단종국장재현

The King Danjong’s State Funeral Parade Reenactment

In celebration of the 550th death anniversary of Korean King Danjong, Yeongwol Country of Gangwon Province has been holding the state funeral since 2007 together with the residents of Yeongwol County, in memory of King Danjong who is the only king of the Joseon Dynasty to die without a state funeral. During the Danjong Cultural Festival held in April every year, about one thousand residents of Yeongwol Country attend the memorial event.

In addition, we are striving to support globalization of the state funeral of King Danjong by introducing outstanding Korean culture to people around the world through thorough restoration based on the Annals and the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty and the Gukjo Sangrye Bopyeon (Supplemented Edition for the National Funeral Manual).

We hope that these efforts will contribute in restoring and promoting Korean culture and correct the historical distortion produced and disseminated during the Japanese colonial rule. The King Danjong’s State Funeral Parade Reenactment will be held as one of the representative cultural event for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, we would like to invite you to join us in the parade and help promote Korean moral culture.

Introduction of Danjong Culture Festival

The Danjong Culture Festival held in Yeongwol County of Gangwon City is Yeongwol County’s representative local traditional festival that elevated paying tribute to the lonely spirit of the sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty, King Danjong, and loyal subjects into a festival.

In 1967, this festival started to be called the Danjong Festival, and starting from the 24th festival held in 1990, it changed its name to the Danjong Culture Festival to be used to the present.
The Danjong Culture Festival is an event in memory of King Danjong (the 6th king of the Joseon Dynasty) who was forced to abdicate by his uncle, Prince Suyang, and exiled to Yeongwol where the dethroned king lived a tragic life until he died at the young age of 17 in 1457. This traditional event is held annually in Yeongwol region.

In the year 2018, the 52nd Danjong Culture Festival will be held from April 26 (Thursday) to April 29 (Sunday) at the Jangneung Royal Tomb of King Danjong, with various events offered at the festival. In particular, there will be the representative event of the Danjong Culture Festival where a huge parade will carry a coffin out of the house and move to the burial place on April 28. We cordially invite you to join us in the event.

Governor of Yeongwol County
President of the Yeongwol Cultural Foundation, Seon Gyu Park