Chuseok
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Chuseok | |
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(similar festivals that generally occur on the same day in Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand ) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
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Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | chuseok |
McCune–Reischauer | ch'usŏk |
IPA | [tɕʰusʌk̚] |
Original Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Revised Romanization | han-gawi |
McCune–Reischauer | han'gawi |
IPA | [hɐnɡɐɥi] |
Chuseok (
As a celebration of the good
Origins
According to popular belief, Chuseok originates from gabae (Korean: 가배; Hanja: 嘉俳·嘉排). Gabae started during the reign of the third king of the kingdom of Silla (57 BC – AD 935), when it was a month-long weaving contest between two teams.[3][4] On the day of Gabae, the team that had woven more cloth won and would be treated to a feast by the losing team. It is believed that weaving competitions, archery competitions, and martial arts demonstrations were held as part of the festivities.[5]
Many scholars also believe Chuseok may originate from
Traditional customs
In contemporary South Korea, on Chuseok, masses of people travel from large cities to their hometowns to pay respect to the spirits of their ancestors.[7] Chuseok celebrates the bountiful harvest and strives for the next year to be better than the last. People perform ancestral worship rituals early in the morning. Then, they visit the tombs of their immediate ancestors to trim plants, clean the area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors.[7] The rest of the day is spent playing folk games and bonding with the family members. Harvest crops are attributed to the blessing of ancestors. Chuseok is commonly incorrectly translated as "Korean Thanksgiving" in American English despite the holidays being vastly different in origin and celebration.[8][9] Although most South Koreans visit their families and ancestral homes, there are festivities held at the National Folk Museum of Korea. Many places are closed during this national holiday, including banks, schools, post offices, governmental departments, and stores. Airline tickets to South Korea around the festival are usually sold out three months in advance and roads and hotels are overcrowded.[10]
Charye
Charye is one of the ancestral memorial rites celebrated during Chuseok, symbolizing the abundance of the harvest season and honoring ancestors and past generations.[11] The rite involves the gathering of families in holding a memorial service for their ancestors through the harvesting, preparation and presentation of special foods as offerings.[12] Preparation for the food usually takes hours and many families start the cooking process early in the morning. The rite embodies the traditional view of spiritual life beyond physical death, respecting the spirits of the afterlife that now also serve to protect their descendants. The foods offered vary across provinces depending on what is available, but commonly feature freshly harvested rice, rice cakes (songpyeon) and fresh meat, fruit and vegetables.[13] The arrangement of the foods of Charye on the table is also notable: traditionally rice and soup are placed on the north and fruits and vegetables are placed on the south; meat dishes are served on the west and in the middle, and rice cake and some drinks such as makgeolli or soju are placed on the east. These details can vary across regions.[14]
Hanbok
The hanbok (in South Korea) or Choson-ot (in North Korea) is the traditional dress that the Korean people wear on special holidays and formal and semi-formal occasions, such as Chuseok, Lunar New Year, and weddings. The term "hanbok" literally means "Korean clothing." The basic structure of the hanbok consists of the jeogori jacket, baji pants, chima skirt, and the po coat. The design of the hanbok remains unchanged to this day and is designed in a variety of colors.[15]
Food
Songpyeon
One of the major foods prepared and eaten during the Chuseok holiday is songpyeon (송편; 松餠), a Korean traditional rice cake[7] made with ingredients such as sesame seeds, black beans, mung beans, cinnamon, pine nut, walnut, chestnut, jujube, and honey. When making songpyeon, steaming them over a layer of pine-needles is critical. The word song in songpyeon means a pine tree in Korean. The pine needles not only contribute to songpyeon's aromatic fragrance, but also its beauty and taste.[16][17]
