This year, this representative Korean holiday falls on September 12th (of the solar calendar), but holiday celebrations run for three days, from September 11th to the 13th. For internationals located in the major cities, Chuseok is the prime opportunity to go sightseeing, since many native Koreans return to their hometowns in the countryside, leaving the city attractions relatively crowd-free.
Let’s take a closer look at what Chuseok means and what it represents to Koreans everywhere.
Chuseok (Hangawi)
Chuseok is one of Korea’s three major holidays, along with Seollal (New Year’s Day) and Dano (the 5th day of the 5th month of the year according to the lunar calendar) and is also referred to as Hangawi, which means the ides of August (August 15th according to the lunar calendar).
Hangawi/Chuseok was the day on which Koreans, an agrarian people throughout most of history, thanked their ancestors for the year’s harvest and shared their abundance with family and friends. Although the exact origin of Chuseok is unclear, the tradition can be traced back to ancient religious practices that centered around the significance of the moon. The sun’s presence was considered routine, but the full moon that came once a month, brightening the dark night, was considered a special and meaningful event. Therefore, festivities took place on the day of the largest full moon, August 15th of the lunar calendar, which became one of the most important days of celebration throughout Korea to this day.
Chuseok Customs
On the morning of Chuseok Day, Songpyeon (a type of Korean rice cake) and food prepared with the year’s fresh harvest are set out to give thanks to ancestors through Charye (ancestor memorial service). After Charye, families visit their ancestors’ graves and engage in Beolcho, the ritual clearing of the weeds that may have grown up over the burial mound. After dusk, families and friends take walks and gaze at the beauty of the full harvest moon or play folk games such as Ganggangsullae (Korean circle dance).
Charye (ancestor memorial services)
On Chuseok morning, family members gather at their homes to hold memorial services (called Charye) in honor of their ancestors. Formal Charye services are held twice a year during Seollal (New Year’s Day) and Chuseok. The difference between the two services is that during Seollal the major representative food is white Tteokguk, a rice cake soup, while during Chuseok the major representative food is freshly harvested rice. After the service, the family members sit down together at the table to enjoy delicious food that symbolizes their blessings.
Beolcho (clearing the weeds around the grave) and Seongmyo (visiting ancestral graves)
Visiting ancestral graves during Chuseok is known as Seongmyo and during this visit, family members remove the weeds that have grown around the graves in the summer season. Taking care of the ancestral graves and clearing the weeds is called Beolcho. This custom is considered a duty and expression of devotion and respect for one’s family. On the weekends, about one month prior to the Chuseok holidays, Korea’s highways become extremely congested with families visiting their ancestral graves to fulfill their familial duties. The graves are then visited again during Chuseok.
Ssireum (Korean wrestling)
Traditionally, during the Chuseok holidays the strongest people in each village would gather together to hold wrestling competitions. During the match, two competitors would face each other in a circular sandpit and were surrounded on all sides by spectators. The last wrestler standing after the series of competitions was considered the winner and was acknowledged as the villager’s strongest man, taking home cotton, rice, or a calf as his prize. Today, Ssireum (Korean wrestling) competitions are held around the time of Chuseok to determine the strongest man in Korea, but are not as big a part of the celebrations as they once were.
Ganggangsullae (Korean circle dance)
Back in the olden days, women dressed in Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) would join hands in a circle and sing together. The dance dates back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) during the Japanese invasion when the Korean army dressed the young women of the village in military uniforms and had them circle the mountains to make the Japanese think the Korean military was greater in number than it actually was. The Koreans were eventually able to defeat the Japanese, thanks in part to this scare tactic.
Chuseokbim (Chuseok dress)
Traditionally, as part of Chuseok, the head of the household would buy new clothes for everyone in the house, including the servants. This custom is known as Chuseokbim and is still practiced today, but has been modernized with most families purchasing clothes from department stores and boutiques instead of exchanging Hanbok.
Chuseok Food
Chuseok celebrates the rich harvest season when fruit and grain are abundant. With the newly harvested grains, people make steamed rice, rice cake, and liquor.
Songpyeon
Songpyeon is one of the representative foods of Chuseok. This rice cake is prepared with rice or non-glutinous rice powder that is kneaded into the perfect size (a little smaller than a golf ball) then filled with sesame seeds, beans, red beans, chestnuts, and a host of other nutritious ingredients. When steaming the songpyeon, the rice cakes are layered with pine needles, adding the delightful fragrance of pine. On the eve of Chuseok, the entire family gathers together to make songpyeon under the bright moon. There is an old Korean saying that says that the person who makes the most beautiful songpyeon will meet a good-looking spouse so, all the single of the single members of the family try their best to make the finest looking songpyeon!
Liquors
Another major element of Chuseok is traditional liquor, called Baekju (white wine). The holidays are a time of thankfulness and generosity and drinking is a way in which many Koreans show their generosity and bond with their fellow countrymen.
For more information about Korean holidays, visit the Official Korea Tourism Organization Website.
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