The high-quality paper used in Uigwe for the king is thicker and offers better color, while being less susceptible to discoloration over time. Also, the text in Uigwe for the king is written in immaculate regular-script calligraphy, while the calligraphy in Uigwe is less refined, with some areas that are rough or slightly scribbled. Furthermore, in Uigwe for the king, the individual characters are very evenly aligned and divided, for better clarity and spaciousness.
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Home > About Uigwe > Characteristics of Oegyujanggak Uigwe >Uigwe for the King

# Uigwe for the King

Uigwe are highly detailed records that comprehensively document the procedures for important official rites and ceremonies of the Joseon Dynasty. Like many other state records from the Joseon period, two types of Uigwe were produced: one copy for the king and several copies to be stored in the archives as an official record. Both types contained the same contents, but Uigwe for the king were made with superior materials and production methods.

The Oegyujanggak Uigwe include 297 volumes of Uigwe that were taken from Oegyujanggak by the French army in 1866. Most notably, 290 of these 297 volumes are Uigwe that were made exclusively for the king. The other seven volumes (five Uigwe volumes and two Hyeongjian) were copies made to be stored in the archives as official records.

01 Uigwe for Bestowing an Honorable Title to Queen Jangryeol (莊烈王后尊崇都監儀軌, 1686)

01 ㅣ Uigwe for Bestowing an Honorable Title to Queen Jangryeol (莊烈王后尊崇都監儀軌, 1686)

Befitting a document produced for royalty, Uigwe for the king were made with paper, covers, and pigments of the highest quality, as well as the most advanced techniques of calligraphy, transcription, illustration, and binding. Thus, in addition to their obvious historical value, Oegyujanggak Uigwe are priceless cultural heritage items that represent the exceptional quality and artistic achievement of Joseon publications.

02 Uigwe of the Royal Wedding of King Yeongjo and Queen Jeongsun (ll) (英祖貞純王后嘉禮都監儀軌, 1759)

02 ㅣ Uigwe of the Royal Wedding of King Yeongjo and Queen Jeongsun (ll) (英祖貞純王后嘉禮都監儀軌, 1759)

Made with high-quality paper, the pages of Uigwe for the king feature hand-drawn red borders, as red was the color that symbolized the throne. The text is written in pristine regular-script calligraphy, and accompanied by elaborate drawings made with natural pigments. Each volume is bound with five chrysanthemum-shaped fasteners, resembling a “screw post” binding, with a ring in the center. The cover is made from excellent green silk, with an attached strip of white silk that bears the title. This strip of white silk is thinly bordered with red silk, a detail that exemplifies the superlative care and craftsmanship of the production.

## ◎ Covers and binding of Uigwe for the Construction of King Heonjong’s Tomb (憲宗景陵山陵都監儀, 1849)

03 Uigwe for the king

03 ㅣ Uigwe for the king

04 Uigwe for the archives, from Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at Seoul National University

04 ㅣ Uigwe for the archives,

from Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at Seoul National University

On the other hand, Uigwe that were to be stored in the archives as official records are produced with lower-quality paper. Each page has a black border printed with woodblocks, and a stamped seal indicating the office or archive where it was to be stored. Rather than silk, the covers are made from either paper or red hemp cloth, and they are bound either with string or with three plain fasteners inserted through iron strips on the front and back. The title is written in ink directly onto the cover, usually accompanied by the name of the office or archive where it was to be stored. Unlike the ornate Uigwe for the king, Uigwe for the archives were produced for practical purposes, to serve as actual references in government offices.

The high-quality paper used in Uigwe for the king is thicker and offers better color, while being less susceptible to discoloration over time. Also, the text in Uigwe for the king is written in immaculate regular-script calligraphy, while the calligraphy in Uigwe is less refined, with some areas that are rough or slightly scribbled. Furthermore, in Uigwe for the king, the individual characters are very evenly aligned and divided, for better clarity and spaciousness.

In most cases, Uigwe for the king have more pages and content than the corresponding Uigwe for the archives. In fact, for a given ceremony, the Uigwe for the king usually consists of two volumes, while the Uigwe for the archives has only one volume.

## ◎ Internal pages of Uigwe for the Construction of the Tomb of Crown Princess Hyosun (孝純賢嬪墓所都監儀軌, 1751)

05 Uigwe for the king

05 ㅣ Uigwe for the king

06 Uigwe for the archives

06 ㅣ Uigwe for the archives

The differences between the two types of Uigwe can be clearly seen in the illustrations, especially “banchado” (班次圖), or illustrations of a royal procession. In an Uigwe for the king, banchado illustrations feature minute and highly elaborate hand-brushed depictions of the procession, including the marchers, the gathered crowd, the horses, and various other items. All of the people and horses on the left and right sides of the royal procession seem to be in motion, conveying a dynamic sensation. In some later volumes of Uigwe for the king, starting in the nineteenth century, the outlines of certain figures were repeatedly stamped and then hand-colored. But even in these cases, the lines and coloration are more delicate and the pigments are more vivid than the corresponding Uigwe for the archives.

In contrast, illustrations of royal processions from Uigwe for the archives generally have rougher composition and coloration, while the depiction of the individual figures and objects is more repetitive and less detailed. In most cases, the outlines of the people are repeatedly stamped and filled in with color. The horses and people are frozen in the same pose, which completely differs from the dynamic rendering of an Uigwe for the king. In some illustrations of royal processions from Uigwe for the archives, areas were even left uncolored, and the people were roughly sketched with simple outlines.

## ◎ Illustrations

07 Uigwe for the king: Uigwe for the Installation of Queen Jangryeol’s Royal Coffin Hall (莊烈王后殯殿都監儀軌, 1688)

07 ㅣ Uigwe for the king:

Uigwe for the Installation of Queen Jangryeol’s Royal Coffin Hall

(莊烈王后殯殿都監儀軌, 1688)

08 Uigwe for the archives: Uigwe for the Installation of Queen Jangryeol’s Royal Coffin Hall and Spirit Hall (莊烈王后殯殿魂殿都監儀軌, 1688)

08 ㅣ Uigwe for the archives:

Uigwe for the Installation of Queen Jangryeol’s Royal Coffin Hall and Spirit Hall

(莊烈王后殯殿魂殿都監儀軌, 1688)

## ◎ Banchado (illustration of royal procession) from Uigwe of Investiture Ceremony of Crown Prince Hyojang (孝章世子冊禮都監儀軌, 1725)

09 Uigwe for the king

09 ㅣ Uigwe for the king

10 Uigwe for the archives

10 ㅣ Uigwe for the archives

오류신고 유니코드 폰트 다운로드맨 위로 Related Site::Related Site::National Meseum of KoreaOpen Data PortalUigwe in Kyujanggak Institute for Korean StudiesNational Memory Heritage ServiceJangseogak Royal ArchivesKorean historyJoseon wangjo sillok (Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty)