Rare photos from empire days
Published: 06 Mar. 2009, 23:39

In April 1909, Emperor Sunjong participates in chingyeongsik, a ceremony in which the emperor plows a field to symbolize the importance of farming to the country.
Interested in catching a glimpse of the Korean royal family?
For those longing to travel into the past, a photo exhibition at the Museum of Photography by the Hanmi Foundation of Arts and Culture is featuring photos from the Korean Empire (1897-1910).

The emperor and his wife.
Lee Gyeong-min, a researcher at the Photo Archive Research Institute, pointed out that the Japanese, who were pulling the strings of power at this time, used the ceremony as a kind of PR exercise to show that the emperor cared about the people and farming.
The photos in the exhibition depict the tumultuous latter days of the empire, when Japan was gradually tightening its grip on power.

Senior government officials and farmers take part in the 1909 chingyeongsik ceremony. Provided by Hanmi Foundation of Arts and Culture
Today, there are 13 sons and nine daughters identified as direct descendants of the Joseon royal family, but few of them agree who is the main descendant of the royal line.
The exhibition starts today and ends on June 6. For more information please contact the museum, located in Bangi-dong, southeast Seoul. For more details, call (02) 418-1315) or visit www.photomuseum.or.kr.
It costs 5,000 won ($3.18) for adults to enter.
By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)