Hansik, new shoots sprout in summer, ears form in autumn, and they wither when frost falls.”

To continue this tradition, the Cultural Heritage Administration has held the ‘Cheongwan Yechoeui’ every year on Hansik since 2010, the year after the Joseon royal tombs were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The event involves cutting the silver grass on the burial mound and performing the ‘Goyuje (告由祭)’ ritual to announce the removal of the silver grass grown over the year. There is also an Eumbok (飮福) event where participants taste the ritual food of the Joseon royal tomb rites.

This year, actor Kim Young-min, the promotional ambassador of the Office of Royal Palaces and Tombs, will participate. He will perform the Bongsim, a procedure to inspect the royal tomb before the trimming, at Geonwonneung’s burial chamber. Visitors who wish to participate as ritual officers can apply through the Office of Royal Palaces and Tombs’ integrated website.

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