Honoring Tradition and Peace: Nosung Gwellisa Autumn Seokjeon Ceremony Supported by HWPL Global 10th Branch

 The Autumn Seokjeon Daeje (Confucian Memorial Ceremony) was solemnly held on October 25 at Nosung Gwellisa Shrine in Nonsan’s Noseong-myeon, honoring Confucius and ancient sages whose teachings continue to inspire moral and cultural values across generations.

More than 250 Confucian scholars (Yurim) and local dignitaries, including Yang Cheol-ya, Chief Ritual Official of Nosung Gwellisa and Vice Director of Sungkyunkwan, Kim Myung-kyu, former Sungkyunkwan Vice Director, and Kim Young-kwan, Deputy Mayor of Nonsan, attended the ceremony.

Reviving Confucian Virtues

The Seokjeon Daeje is a traditional biannual rite—held in spring and autumn—to honor the achievements of Confucius and other sages and to pass on the Confucian virtues of benevolence (仁), righteousness (義), propriety (禮), wisdom (智), and faith (信) to future generations.

Built in 1716 (the 42nd year of King Sukjong’s reign) by disciples of the scholar Song Si-yeol, Nosung Gwellisa enshrines a portrait of Confucius and is designated as Chungnam Monument No. 20. It remains one of Korea’s representative Confucian sanctuaries, serving as a place for reflection on filial piety and moral life through annual rituals.

HWPL Volunteers Recognized for Service

This year’s ceremony ran especially smoothly thanks to the volunteer service of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Global 10th Branch, a UN-registered international peace NGO.

About 20 HWPL volunteers assisted with protocol management and parking, earning high praise for their polite conduct and well-organized support.

Yang Cheol-ya, the chief ritual officer, expressed gratitude:

“More than twenty HWPL members came to help with parking and ceremonial duties. Their discipline and respectful attitude were remarkable, and the elders were deeply touched by their appearance and manners. We collaborated with HWPL because we share the same purpose—to promote world peace, inter-religious harmony, and the spread of a culture of peace.”

A Bridge Between Tradition and Global Peace

The event united participants from Nonsan, Seosan, Dangjin, and Daejeon, turning the ceremony into a festival of regional and generational harmony. It was praised as a meaningful blend of traditional Confucian culture and global citizenship, demonstrating how heritage and peace can coexist.

Yang added:

“The values of Confucianism are not relics of the past but virtues still needed today. It’s important to provide opportunities for younger generations to practice filial piety, righteousness, and moral integrity in daily life.”

Through this year’s Seokjeon Daeje, Nosung Gwellisa not only continued Korea’s Confucian legacy but also presented a new model of collaboration between traditional institutions and international peace organizations, highlighting how inter-religious cooperation and peace culture can flourish together.

Participants reflected on the teachings of Confucius, renewing their commitment to ethical living and recognizing the symbolic link between local heritage and world peace.

Source: https://vo.la/1P6sZkQ