Songpyeon is also significant because of the meaning contained in its shape. However, some songpyeon are shaped like a ball. Songpyeon's rice skin itself resembles the shape of a full moon, but once it wraps the stuffing, its shape resembles the half-moon. Since the Three Kingdoms era in Korean history, a Korean legend stated that these two shapes ruled the destinies of the two greatest rival kingdoms, Baekje and Silla. During the era of King Uija of Baekje, an encrypted phrase, "Baekje is full-moon and Silla is half-moon" was found on a turtle's back and it predicted the fall of the Baekje and the rise of the Silla. The prophecy came true when Silla defeated Baekje. Ever since Koreans have believed a half-moon shape is an indicator of a bright future or victory.[17] Therefore, during Chuseok, families gather together and eat half-moon-shaped Songpyeon under the full moon, wishing for a brighter future.[18] There's a belief that if a single woman makes a pretty songpyeon, she will find a great husband, and if a pregnant woman makes a pretty songpyeon, she will have a pretty daughter.[19]
Hangwa
Another popular Korean traditional food that people eat during Chuseok is hangwa. It is a general term to categorize sweet foods made with tteok, meaning rice cake. It is an artistic food decorated with natural colors and textured with patterns. Hangwa, also known as Hang, is made with rice flour, honey, fruit, and roots. People use edible natural ingredients to express various colors, flavours, and tastes. Because of its decoration and nutrition, Koreans eat hang not only during Chuseok, but also for special events, for instance, weddings, birthday parties, and marriages.[20]
The most famous types of hangwa are
Baekju
A major element of Chuseok is
Kooksoondang, a maker of Korean traditional liquors, restored "Yihwaju", rice wine from the Goryeo era (918–1392), and "Songjeolju" that has been widely enjoyed by Joseon (1392–1910) aristocrats. Its "Jamyang Baekseju" package comprises a variety of liquors ― Jayang Baekseju, Jang Baekseju, Baekokju ― that are claimed to enhance men's stamina.[24]
Adults say that if you drink the alcoholic beverage which the ancestors have drunk; there will be nothing you'll be scared of.[citation needed]
Others
Other foods commonly prepared are
Gifts
History of Chuseok gifts
The Korean people started sharing daily necessities, such as sugar, soap or condiments, as Chuseok gifts in the 1960s. The gifts have changed since the Korean economy has developed. In the 1970s, Korean people had more options for Chuseok gifts; examples include cooking oil, toothpaste, instant coffee sets, cosmetics, television and rice cookers. People chose gift sets of fruit, meat and cosmetics in the 1980s. In the 1990s, people used gift vouchers for Chuseok. In the 21st century, more sophisticated gifts, such as sets of sweet desserts, spam, fruits, health supplements, and skincare have become the most popular options for Chuseok gifts.[25]
Types of Chuseok gifts and prices
Some extravagant gifts can be purchased: one kilogram of wild pine mushrooms, which are expensive because they cannot be artificially grown, (560,000 won) US$480.27 and red ginseng products (1.98 million won) US$1698.11. However, the most exorbitantly priced gift is six bottles of wine at Lotte Department Store for a staggering (33 million won) US$28,301.89.[26]
Chuseok gift sets are big business in Korea and prices are typically inflated around the holiday.[27]
Folk games
A variety of folk games are played on Chuseok to celebrate the coming of autumn and rich harvest. Sonori is a folk performance where Village folk dress themselves to resemble a cow or turtle and go from house to house along with a folk games vary by region.
Ssireum
Ssireum (씨름) is the most popular Korean sport played during Chuseok and contests are usually held during this holiday. Scholars have found evidence for ssireums dating back to the Goguryeo dynasty, Ssireum is assumed to have 5000 years of history. Two players wrestle each other while holding onto their opponent's satba, a red and blue band. A player loses when his upper body touches the ground, and the winner becomes Cheonha Jangsa, Baekdu Jangsa, or Halla Jangsa, meaning "the most powerful". The winner gets a bull and 1 kg (2.2 lb) of rice as the prize.[29] Due to its popularity among both the young and the old, ssireum contests are held more frequently, not limited to important holidays.
