Sajikdan Altar, Seoul

In Joseon Korea the phrase "jongmyo-sajik" simply meant the state, and Sajikdan was one of its two pillars alongside the royal ancestral shrine of Jongmyo. Set on the lower slopes of Inwangsan west of Gyeongbokgung Palace, this is where the kings made state offerings to Sa, the god of the earth, and Jik, the god of grain. It is within walking distance of the palace yet sees few visitors, which makes it a quiet place to imagine the great rituals of the Joseon state.

Ancestors on the left, earth on the right

When King Taejo made Hanyang his capital, he followed the classical rule of placing the ancestral shrine to the east of the palace and the altar of earth and grain to the west. Work began in 1395, and the altars, walls and ritual buildings were completed under King Taejong. During the Japanese invasions of the 1590s every building burned and only the altars survived; they were later rebuilt. After the proclamation of the Korean Empire in 1897, the rites were raised to imperial rank.

Under Japanese colonial rule the rites were abolished in 1911, and in the 1920s the grounds around the altars were turned into a public park. Libraries and children's facilities were later built there. Since 2012 the Korea Heritage Service has managed the site directly and is gradually restoring its historic layout; the western ritual-kitchen area was completed in 2022.

What to look for

• Two square altars: the eastern one, Sadan, is for the god of the earth, the western one, Jikdan, for the god of grain. They are square because the earth was believed to be square and heaven round.
• Five colours of soil: the tops of the altars were covered with yellow, blue, white, red and black earth, each matching a direction.
• Red gates on four sides: two rings of walls surround the altars, with a red hongsalmun gate on each side.
• The main gate (a national Treasure): a three-bay gate with a simple gabled roof, thought to have been rebuilt after the 1590s invasions. In 1962 it was moved 14 m back from its original spot to make way for a road.

To protect the altars, the inner enclosure is normally closed, and you can only go inside with a guide. The altars are easy to see, though, through the gates and over the low walls.

A ritual that lives on

Sajik Daeje, the state rite for the gods of earth and grain, is a national intangible heritage and is still re-enacted here. In Joseon times the rites were usually held in spring and autumn, and the kings also came here to pray for rain in times of drought. The procession of officiants in ceremonial robes happens only once a year, so it is worth catching if your dates match.

An altar in every county

Sajikdan was not unique to the capital. Under King Taejong every county built its own altar, where the local magistrate made offerings to the gods of earth and grain, and some survive today as protected monuments, in Namwon, Hoein in Boeun and Nobyeon-dong in Daegu, for example. The Seoul altar stood at the top of this network as the altar of the state. A photograph taken in 1884 by the American diplomat George Clayton Foulk from a hill north of Gyeonghuigung shows the altar surrounded by dense forest.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: the site is open at all times and free. For guided access to the inner altars, ask the Jongmyo Management Office (+82-2-765-0195).
• Time needed: 30–40 minutes for the gate and a walk around the walls.
• Getting there: from Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), Exit 1, walk west along Sajik-ro.
• Nearby: the Inwangsan trail starts right behind the altars, and the Hwanghakjeong archery pavilion and Dangun Shrine are close. The lanes of Seochon and Gyeonghuigung Palace are within walking distance.