《朝鮮王朝世宗實錄》〈祭器圖說〉與朝鮮初期的禮儀制定過程密切相關，奠定了朝鮮王室祭器制度之基礎。朝鮮在禮制位階秩序上自認為諸侯國，按照諸侯國禮制的需要，從不同歷史傳統的中國祭器圖像中取捨、選擇，制定一套視覺化的祭器規範。另一方面，許稠等朝鮮初期制定禮儀制度的核心人物，皆為崇尚朱熹的性理學者。他們追求理想的古代中國制度「古制」，並將朱熹的復古主義放在中心地位。《朝鮮王朝世宗實錄》〈祭器圖說〉不僅圖像淵源多數來自朱熹〈釋奠儀式〉，顯示對呼應中國古代青銅器的金屬材質的重視。這也直接影響了禮制藝術的創作，以傳世朝鮮初期的瓷質祭器為例，以瓷器作為金屬材質祭器的替代品；雖然兩者材質翟然不同，但是瓷質祭器仍忠實模仿金屬祭器的圖像，也因而產生特別的瓷器風格。《朝鮮王朝世宗實錄》〈祭器圖說〉所建立的禮器規範，在朝鮮時代一直延續下去成為後世禮器典範。尤其，在朝鮮後期之後，可見傳世數量龐大的金屬祭器，由此我們得知此規範成為朝鮮自我傳統被傳承的事實。

King Sejong (世宗; r. 1418-1450) of the Joseon dynasty was the most distinguished Confucian ruler of the early Joseon period. “Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels” (Jegidoseol, 祭器圖說) recorded in the Annals of King Sejong (Sejong Silok, 世宗實錄) provided the most important standard for Joseon ceremonial artifacts for 500 years after the dynasty was established in the 15th century. Taking Neo-Confucianism as its state ideology, the Joseon dynasty positioned itself as one of the feudal states (jehuguk, 諸侯國) to the Ming dynasty—the Empire of the Son of Heaven (cheonjaguk, 天子國). During the early Joseon dynasty, the essential principle for establishing rites and ritual systems was to abide by the ancient system (goje, 古制) of China. Those who participated in designing Joseon rituals were all Neo-Confucian scholar-officials, who were followers of the Chinese scholar Zhu Xi (朱熹; 1130-1200). They acquired their understanding of ancient Confucian systems through Zhu Xi’s interpretation of the ritual classics. Zhu Xi’s Diagrams of Ritual Vessels, included in his “Compendium of Rites for Confucius” (Shidian yishi, 釋奠儀式), eventually became the most important foundation for the “Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels” in the Annals of the King Sejong. In addition, Joseon officials chose ritual vessels from other Chinese ritual classics when the ones needed for their state rites were nowhere to be found in Zhu Xi’s “Compendium of Rites for Confucius.” Thus, the Joseon dynasty gradually built its ritual artifact system. 

“Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels” in the Annals of the King Sejong had their origins in various Chinese ritual classics from different historical contexts. Their combination, however, was a re-enactment of the ideal past, reflecting the imagination and pursuit of the antiquity of the Joseon dynasty in the 15th century. The standard established in the “Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels” also affected the creation of ritual art in the early Joseon dynasty. The porcelain ritual wares were used as a substitute for metal ritual vessels. Although the materials were different, the porcelain ritual vessels were still faithfully modeled from the images of metal examples in the “Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels,” thus facilitating the formation of a special porcelain style. The paradigm of ritual artifacts established by the “Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels” continued throughout the Joseon dynasty and became the canon for later generations.

朝鮮王朝世宗實錄; 祭器圖說; 禮制藝術; 古制; 朱熹; 許稠

Pictorial Illustrations of Ritual Vessels; Annals of King Sejong (Sejong Silok); ritual art; the ancient system (goje); Zhu Xi; Heo Jo