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55-472: As a celebration of the good harvest , Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of Korean traditional food such as songpyeon , yakgwa , fruits like Asian pear and hallabong , and rice wines such as sindoju ( 신도주 ; 新稻酒 ). and dongdongju . There are two major traditions related to Chuseok: Charye ( 차례 ; 茶禮 , ancestor memorial services at home, also known as Jesa ), and Seongmyo ( 성묘 ; 省墓 , family visit to

110-476: A hand-to-hand fighting method , plebs used a more tamed version alike to a kicking game. The practitioner uses the momentum of his opponent to knock him down through kicks, swipes and pushes. Tournaments between players from different villages were carried out, starting with the children ("Aegi Taekkyon") before finishing with the adults. Taekkyon almost disappeared during the Japanese occupation (1910–1945) but

165-739: A Summer ), heavy rainfall, storms , floods , or drought , or by slow, cumulative effects of soil degradation , too-high soil salinity , erosion , desertification , usually as results of drainage , overdrafting (for irrigation ), overfertilization , or overexploitation . In history, crop failures and subsequent famines have triggered human migration , rural exodus , etc. The proliferation of industrial monocultures , with their reduction in crop diversity and dependence on heavy use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides , has led to overexploited soils that are nearly incapable of regeneration . Over years, unsustainable farming of land degrades soil fertility and diminishes crop yield . With

220-494: A bull and 1 kg (2.2 lb) of rice as the prize. Due to its popularity among both the young and the old, ssireum contests are held more frequently, not limited to important holidays. Taekkyon ( 태껸 or 택견) is one of the oldest traditional martial arts of Korea. Taekkyon was very popular during the Joseon period (1392–1897) where it was practised alongside Ssireum during festivities, including Chuseok. Though originally

275-589: A concave center to resemble a volcanic crater and are often pan-fried after being steamed. Songpyeon made in Jeolla Province sometimes contains arrowroot starch which is combined with rice flour to make the rice cake dough. Jeolla Province is also known for its flower songpyeon which are made with natural dyes and made to resemble flowers either by hand or by using a mold. Seoul is known for its small, five-colored or osaek songpyeon ( 오색송편 ). The five colors—white, brown, pink, green, and yellow—represent

330-505: A distinctive taste and the fragrant smell of fresh pine trees. The colors typically include white (흰 송편, hwinsongpyeon ), green (숙 송편, ssuksongpyeon ), red (송이 송편, songgisongpyeon ), and yellow (치자 송편, chijasongpyeon ). Songpyeon is typically enjoyed during the Korean holiday, Chuseok, where it is shared amongst family, friends, and neighbors. It is also enjoyed with liquor on this special occasion. "Song" refers to pine needles. Songpyeon

385-430: A historical anecdote from King Uija's reign. In the anecdote, a turtle once came to the palace with a carving on his back that read "Silla is half moon.", which represented a hopeful future for the kingdom. Another Korean anecdote says that the person who makes beautifully-shaped songpyeon will meet a good spouse or give birth to a beautiful baby. Songpyeon is made by kneading rice flour with salt and hot water until it

440-554: A non-agricultural sense, the word "harvesting" is an economic principle which is known as an exit event or liquidity event . For example, if a person or business was to cash out of an ownership position in a company or eliminate their investment in a product, it is known as a harvest strategy. Harvesting or Domestic Harvesting in Canada refers to hunting, fishing, and plant gathering by First Nations , Métis , and Inuit in discussions of aboriginal or treaty rights . For example, in

495-474: A steadily-increasing world population and local overpopulation , even slightly diminishing yields are already the equivalent to a partial harvest failure. Fertilizers obviate the need for soil regeneration in the first place, and international trade prevents local crop failures from developing into famines. Harvesting commonly refers to grain and produce, but also has other uses: fishing and logging are also referred to as harvesting. The term harvest

550-457: A traditional Korean food made of rice powder . Its shape resembles a half moon and it is a representative rice cake of Korean holidays and traditional culture. It is a type of tteok , small rice cakes, and variety of fillings are used—some include red bean paste, toasted sesame seeds, and chestnuts. Songpyeon is traditionally eaten during the Korean autumn harvest festival , Chuseok , where it

605-455: A worship ritual. In some areas, if there is no harvest, worship rituals are postponed, or in areas with no annual harvest, Chuseok is not celebrated. In contemporary South Korea , on Chuseok, masses of people travel from large cities to their hometowns to pay respect to the spirits of their ancestors. Chuseok celebrates the bountiful harvest and strives for the next year to be better than the last. People perform ancestral worship rituals early in

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660-425: Is a sweet honey cookie which is made of fried rice flour dough ball and yugwa is a fried cookie consisting of glutinous rice mixed with honey water, and cheongju (rice wine). Dasik is a tea cake that people enjoy with tea. A major element of Chuseok is alcoholic drinks . Liquor drunk on Chuseok is called baekju (백주, 白酒, literally "white wine") and nicknamed sindoju (신도주, 新稻酒, literally "new rice liquor") as it

