| Description |
The rulers of Joseon sought to rule by virtue. As part of ruling by virtue, the royal court held banquets called jin’yeon or jinchan. These events included wine, food, and music to celebrate joyous occasions with the people. Occasions worth celebrating with royal banquets included royal family members’ birthdays—sasun (40th birthday), mang’o (41st birthday), osun (50th birthday), mang’yuk (51st birthday), and hoegap (60th birthday)—as well as special occasions such as the offering of a eulogistic posthumous title to the king, entry to the giroso (chamber of elders), installation of a crown prince, wedding ceremonies, and receptions of foreign envoys. Costing upwards of 980,000 nyang (hundreds of thousands of US dollars in today’s money), the banquets were grandiose affairs showing the authority of the ruler while maintaining a sense of dignity. |