Taekkyon
Taekkyon almost disappeared during the
Ganggangsullae
The , make a big circle by holding hands, and sing a song while going around a circle. Its name, Ganggangsullae, came from the refrain repeated after each verse, and contains no actual meaning.
The dance originated in the southern coastal area of Korea. To watch a video clip of the Ganggangsullae dance, click here.[clarify]
For other folk games, they also play
Juldarigi
Juldarigi (줄다리기), or tug-of-war, was enjoyed by an entire village population. Two groups of people are divided into two teams representing the female and male forces of the natural world. The game is considered an agricultural rite to predict the results of the year's farming. If the team representing the female concept won, it was thought the harvest that year would be rich.
Chicken Fight (Dak SSa Umm)
Korean people used to watch
To play the game, people are separated into two balanced groups. One must bend his or her leg up and hold it bent with the knee poking out. The players must then attack each other with their bent knees, having to eliminate them by making their feet touch the ground; the last player holding up his or her knee wins.
The game is about strength, speed, and balance; to stay alive, one must display the capability of fighting back.[34]
Hwatu
In North Korea
Since Chuseok is a traditional holiday that has been celebrated long before the division of Korea, people in North Korea also celebrate Chuseok. However, the ideology that divided Korea also caused some differences between the way that the holiday is celebrated in North Korea from the way it is celebrated in South Korea.[35] In fact, North Korea did not celebrate Chuseok and other traditional holidays until the mid-1980s.
While South Koreans celebrate Chuseok by visiting and spending time with family members, most North Koreans do not have any family gatherings for the holiday. Some, especially those in working classes, try to visit their ancestors' gravesites during Chuseok. However, social and economic issues in North Korea have been preventing visits.[36] In addition, the extremely poor infrastructure of North Korea, especially in terms of public transportation, makes it almost impossible for people to visit grave sites and their families.[37] In contrast to the poor Songbun lower class North Koreans, middle and elite classes enjoy the holiday as they want, easily traveling wherever they want to go.[37]
See also
- Hansik, another Korean holiday for ancestral rituals
- List of Buddhist festivals
- List of harvest festivals
- List of festivals in South Korea
- Public holidays in South Korea
- List of Korean traditional festivals
References
- ^ Passport to Korean Culture By Published by Korean Culture and Information Service Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
- ^ "Chuseok (A Korean Thanksgiving)". chuseok.org. April 2021.
- ^ The Academy of Korean Studies, ed. (1991.) "Chuseok", Encyclopedia of Korean People and Culture, Woongjin (in Korean).
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8028-2853-8.
- ISBN 978-8-9730-0781-3.
- ^ Korea University Institute of Korean Culture, ed. (1982.) "Social Life", Korean Heritage Overview, 1, Korea University (in Korean).
- ^ a b c "Traditional Korean Holiday, Chuseok". Imagine Your Korea. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ "Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving Day". Asia Society. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ "Why ChuSeok is not Thanksgiving" (PDF). Gwangju: Gwangju Health College University Press. 2012-10-31. p. 8.
- ISBN 978-0470591543.
- ^ "Korean Ancestral Memorial Rites, Jerye. - South-Korea - korea4expats". Korea4expats.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
- ^ "A time for families, food and festivities". Jejuweekly.com.
- ^ "Traditional Korean Holiday of Bountiful Harvest, Chuseok". English.visitkorea.or.kr. Archived from the original on 2019-08-17. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
- ^ "메세지 페이지". National Folk Museum of Korea.
- ^ "Chuseok Hanbok". Chuseok.org. 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Chuseok – Full Moon Harvest Holi…". Archived from the original on 21 February 2013.
- ^ a b "No Chuseok Without Songpyeon". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Chuseok – Full Moon Harvest Holi…". Archived from the original on 21 February 2013.