715-493: Is also significant because of the meaning contained in its shape. However, some songpyeon are shaped like a ball. Songpyeon's rice skin itself resembles the shape of a full moon, but once it wraps the stuffing, its shape resembles the half-moon. Since the Three Kingdoms era in Korean history, a Korean legend stated that these two shapes ruled the destinies of the two greatest rival kingdoms, Baekje and Silla . During

770-436: Is also used in reference to harvesting grapes for wine . Wild harvesting refers to the collection of plants and other edible supplies which have not been cultivated. Within the context of irrigation , water harvesting refers to the collection and run-off of rainwater for agricultural or domestic uses. Instead of harvest , the term exploit is also used, as in exploiting fisheries or water resources. Energy harvesting

825-588: Is an absent or greatly diminished crop yield relative to expectation, caused by the plants being damaged, killed, or destroyed, or affected in some way that they fail to form edible fruit, seeds, or leaves in their expected abundance. Crop failures can be caused by catastrophic events such as plant disease outbreaks (such as the Great Famine in Ireland ), volcanic eruptions (such as the Year Without

880-503: Is an artistic food decorated with natural colors and textured with patterns. Hangwa, also known as Hang, is made with rice flour, honey, fruit, and roots. People use edible natural ingredients to express various colors, flavours, and tastes. Because of its decoration and nutrition, Koreans eat hang not only during Chuseok, but also for special events, for instance, weddings, birthday parties, and marriages. The most famous types of hangwa are yakgwa , yugwa , and dasik . Yakgwa

935-424: Is in the shape of a half moon rather than a full moon. The most common belief is that Korean ancestors thought that a round-shaped full moon could only wane while a half-moon would fill up. This is considered a sign of abundance and prosperity. Songpyeon resembles a full moon shape before being folded and transforms into a half moon when folded with filling. One explanation of Songpyeon's half moon shape stems from

990-467: Is made of freshly harvested rice. Kooksoondang, a maker of Korean traditional liquors, restored "Yihwaju", rice wine from the Goryeo era (918–1392), and "Songjeolju" that has been widely enjoyed by Joseon (1392–1910) aristocrats. Its "Jamyang Baekseju" package comprises a variety of liquors ― Jayang Baekseju, Jang Baekseju, Baekokju ― that are claimed to enhance men's stamina. Adults say that if you drink

1045-491: Is now considered a cultural heritage of Korea (1983) and a UNESCO intangible cultural item (2011). The Ganggangsullae ( 강강술래 ) dance is a traditional folk dance performed under the full moon in the night of Chuseok. Women wear Korean traditional dress, hanbok , make a big circle by holding hands, and sing a song while going around a circle. Its name, Ganggangsullae , came from the refrain repeated after each verse, and contains no actual meaning. The dance originated in

1100-427: Is often prepared by families at home. It is a popular symbol of traditional Korean culture . The earliest records of songpyeon date from the Goryeo period. Songpyeons are half-moon shaped rice cakes that typically contain sweet or semi-sweet fillings, such as soybeans , cowpeas , chestnuts , jujubes , dates , red beans , sesame seeds, or honey . They are steamed over a layer of pine needles , which gives them

1155-408: Is one of the ancestral memorial rites celebrated during Chuseok, symbolizing the abundance of the harvest season and honoring ancestors and past generations. The rite involves the gathering of families in holding a memorial service for their ancestors through the harvesting, preparation and presentation of special foods as offerings. Preparation for the food usually takes hours and many families start

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1210-458: Is quintessential to Korean families' Chuseok celebrations. Traditionally, songpyeon was made by Korean families using freshly harvested rice and then offered to their ancestors on the morning of Chuseok as thanks for the bountiful harvest during charye ( 차례 ; 茶禮 ), an ancestral memorial ritual. Songpyeon is also given to other family members and close neighbors. Such offerings are viewed as signs of respect and efforts to avoid bad luck within

1265-505: Is smooth in order to create a dough. Small pieces of the dough are torn off, rolled into balls and then indented in the center using a thumb. The filling of choice is placed inside the now hollowed center and then the ball is sealed closed and shaped. The rice cakes are steamed on top of pine needles for about 20–30 minutes and then rinsed with cold water in order to maintain their chewy texture. The rice cakes are then blotted dry and typically finished by being brushed with sesame oil. Steaming

1320-574: Is the most labor -intensive activity of the growing season. On large mechanized farms, harvesting uses farm machinery , such as the combine harvester . Automation has increased the efficiency of both the seeding and harvesting processes. Specialized harvesting equipment, using conveyor belts for gentle gripping and mass transport, replaces the manual task of removing each seedling by hand. The term "harvesting" in general usage may include immediate postharvest handling, including cleaning, sorting, packing, and cooling. The completion of harvesting marks

