The Seonjamdan altar of the Joseon Dynasty is the only remaining medium sacrifice-grade altar in Seoul. This study investigates the characteristics of the original altar, and explores changes in the Seonjamdan area in addition to historical conservation efforts. The construction of Seonjamdan in a northeastern region outside the capital city was an attempt by Joseon to fully comply with an exemplary Chinese tradition. The Seonjamdan altar was erected twice during the Joseon Dynasty: the first was built during the founding of the dynasty and its historical remains have recently been unearthed, and its second incarnation was in the 18th century and remained active until the country was liberated from Japanese rule. After the liberation, however, Seonjamdan served different purposes and was damaged through urban development and the invasion of urban infrastructure. As a result, the historical remains of the latter Seonjamdan, which was retained until the colonial era, completely lost their integrity and authenticity. In spite of its physical destruction and regardless of its authenticity, various measures have been taken in the Seonjamdan area for the protection and preservation of its intangible value.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.