Annual ritual memorializing Balhae
Chunbun Ancestral Rite refers to the annual memorial ritual held during Chunfen, or Chunbun in remembrance of the Go of Balhae, the founder of the Balhae empire. The ancestral rite takes place every year in Balhae Village, a small town located in Gyeongsan, South Korea. 
History.
The Chunbun Ancestral Rite is a legacy of the Balhae empire, a Northeast Asian state that existed from 698 C.E. to 926 C.E. Balhae has recently begun to receive scholarly attention from the Chinese, Korea, Russian, and the Japanese academia ever since the Chinese government launched the Northeast Project, an endeavor aimed towards amalgamating history of Chinese ethnic minorities under the . The Chunbun Ancestral Rite is a significant legacy of the Balhae Empire and is also a channel of voice for Korean descendants of the Go of Balhae to contend that Balhae is a part of Korean history. The Chunbun Ancestral Rite is important especially in this context of disputed history.
Time.
Chunfen, or Chunbun, refers to the 4th solar term defined by the traditional East Asian calendar, which divides a year into 24 solar terms. Though the exact date varies from year to year, the rite typically takes place on March 20. Supplies needed for the rite are prepared prior to the day of the memorial. The meal preparation for the rite begins in the morning. The memorial ritual is carried out typically at 11 AM. The ritual ends at approximately 1PM. Meals are provided for visitors for free after the memorial is fully over.
Portrait.
The official standard portrait of the Go of Balhae has been approved by the Korean government in 2012. The standard portrait is the 86th official portrait approved by the government. Two portraits of the Go of Balhae have been produced so far. One is currently housed by the Museum of Seoul National University. The other is placed in the shrine in Balhae Village. A copy of the portrait is in the “Balhae History Hall” at the . 
References.
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