Jongmyo jerye and jeryeak were designated as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001.

[1][2] The ritual has its origins in the Confucian royal ancestral shrine system practiced in premodern China and Korea.

These practices have been lost in China due to the abolition of the monarchy, but the traditions are still preserved in South Korea even after the fall of the last monarchic Joseon dynasty.

The presiding officer (choheongwan 初獻官) is the most senior member of the imperial family, currently Yi Won who holds the title of Hereditary Prince Imperial (hwangsason 皇嗣孫), succeeding Yi Gu who held the title Prince (hwangseson 皇世孫, lit.

Chwiwi (就位) describes the part where the officiants, after performing ablutions, take their proper places for the rites to follow.

This segment begins with the rites of Jinchan (進饌), in which 63 kinds of foods to the spirits are offered to be placed to the altars.

Then three wine offerings are made, the first called Choheonrye (初獻禮), the second Aheonrye (亞獻禮) and the third Jongheonrye (終獻禮), done by the three most senior officiants present respectively.

The Cheonbyeondu (撤籩豆) is the rite of removing all the foods served for the spirits (in practice the table is not cleared, and the items merely symbolically moved).

After the choheongwan receives confirmation that the rituals and services have been completed, all the officiants leave the grounds.

[6] The Jongmyo Jerye-ak, the traditional court music of Joseon, is performed by the Jeongakdan of the National Gugak Center (國立國樂院 正樂團) and has been designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property No.

[7] The National Gugak Center is itself the direct successor to the Yi Household Music Department (舊王宮雅樂部).