Seonjeong-jeon, the semi-great hall in Changdeok Palace, was constructed in a highly formal and conservative style and accommodated official ceremonies. However, the contemporary modification of the building has distorted or eliminated features including the two side doors on the front, the floor coverings, and the throne base (Jwa-tap) that consisted the most significant part of the throne. Seonjeong-jeon originally had three doors that stood between each pair of columns on the front side, respectively. The courtiers accessed the building through the side doors, while the central door was exclusively designated for the king. However, the renovation in 1999 ignored the political context of the architectural form of the building and changed the side doors into windows, damaging the traditional structure inherited from the early Joseon Dynasty. Although the building currently has traditional wooden floor structure (Woomul-maru), it was originally covered with square brick tiles (Bang-jeon) before the Japanese occupation, following the customs of early Joseon Dynasty. The throne was placed to the north of the central door and consisted of the throne base and a decorative roof (Dang-ga). A canvas (Jang-ja), which featured the royal symbolic painting of Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks, was also installed between the two columns that connected the base and the roof. Nevertheless, only the columns and the blank canvas remain nowadays after the removal of the base.

This study is designed to demonstrate reorganization of the social and religious time in the later Roman empire through legislation of Christian feasts by the Theodosian Code. It first examines the social rhythm of Roman society in the middle of the 4th century with recourse to the Codex-Calendar of 354. Then it proceeds to demonstrate how the imperial laws in the fourth and fifth centuries had changed traditional Roman time into Christian time. The legislation of Sundays/Lord’s days as feriae publicae introduced weekly holidays into Roman society. Subsequent laws designated Christian feasts such as Easter, Epiphany, and Christmas as public holidays, while they abolished feriae connected with pagan gods, thereby making them workdays. Creation of many imperial anniversaries may be understood as a process of modifying a pagan Roman society into a Christian one. Reorganization of the social time can also be seen in imperial legislation which prohibited spectacles on Christian feast days. Many imperial laws which abrogated pagan cults and superstitions and strove to preserve and keep spectacles demonstrate secularization of public entertainment. Furthurmore, prohibition of spectacles, even those linked to imperial anniversaries, on Christian feast days as well as conceptual distinction between “time for prayer” and “time for entertainment” displays a process of separation between religion and festivals. Other imperial laws emphasized humanitarian concerns on Christian feasts. They demanded Easter amnesty, prohibition of tortures during Lenten seasons, and visitation of prisoners on every Sunday. This study corroborates that the process of Christianization of the later Roman empire included reorganization of the social and religious time through imperial legislation.