Korea’s Harvest Moon Festival
Chuseok (추석), also known as Hangawi (한가위), is one of Korea’s most significant traditional holidays, often referred to as the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving. Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, Chuseok falls during the full harvest moon and is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and giving thanks for the year’s bounty. This year, Chuseok was celebrated on September 17th, and next year it will fall on October 6th!
The Origins of Chuseok
The roots of Chuseok date back thousands of years, with various historical explanations for its origins. One popular theory ties the festival to Korea’s agrarian past, when communities would gather to celebrate the harvest and honor their ancestors with offerings of freshly harvested grains and produce. Another origin story is tied to weaving competitions held during the Silla Dynasty, where the winning team would host a grand feast for everyone. Regardless of its beginnings, Chuseok has evolved into a meaningful celebration that blends traditional values with modern customs.
Traditions and Customs
1. Charye (차례): Ancestral Memorial Rites
A key part of Chuseok is charye, the ancestral memorial service held by families to honor their ancestors. Families prepare a spread of food that includes freshly harvested fruits, rice cakes (songpyeon), vegetables, and traditional drinks like makgeolli (rice wine).
2. Seongmyo (성묘): Visiting Family Graves
During Chuseok, families often travel long distances to visit their ancestral graves. Known as seongmyo, this tradition involves cleaning and tidying the gravesites, offering food, and performing ceremonial bows.
3. Songpyeon (송편): The Iconic Chuseok Rice Cake
A Chuseok celebration wouldn’t be complete without songpyeon, small, crescent-shaped rice cakes filled with sweet fillings like sesame seeds, chestnuts, red beans, or honey. Traditionally, families gather the night before Chuseok to make songpyeon together. The belief is that if you make beautifully shaped songpyeon, you will have beautiful children. .
While many traditional customs are still observed, modern-day Chuseok is also a time for relaxation, travel, and family bonding. In today’s fast-paced world, many Koreans use the holiday to escape city life, visiting their hometowns, reuniting with family, or even traveling abroad. It’s common to see highways packed with cars and train stations bustling with people, as millions embark on journeys to their hometowns or vacation spots.
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