The Beauty of Chuseok

THE BEAUTY OF CHUSEOK

Many of you must have heard the word “Chuseok.” Have you ever wondered what this means or why it is celebrated in South Korea?

“Chuseok” also know as Korean thanks giving, Hangawi or Jungchujeol is a major festival celebrated in South Korea. Chuseok is literally "The great middle of autumn", a three-day holiday in both North and South Korea celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar on the full moon. At these times, a full harvest moon filled up the sky, and families would get together to celebrate the end of the harvest and to give thanks to their ancestors for another year's bounty. To celebrate chuseok families prepare different kind of traditional foods, play folks games, wears traditional clothes and gives gift to their loved ones.

When you wish “Happy Chuseok” in Korean, you say 추석 잘 보내세요. Or You can also say 즐거운 한가위 되세요, which means “Have a Happy Hangawi.”

History:

According to legends, it started when the king of the Silla kingdom began a month long weaving contest between two teams. The team that made most of cloth won, and the winner team, in return for treating them by the losing team with food, drinks and some other gifts Scholars, however, some also think Chuseok to Korea's history, they believe chuseok may have been originates from ancient religious celebration of harvest moon.

Traditional foods:

Galbijjim:-

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Galbijjim is made with beef short ribs and mixed with vegetables. It is served with rices.

Songpyeon:-

This is a Korean traditional rice cake. The ingredients include sesame, black beans, mung beans, cinnamon, pipe nut, walnut, chestnut, jujube and honey. Mall-side the only thing more important than producing songpyeon is steaming them atop pine needles. Songpyeon is made in advance of the chuseok night. Songpyeon is a shape of the half moon.

Songpyeon is prepared before the evening of chuseok and it looks like lunar moon it has very beautiful believe that those who succeed in making beautiful shaped songpyeon will lead a successful married life and will give birth to a beautiful child.

Sikhye:-

It’s a very popular drink during chuseok . It is made up of fermented water of freshly harvested rice . It taste sweet and refreshing .

Traditional clothes:

During chuseok Koreans often wears “Hanbok” which is traditional outfits of Korean culture. Hanbok is a vibrant and elegant Korea’s traditional attire. It has been a inmost part of South Korea’s culture for over 1,600 years.

Hanbok is also worn for other occasions like lunar new year, wedding etc. So it can be worn for nay formal occasions But as we can see in recent years the popularity of wearing hanbok has declined but some people still choose to wear it on special as we can see in recent years the popularity of wearing hanbok has declined but some people still choose to wear it on special of chuseok.

Traditional folk games:

Tuho :-

It is a popular game play during chuseok. It contains two teams a vase is placed at a certain distance each player is given a set of twelve arrows both the teams starts to throw arrow into the vase. Points are receive depends who throws the most arrow in the pots Traditional folk games.

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Gonggi :-

It is a traditional Korean game performance on playground played with small, grape sizes pebbles or plastic stones. In this play the person throw and catch the pebbles while picking them up from the ground or from the palm of your hand.

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Jegichagi :-

It is a very popular Korean traditional outdoor in this game player kick object called jegi which is like a shuttlecock into the air by kicking it repeatedly. The object called “jegi’ is made up coin or small metal plate wrapped in a cloth or paper.

These are some traditional things that are done by Korean people during chuseok to celebrate it happily with their loved ones.

“We wish Chuseok to continue to thrive from generation to generation. May the spirit of Chuseok bring joy, wealth, and harmony to all who celebrate the beautiful festival of Chuseok.”

Editor- Arpita Jena

Credit : Pinterest

Credit: Pinterest

Credit: Pinterest