Chuseok (추석)
What is Chuseok?
Chuseok is one of the biggest celebration in Korea. chuseok means thanks giving. it just a little bit same with western culture. however, chuseok is celebrating harvest season. the other name of Chuseok is hangawi which means han is big and gawi is middle. so, hangawi is big middle. actually that festival is in the middle of eighth month in lunar calendar. as time goes by, the name is change become chuseok. chu is from Chinese character which means autumn.
Ritual when Chuseok
Because of chuseok is a harvest festival, so all the farmers enjoy their works. they eat their corps together. Then, the day before chuseok, usually they come to clean up their ancestors’ grave, we call it beolcho (벌초).
In modern time, like now, the tradition is a bit changing. all the people who live far away from their hometown, they come back to their hometown. because of them, traffic jam is everywhere. the road is full of car. they want to celebrate chuseok with their big family.
when Chuseok day, all family wear their new clothes and even shoes. girls prepare for the ritual to ancestor, like rice cake, liquor and fruit. furthermore, they prepare table which is full of food. but we have to put it by following some rules. first, put fruit in the first line. second, dried food and assorted vegetables in the second line. third, pan-fried dishes in the third line. next, meat dishes in the fifth line. finally, bowl of rice and soup.
Eating Time
Usually when Chuseok, Korean will eat:
1. Songpyeon (송편)
Songpyeon is a rice cake. the shape is like half moon. the taste is sweet because it is made from beans and honey or sugar. but different province, different style of rice cake. in other province they don’t use rice but use sweet potato as a base of the cake.
2. Toran-tang (토란탕)
Toran-tang means the egg from the earth. this food is rich of vitamin. also, its good for digestion after Chuseok day. since usually we eat a lot when chuseok.
3. Songi-sanjeok (송이 산적)
autumn means the best season for mushroom to grow. so, Korean eat mushroom much because it is very nutritious and some of them are rare. Songi-sanjeok is combination of songi mushroom and also beef.
4. Dakjjim (닭찜)
it is a steam chicken. it is made from chicken, ginger, soy bean sauce and red pepper. after we boil all the ingredients, we stew it in pan.
5. Nurumi (누루미)
it is like mixing all the ingredients with egg together then fry it. the ingredients depend on what we want. usually, Korean eat with beef, seafood tofu, mushrooms, green onion.
6. Shindo-ju (신도주)
Shindo-ju, korean traditional liquor, is made from rice. it is simillar to Makgeolli but needs more time to fermented it.
Chuseok Traditional Game
1. Gang-gang-suwollae (강-강-수월래)
we dance under the full moon and hold hands together. woman wear hanbok while singing “Gang-gang-suwollae”.
2. Ssireum(씨름)
Ssireum is a Korean traditional wresting. Who can be the winner is the most powerful man among others.
3. Juldarigi( 줄다리기) or we call it “Tug of War”
It is a competition that compete our power among entire villagers.
HAPPY CHUSEOK from me {“”.}
will update soon, after Chuseok day
Chuseok Holiday October 2nd- October 4th, 2009
I think songpyeon look like ‘ketan’ or ‘dodol’
hoooo…almost the same. like onde-onde madi..but without coconut.