Abstract

In the early period of the Joseon dynasty, it was common for banquets for unity (hoereyeon) and banquets for the elderly (yangnoyeon) to be held regularly once a year, and celebratory banquets (jinyeon) held on specific occasions, such as national holidays and the birthdays of royal family members. However, after the King Injo’s restoration (1623), regular banquets were abolished and celebratory banquets were limited to commemorating the anniversary of a king’s ascension to the throne, or celebrating the birthday of the kings. Conse-quently, the frequency of such banquets was significantly reduced. Most royal banquets were celebratory banquets, and after these came to an end, the details of these banquets and the procedures involved were recorded in books called uigwe (royal protocols). In the latter part of the Joseon dynasty, the government began to hold ban-quets for common people as well. Banquets were held for people over the age of seventy or eighty (regardless of social status) and provided rice, liquor, and food. The government also arranged opportunities for beggars to be fed for several days, and conducted a series of curtailments of grain loans (hwangok) and land taxes (jeonse). Such efforts were made for in the name of the royal family sharing joy and happiness with the general population.