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Agricultural Rite
선농제 ( 先農祭 , Seonnongje )
Seonnongje (Kor. 선농제, Chin. 先農祭, agricultural rite) was a rite paying homage to the two agricultural gods who were derived from ancient Chinese mythology, Shennong (Kor. 신농, Chin. 神農) and Houji (Kor. 후직, Chin. 后稷). The ritual was aimed at ensuring a good farming year and was conducted on an official governmental level. Seonnongje also was referred to as gyeongjeongnye (Kor. 경적례, Chin. 耕籍禮, lit. ceremony of cultivating the royal field) or jeokjeonnye (Kor. 적전례, Chin. 籍田禮, lit. ceremony at the roy
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Alcohol-Fermented Rice Bread
기주떡 ( 起酒饼 , Gijutteok )
Gijutteok (Kor. 기주떡, Chin. 起酒餠, lit. cake rising on alcohol) is bread made by adding alcohol to rice flour dough for fermentation and then steaming it. The dish has a sweet and sour taste and does not spoil even in high temperatures, which makes it a popular summer specialty. This kind of rice bread is also known by other names including jeungpyeon (Kor. 증편, Chin. 蒸片, lit. steamed cake), gijeungbyeong (Kor. 기증병, Chin. 起蒸餠, lit. fermented and steamed cake), isikbyeong (Kor. 이식병, Chin. 酏食餠,
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Ancestral Rites
시제 ( 時祭 , Sije )
Sije (Kor. 시제, Chin. 時祭, lit. ceremony at [designated] time) is the generic name for memorial services honoring fifth generation and beyond ancestors. These services are held at ancestral tombs on Hansik (Kor. 한식, Chin. 寒食, Cold Food Day, about April fifth on the Gregorian calendar) or during the tenth lunar month. Sije and other names, including sisa (Kor. 시사, Chin, 時祀) and sihyang (Kor. 시향, Chin. 時享), contain the character meaning “time, ” a reference to the fact that these rites are observed
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Andong Bronze Bridge-Walking
안동놋다리밟기 ( 安東- , Andong Notdari Bapgi )
Andong Notdari Bapgi (Kor. 안동놋다리밟기, Chin. 安東-, lit. Andong bronze bridge-walking) is a collective game played by the women of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province after the sunset on the Great Full Moon Day (the fifteenth of the first lunar month). In 1985 Andong Notdari Bapgi was designated as North Gyeongsang Province Intangible Cultural Treasure No. 7. The word notdari (Kor. 놋다리) might mean “brass bridge” (Chin. 銅橋) or “bridge as hard as brass”. According to another theory, notdari is a phonetic
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Arrow Throwing
투호 ( 投壺 , Tuho )
Tuho (Kor. 투호, Chin. 投壺, lit. throwing into a vase) is a game in which players are divided into two teams and throw arrows into a vase placed at a certain distance. The vases into which the arrows are thrown vary both in size and shape. The size of the arrows also differs, and each player is given a set of twelve arrows. Points are earned depending on the proximitiy of the arrow to the center of the vase. The game originated in China prior to the Han dynasty (BCE 206 - CE 220). It is mentioned i
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Assorted Pancakes
연병 ( 連餠 , Yeonbyeong )
Yeonbyeong (Kor. 연병, Chin. 連餠, lit. tied cake) refers to pancake rolls that are filled with sweetened sesame, red beans, or a variety of steamed and seasoned vegetables. The outer layer consists of thin dough made from wheat flour and baked on a frying pan. This layer is then filled in order to form a tubular shape. This festival dish is also known as milssam (Kor. 밀쌈, lit. wheat wrap). A luxury variation of yeonbyeong, developed in the royal palace and aristocratic families, is called gujeolpan
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Autumn Equinox
추분 ( 秋分 , Chubun )
Chubun (Kor. 추분, Chin. 秋分, lit. Autumn Equinox) is one of the twenty-four solar terms, occurring between Baengno (Kor. 백로, Chin. 白露, lit. White Dew) and Hallo (Kor. 한로, Chin. 寒露, lit. Cold Dew). Falling approximately on September twenty-third on the Gregorian calendar, Chubun usually occurs sometime during the eighth lunar month. At the equinox, day and night are equal in length, and in astronomy, the autumn equinox refers to the day when the sun passes through the ecliptic at 180°. After Chubun
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Autumn Mountain Picnic
등고 ( 登高 , Deunggo )
Deunggo (Kor. 등고, Chin. 登高, lit. mountain climbing) was a custom observed on Jungyangjeol (Kor. 중양절, Chin. 重陽節, the ninth of the ninth lunar month). People would climb a mountain in their neighborhood to watch the autumn foliage and enjoy poetry and wine. This autumn outing is also known as gukhwa nori (Kor. 국화놀이), jungyang nori (Kor. 중양놀이, Chin. 重陽-), jungyang pungchaeyu (Kor. 중양풍채유, Chin. 重陽楓菜遊) or sihoe (Kor. 시회, Chin. 詩會). According to the “Xu Qizie Ji” (Kor. 속제해기, Chin. 續齊諧記, All Writings o
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Beakjung Cattle Festival
백중제 ( 百中祭 , Baekjungje )
Baekjungje (Kor. 백중제, Chin. 百中祭) is the name of a traditional folk festival that takes place across Jeju Island on the day of Baekjung (Kor. 백중, Chin. 百中, Buddhist All Soul’s Day, fifteenth of the seventh lunar month). The festival is organized by the livestock farmers and cattle herders, and the goal is to pray for the safety, health and fertility of horses, cows and pigs. Baekjungje is also known as Teurikoseo (Kor. 테우리코서) and Swemengjil (Kor. 쉐멩질). Cows, horses and pigs are the three mo
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Bearded Grain
망종 ( 芒種 , Mangjong )
Mangjong (Kor. 망종, Chin. 芒種, lit. bearded grain) is the ninth of the twenty-four solar terms. Occurring between Soman (Kor. 소만, Chin. 小滿, Beginning of Grain Ripening) and Haji (Kor. 하지, Chin. 夏至, Summer Solstice), Mangjong usually falls during the fifth month on the lunar calendar and happens around June sixth on the Gregorian calendar. The sun reaches the celestial longitude of 75 degrees on this day. As suggested by its name, Mangjong indicates the appropriate time to harvest the first crop an
Korean Seasonal Customs
