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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 -
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 -
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 -
Beginning of Grain Ripening
소만 ( 小滿 , Soman )
The eighth of the twenty-four solar terms, Soman (Kor. 소만, Chin. 小滿, Beginning of Grain Ripening) is around May twenty-first on the Gregorian calendar and occurs during the fourth lunar month. The sun is positioned at 60 degrees on the ecliptic. Falling between Ipha (Kor. 입하, Chin. 立夏, Beginning of Summer) and Mangjong (Kor. 망종, Chin. 芒種, Bearded Grain, the barley harvest season), Soman marks a period during which the increasing sun hours promote the growth of all living things and fill the eart
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Beginning of Summer
입하 ( 立夏 , Ipha )
The seventh of the twenty-four solar terms, Ipha (Kor. 입하, Chin. 立夏, Beginning of Summer) is in the fourth lunar month and falls approximately on May sixth on the Gregorian calendar. On Ipha the sun is at 45 degrees on the ecliptic. Preceded by Gogu (Kor. 곡우, Chin. 穀雨, Grain Rain) and followed by Soman (Kor. 소만, Chin. 小滿, Beginning of Grain Ripening), it is considered the official gateway of summer. Ipha is also known as Maengnyang (Kor. 맥량, Chin. 麥凉) or Maekchu (Kor. 맥추, Chin. 麥秋), which means
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Cold Platter with Dropwort-wrapped Appetizers
미나리강회 ( 水芹菜卷脍 , Minari Ganghoe )
Minari Gaghoe (Kor. 미나리강회) is a holiday dish consumed on Shakyamuni’s Birthday. It is prepared by tying around parboiled dropwort stems and leaves thinly-sliced omelet, boiled meet, stir-fried beef or mushrooms. The bundled appetizers are eaten by dipping them in a hot and sour chili pepper dip. Minari ganghoe is similar to other cold platter dishes using parboiled stringy vegetables such as scallions tied around the bite-size meat or vegetable pieces. Pa ganghoe (Kor. 파강회), for example, is prep
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Dano Amulets
단오부적 ( 端午符籍 , Dano Bujeok )
Dano Bujeok (Kor. 단오부적, Chin. 端午符籍) is a talisman made on the day of Dano (Kor. 단오, Chin. 端午, the fifth of the fifth lunar month). It can also be called Danobu (Kor. 단오부, Chin. 端午符, lit. Dano Talisman), Cheonjung Bujeok (Kor. 천중부적, Chin. 天中符籍, lit. Talisman of Zenith) and Chiu Bujeok (Kor. 치우부적, Chin. 蚩尤符籍, lit. Chiu’s Talisman). Dano was considered an occasion to prepare talismans because, in the traditional worldview, it was the day of the most profuse yang energy, which could help expel
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Dano Decoration
단오장 ( 端午粧 , Danojang )
Danojang (Kor. 단오장, Chin. 端午粧, lit. Dano decoration) refers to the custom of adorning oneself on the day of Dano (Kor. 단오, Chin. 端午, the fifth of the fifth lunar month) in order to ward off evil spirits. According to the “Dongguk Sesigi” (Kor. 동국세시기, Chin. 東國歲時記, A Record of Seasonal Customs in Korea, 1849), women washed their hair and face, and took a bath with an extract prepared by boiling changpo (a variety of iris, Kor. 창포, Chin. 菖蒲, Acorus calamus var. angustatus), wore red and green cloth
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Dano Dress
단오빔 ( 端午- , Danobim )
Danobim (Kor. 단오빔, Chin. 端午-), also pronounced as dano bieum (Kor. 단오비음), refers to festive clothing worn on Dano (Kor. 단오, Chin. 端午, the fifth of the fifth lunar month). According to the “Dongguk Sesigi” (Kor. 동국세시기, Chin. 東國歲時記, A Record of Seasonal Customs in Korea, 1849), "On Dano, people present fans to each other; girls wear new red and blue clothes and wash their hair and body with changpo extract." This record placed considerable emphasis on the newness of the clothes worn on D
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Dano Poetry Collection
단오첩 ( 端午帖 , Danocheop )
Danocheop (Kor. 단오첩, Chin. 端午帖, lit. Dano album) refers to collections of poems written by government officials of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) to celebrate Dano (Kor. 단오, Chin. 端午, Festival of the Fifth of the Fifth Month). Historical records document that the Joseon monarchs regarded the Dano poetry writing as a custom important for education. According to a record in the “Seongjong Sillok” (Kor. 성종실록, Chin. 成宗實錄, The Annals of King Seongjong, 1499) dated the second of the fifth lunar month
Korean Seasonal Customs