[Arirang Culture Connect: Anseong, Korea]

Members of the Singyegong lineage and the Bannam Park General Clan Association gathered to perform the ancestral rites, offering food and paying formal respects to their forebears.

In 17 November 2025, the Bannam Park Clan held its annual ancestral rite honoring the 9th-generation ancestor, Singyegong (Park Yeon, 堧), at the newly established Ancestral Shrine in Seongeun-ri, Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.
This year’s ceremony also commemorated five additional lineage ancestors—Mokcheongong, Sapyunggong, Jasangong, Sajikgong, and Gamchalgong—constituting a full saeilsa, the multi-ancestor rite traditionally practiced by the clan.

As the second formal rite held at the rebuilt shrine, the ceremony highlighted the continuity and resilience of Korea’s clan-based cultural heritage.

A scene of carefully preparing the ritual foods to be placed on the ancestral altar.

■ Ritual Context: A Living System of Intangible Knowledge

In Korean lineage culture, ancestral rites are more than a memorial. They function as a transgenerational system of intangible knowledge—linking descendants with their forebears through structured roles, symbolic offerings, spatial traditions, and inherited etiquette.

This year's ceremony preserved these traditional elements with precision.

Park Seung-won, Doyusa, Chief Ritual Officiant of the Bannam Park General Clan Association

■ Formal Proceedings

The ceremony began with remarks from Park Seung-won, Chief Ritual Officiant of the Bannam Park General Clan Association, followed by greetings from Park Seung-joo, head of the Singyegong lineage branch.

Park noted,

“Since completing the purification ceremony in November 2024, it is through the ancestors' enduring virtue that we hold this second annual rite in our new shrine.”

The ritual followed the traditional order:

9th generation: Singyegong (Park Yeon)

10th generation: Mokcheongong (Park Eung), Sapyunggong (Park Geun)

11th generation: Jasangong (Park Jong), Sajikgong (Park Hang), Gamchalgong (Park Sang)

Procedures such as heonjak (offering wine), dokchuk (reading the ritual text), and the roles of ritual officers were carried out with strict adherence to traditional practice.
To preserve the solemnity of the space, participants were asked to set mobile phones to silent or airplane mode.

■ 140 Participants Reflecting Lineage Cohesion

Over 140 descendants and representatives from various branches of the Bannam Park Clan attended, demonstrating the continuing vitality of Korea’s clan-based communities in an era marked by rapid social change and family structure transformation.

Following the rite, attendees shared a communal meal, reinforcing bonds among the lineage members.

■ Legacy of Singaegong and the Bannam Park Lineage

Singyegong served as County Magistrate of Singye and Military Commander of Hwangju, embodying the scholarly integrity and martial discipline esteemed in the Bannam Park lineage.
Remarkably, from its founding ancestor to the 11th generation, the clan is known never to have missed a generation of public service, contributing to its reputation as a distinguished literati lineage.

Park Seung-joo, head of the Singyegong lineage branch

■ Contemporary Significance: Beyond Ceremony

The rite served not only as an act of remembrance but also as a reflection on how traditional Korean ancestral culture continues to be transmitted in the present.

Park Seung-joo emphasized:

“The act of offering food and wine is an expression of gratitude—a cultural language that sustains our connection with those who came before us.”

The Singaegong branch plans to expand initiatives such as:

youth education on lineage heritage,

documentation of traditional practices,

community engagement projects,
to ensure the sustainable transmission of its intangible cultural legacy.

Participants of the ancestral rite shout a spirited ‘fighting!’ in unity, expressing their hopes for the continued prosperity of the clan.

📌 Glossary of Key Terms

Ancestral Rite (Jesa / Sihyangje): Annual ritual of remembrance conducted by Korean clan lineages.

Clan House / Jongga: The main lineage household that preserves ancestral traditions.

Ancestral Shrine (Jesil): A ritual pavilion dedicated to ancestral rites.

Saeilsa: A multi-ancestor annual memorial ceremony.

Bearer: An individual or community responsible for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

* Arirang Culture Connect seeks to promote the activities of the Bannam Park lineage to a global audience by presenting their news in an international format, while highlighting and widely sharing the intangible cultural heritage value of Korea’s clan traditions within a broader global context.

* 아리랑 컬처 커넥트(Arirang Culture Connect)는 반남박씨 문중의 다양한 소식을 국제 기사로 소개함으로써 문중의 활동을 세계에 선양하고, 한국 종가문화가 지닌 무형유산적 가치를 글로벌 문맥 속에서 널리 알리고자 한다.