A reenactment of cheopjong, a traditional ceremony for the inspection of royal palace guards, on the afternoon of Oct. 17 is held at Heungnyemun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Kyoung Mi

Photos = Yonhap News

"It's an order! His Majesty the King has given an order to serve the royal guards. The gatekeeper must stop anyone without pyosin (identification for entering and leaving the palace during the Joseon Dynasty) from entering. The palace guards shall undergo cheopjong (military inspection)!"

On Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. under a hot autumn sun, a ceremony in front of Heungnyemun Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace saw people clad in traditional royal costumes play the Joseon king, his servants and palace guards amid the sound of bells. They were reenacting the cheopjong ceremony.

The Joseon legal text Gyeongguk Daejeon (National Code) defines cheopjong as the ceremony in which the king inspects his palace guards by repeatedly ringing a big bell. All soldiers and military and civil officials would gather at the event to display their loyalty and courage to the king and the royal family.

A martial arts demonstration by royal palace guards on the afternoon of Oct. 17 is held in a reenactment of cheopjong in front of Heungnyemun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. 

The modern reinterpretation and reenactment of the ceremony presented the royal procession and martial arts training of the palace guards in a theatrical format.

Listening the doseungji (royal secretary) about the ceremony felt like a trip back to the Joseon era. Foreign visitors could better understand and enjoy the event thanks to announcements in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Some even imitated the lines of royal servants in their own accents by saying, "Your kindness is truly infinite."

Through Oct. 20, the ceremony will be held twice a day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. No reservation is required and anyone who visits Heungnyemun can watch the event free. 

During this period, Gyeongbokgung will not hold its regular ceremonies for changing of the sumunjang (chief palace gatekeeper) and pasu (Gwanghwamun Gate guards).

km137426@korea.kr