Rites, performances honor King Sejong, architect of Korean alphabet

“More than six centuries after his birth, the monarch regarded as the architect of the Korean enlightenment is still drawing crowds to the quiet pine groves of Gyeonggi Province. Korea will mark the 629th anniversary of King Sejong's birth on Thursday, a celebration of a ruler who transformed a feudal society into a center of scientific and linguistic innovation. While his reign from 1418 to 1450 saw the development of rain gauges and celestial globes, it was his gift of literacy to the common people — the creation of the Hangeul alphabet — that cemented his status as the nation’s most revered historic figure. The Korea Heritage Service announced Tuesday that the annual memorial rite, or Sungmoje, will be held at Yeongneung, the meticulously preserved royal tomb where the king lies alongside Queen Soheon. The ceremony is a masterclass in Joseon Dynasty protocol: a sequence of ritual offerings and the chanting of memorial prayers, all performed to the solemn, resonant sounds of court music. Attendees will witness "Yeominrak," a royal composition that reflects the king’s governing

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