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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 -
Beginning of Winter
입동 ( 立冬 , Ipdong )
The ninth of the twenty-four solar terms, Ipdong (Kor. 입동, Chin. 立冬), literally means “onset of winter.” Falling on the day when the sun is at an ecliptic longitude of 225°, Ipdong falls on November seventh or eighth on the Gregorian calendar, and always during the tenth month on the lunar calendar. Ipdong happens a fortnight or so after the previous solar term, Sanggang (Kor. 상강, Chin. 霜降, lit. Fall of Frost) and a fortnight or so before Soseol (Kor. 소설, Chin. 小雪, lit. First Snow). White radish
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Between the Old and New
신구간 ( 新舊間 , Singugan )
Singugan (Kor. 신구간, Chin. 新舊間, lit. between the old and new) is the approximately one-week long period from the fifth day after the solar term Daehan (Kor. 대한, Chin. 大寒, Great Cold) to the third day before the solar term Ipchun (Kor. 입춘, Chin. 立春, Beginning of Spring). On Jeju Island, this is believed to be the only time when one can move or repair one’s house without any harmful consequences. According to folk belief, during this period between Daehan, the last seasonal term of an old year, and
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Brazier Dinner Party
난로회 ( 煖爐會 , Nallohoe )
Nallohoe (Kor. 난로회, Chin. 煖爐會, lit. brazier dinner party) refers to the custom of serving casserole dishes during the tenth lunar month. Families sit around a casserole and eat slices of beef and vegetables that are simmered in a meat broth. In the past, beef slices seasoned with oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic and chili powder were grilled on a cast iron pan placed over a charcoal brazier called a nallo (Kor. 난로, Chin. 煖爐); hence the name nallohoe. The custom is also known as nallanhoe (Kor.
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Buckwheat Noodles with Seasoning
골동면 ( 骨董麵 , Goldongmyeon )
Goldongmyeon (Kor. 골동면, Chin. 骨董麵) is the name of a dish that consists of buckwheat noodles topped with slices of meat and vegetables and is eaten with a spicy sauce. The word goldong (Kor. 골동, Chin. 骨董) means a variety of ingredients that are mixed together. The seasoning originally was soy sauce-based, but today it is customary to make it from red pepper paste. Goldongmyeon is part of the culinary tradition of cold noodles, or naengmyeon (Kor. 냉면, Chin. 冷麵), popularly eaten in winter (particul
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Divination with Red Bean Porridge
팥죽점 ( 红豆粥占卜 , Patjukjeom )
Patjukjeom (Kor. 팥죽점, lit. red bean porridge divination) refers to the custom of fortune-telling on Dongji (Kor. 동지, Chin. 冬至, Winter Solstice) using a seasonal red bean soup called patjuk (Kor. 팥죽). The object of divination can vary from weather and the outcome of farming in the year ahead to the sex of a fetus. There are two forms of divination practices: one is based on the general porridge, and the other based on the rice dough balls that the porridge contains. In the first case, some porrid
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Dragon’s Plowing
용경 ( 龍耕 , Yonggyeong )
Yonggyeong (Kor. 용경, Chin. 龍耕, lit. dragon’s plowing) is a custom observed on Dongji (Kor. 동지, Chin. 冬至, Winter Solstice) in which people tried to predict the outcome of farming for the upcoming year based on the direction and angle of cracks on the surface of a frozen pond. The custom is also known as yonggari (Kor. 용갈이) or yong-ui batgari (Kor. 용의 밭갈이), both meaning ‘plowing by the dragon.’ When ice covers a pond, there is often a crack that divides the ice sheet into two halves, as though a f
Korean Seasonal Customs -
Exorcism Rite
나례 ( 儺禮 , Narye )
Narye (Kor. 나례, Chin. 儺禮, lit. exorcism rite) refers to the rite aimed at warding off evil spirits; the rite is performed by masked officiants. The ancient Chinese classic “Liji” (Kor. 예기, Chin. 禮記, Book of Rites, Unknown) recorded that these masked exorcism rites were held three times a year, in the last month of spring, at mid-autumn and in the last month of autumn. The first one was called gungna (Kor. 국나, Chin. 國儺), the second one, cheonjana (Kor. 천자나, Chin. 天子儺), and the third one, daena (K
Korean Seasonal Customs -
First Snow
소설 ( 小雪 , Soseol )
Soseol (Kor. 소설, Chin. 小雪, lit. Little Snow) is the twentieth of the twenty-four solar terms; it generally occurs on November twenty-second or twenty-third on the Gregorian calendar when the sun is positioned at an ecliptic longitude of 240°. In the lunar calendar, Soseol occurs sometime during the tenth month. As the name of this solar term suggests, the first snow of winter is supposed to be seen around this time with the average temperature falling below 5°C. There is still some warm sunlight
Korean Seasonal Customs -
General Nam I Ritual
남이장군사당제 ( 南怡將軍祠堂祭 , Nam I Janggun Sadangje )
Nam I Janggun Sadangje (Kor. 남이장군사당제, Chin. 南怡將軍祠堂祭, lit. service at the Shrine of General Nam I) refers to a ceremony that honors the memory of the famous general Nam I (1441-1468) of the early Joseon period (1392- 16th century). Nam I, a brave general who was accused of treason and executed, was deified and worshipped in the shamanistic faith of the central regions along with other illustrious military heroes of the past, such as Choe Yeong (1316-1388) and General Im Gyeong-eop (1594-1646). Th
Korean Seasonal Customs
