From Site of Tragedy to Commemorative Space: King Jeongjo's Reorganization of Palace Space and the Reconfiguration of Crown Prince Sado's Memory

Abstract: This study examines how King Jeongjo transformed the negative memories of his biological father, Crown Prince Sado—linked to the Imo hwabyeon—into positive, official commemorative memories through the architectural and spatial reorganization of the royal palace. As a child, Jeongjo lived apart from his biological parents in Gyeonghui Palace after witnessing Crown Prince Sado's death in Changgyeong Palace. After ascending the throne, he sought to reshape these memories through the Confucian value of filial piety. King Yeongjo authorized Jeongjo to remove negative records about Crown Prince Sado from the Seungjeongwon ilgi and bestowed upon him the hyoson silver seal and the yuseo . Through these actions, Jeongjo's filial piety was formalized as an ethical principle, establishing an official basis for commemorating Crown Prince Sado. King Jeongjo enshrined these symbolic items in Bongmodang at Changdeok Palace, creating a space that publicly visualized his filial devotion toward both his father and his grandfather. He then moved his residence to Changdeok Palace and reconstructed structures such as Wolgeun Gate and Gyeongchunjeon within Changgyeong Palace. Through these efforts, King Jeongjo reestablished Crown Prince Sado as an official commemorative presence in daily court life and inscribed the narrative of dynastic continuity into palace space. Such architectural and spatial reorganization went beyond the private dimension of filial mourning. It reworked negative memory into a Confucian ethical narrative of filial practice and reinforced political and moral legitimacy.