- ^ "What are the types of TTEOK 떡 (Rice Cakes) and their meanings?". Hyphe-Nated. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ "Hangwa –Korean Traditional Confectionaries Good for the Body and the Soul - INSIDE Koreabrand.net". www.koreabrand.net. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ "Korea Tour Guide". English.visitKorea.or.kr. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ 임동권 (Im Dong-kwon) (1996). "Chuseok". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-08-18.
- ^ "Let's Share the Happiness of Harvest on Chuseok". AgraFood. August 29, 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
- ^ "Chuseok, sharing the spirit of gratitude". The Korea Herald. September 6, 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "한국을 대표하는 글로벌 방송! The World On Arirang!". Arirang TV. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Dollar : 네이버 통합검색". Archived from the original on 2021-08-20. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
- ^ "10 Ridiculously Priced Korean Chuseok Gift Sets - 10 Magazine Korea". 10 Magazine. 23 September 2015.
- ^ "Chuseok Games". Chuseok.org. 13 March 2022.
- ^ What's on Korea. (2001, July 28) Archived 2006-05-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "the importance of Taekkyon in Korean traditional culture".
- ^ "Taekkyon entry on UNESCO's world heritage list".
- ^ Seoul City. (2004, September 2) Archived 2013-04-19 at archive.today
- ^ "Festivals, events to delight on Chuseok holidays". Korea.net. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ "Wikispaces". Archived from the original on 2018-07-31.
- ^ "Chuseok— A Festival With Two Faces". International Business Times. 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-07. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Jin, Im Jeong (23 September 2010). "Welcome to Chuseok, North Korean Style". Daily NK.
Sources
- The Academy of Korean Studies, ed. (1991), "Chuseok", Encyclopedia of Korean People and Culture, Woongjin (in Korean)
- Farhadian, Charles E. (2007). Christian Worship Worldwide. Wm. Bm. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-2853-8.
- Korea University Institute of Korean Culture, ed. (1982). "Social Life". Korean Heritage Overview. Vol. 1. Korea University.(in Korean)
- Aviles, K. (2011, September 10). Chuseok : A Festival With Two Faces. International Business Times. Retrieved December 4, 2012[1]
- Im, J. J. (2010, September 23). Daily NK - Welcome to Chuseok, North Korean Style. DailyNK. Retrieved December 4, 2012[2]
- Kim, K.-C. (2008). Ganggangsullae. UNESCO Multimedia Archives. Retrieved December 4, 2012[3]
- Korea.net. (2012, February 5). Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day (English) - YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved December 4, 2012[4]
- Moon, S. H. (2008, September 16). Daily NK - New Chuseok Trends in North Korea. DailyNK. Retrieved December 4, 2012
- Official Korea Tourism. (2008, August 26). Chuseok: Full Moon Harvest Holiday, Korean Version of Thanksgiving Day. VisitKorea. Retrieved December 4, 2012
- The National Folklore Museum of Korea. (n.d.). Ancestral Memorial Rites - Charye | The National Folklore Museum of Korea. The National Folklore Museum of Korea. Retrieved December 5, 2012[5]
- TurtlePress (Martial Arts Video). (2009, May 1). SSireum Korean Wrestling History - YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved December 4, 2012[6]
- Yoo, K. H. (2009, October 5). Chuseok, North Korean Style. DailyNK. Retrieved December 4, 2012[7]
External links
- Media related to Chuseok at Wikimedia Commons
- Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day on YouTube
- Chuseok, North Korean Thanksgiving Day on YouTube
- ^ "Chuseok— A Festival With Two Faces". International Business Times. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Jin, Im Jeong (23 September 2010). "Welcome to Chuseok, North Korean Style". Daily NK. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Kwang-shik-CHA, Kim (16 June 2010). "Ganggangsullae". Unesco.org. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day (English)". YouTube. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "메세지 페이지". National Folk Museum of Korea. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "SSireum Korean Wrestling History". YouTube. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Hee, Yoo Gwan (5 October 2009). "Chuseok, North Korean Style". Daily NK. Retrieved 27 December 2018.