1375-569: Is the most popular Korean sport played during Chuseok and contests are usually held during this holiday. Scholars have found evidence for ssireums dating back to the Goguryeo dynasty, Ssireum is assumed to have 5000 years of history. Two players wrestle each other while holding onto their opponent's satba , a red and blue band. A player loses when his upper body touches the ground, and the winner becomes Cheonha Jangsa , Baekdu Jangsa , or Halla Jangsa , meaning "the most powerful". The winner gets

1430-430: Is the process of capturing and storing energy (such as solar power , thermal energy, wind energy , salinity gradients, and kinetic energy ) that would otherwise go unexploited. Body harvesting , or cadaver harvesting , is the process of collecting and preparing cadavers for anatomical study. In a similar sense, organ harvesting is the removal of tissues or organs from a donor for purposes of transplanting. In

1485-422: Is the traditional dress that the Korean people wear on special holidays and formal and semi-formal occasions, such as Chuseok, Lunar New Year, and weddings. The term "hanbok" literally means "Korean clothing." The basic structure of the hanbok consists of the jeogori jacket, baji pants, chima skirt, and the po coat. The design of the hanbok remains unchanged to this day and is designed in a variety of colors. One of

1540-606: The Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, "Harvesting means gathering, hunting, trapping or fishing   ...". Similarly, in the Tlicho Land Claim and Self Government Agreement, " 'Harvesting' means, in relation to wildlife, hunting, trapping or fishing and, in relation to plants or trees, gathering or cutting." Songpyeon Songpyeon ( Korean :  송편 ) is

1595-457: The Korean economy has developed. In the 1970s, Korean people had more options for Chuseok gifts; examples include cooking oil, toothpaste, instant coffee sets, cosmetics, television and rice cookers. People chose gift sets of fruit, meat and cosmetics in the 1980s. In the 1990s, people used gift vouchers for Chuseok. In the 21st century, more sophisticated gifts, such as sets of sweet desserts, spam, fruits, health supplements, and skincare have become

1650-416: The activity of reaping, gathering, and storing grain and other grown products during the autumn season, and also the grain and other grown products themselves. "Harvest" was also verbified : "To harvest " means to reap, gather, and store the harvest (or the crop). People who harvest and equipment that harvests are harvesters; while they do it, they are harvesting. Crop failure (also known as harvest failure)

1705-400: The alcoholic beverage which the ancestors have drunk; there will be nothing you'll be scared of. Other foods commonly prepared are japchae , bulgogi , an assortment of Korean pancakes also known as jeon , saengseon (fish), and fruits. The Korean people started sharing daily necessities, such as sugar, soap or condiments, as Chuseok gifts in the 1960s. The gifts have changed since

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1760-415: The ancestral graves), which is usually accompanied by Beolcho ( 벌초 ; 伐草 , tidying graves, removing weeds around them). Another major custom is to prepare the family's ancestors their favorite meals as an offering. According to popular belief, Chuseok originates from gabae ( 가배 ; 嘉俳; 嘉排 ). Gabae started during the reign of the third king of the kingdom of Silla (57 BC – AD 935), when it

1815-414: The cooking process early in the morning. The rite embodies the traditional view of spiritual life beyond physical death, respecting the spirits of the afterlife that now also serve to protect their descendants. The foods offered vary across provinces depending on what is available, but commonly feature freshly harvested rice, rice cakes ( songpyeon ) and fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. The arrangement of

1870-710: The end of the growing season, or the growing cycle for a particular crop, and the social importance of this event makes it the focus of seasonal celebrations such as harvest festivals , found in many cultures and religions. " Harvest ", a noun, came from the Old English word hærf-est (coined before the Angles moved from Angeln to Britain) meaning " autumn " (the season), "harvest-time", or "August". (It continues to mean "autumn" in British dialect, and "season of gathering crops" generally.) "The harvest" came to also mean

1925-544: The era of King Uija of Baekje , an encrypted phrase, "Baekje is full-moon and Silla is half-moon" was found on a turtle's back and it predicted the fall of the Baekje and the rise of the Silla. The prophecy came true when Silla defeated Baekje. Ever since Koreans have believed a half-moon shape is an indicator of a bright future or victory. Therefore, during Chuseok, families gather together and eat half-moon-shaped Songpyeon under

1980-455: The family. Songpyeon is used to show gratitude for the year's harvest by placing it on a table with other foods, included newly harvested fruit, and taro . These three foods symbolize, respectively, the fruit of the heavens, the fruit of the earth, and the fruit of the underground. Songpyeon is also said to represent the moon and wishes, which is why people will say their wishes while making and eating it. Many stories describe why songpyeon

2035-523: The foods of Charye on the table is also notable: traditionally rice and soup are placed on the north and fruits and vegetables are placed on the south; meat dishes are served on the west and in the middle, and rice cake and some drinks such as makgeolli or soju are placed on the east. These details can vary across regions. The hanbok (in South Korea) or Choson-ot (in North Korea)

2090-407: The full moon, wishing for a brighter future. There's a belief that if a single woman makes a pretty songpyeon , she will find a great husband, and if a pregnant woman makes a pretty songpyeon , she will have a pretty daughter. Another popular Korean traditional food that people eat during Chuseok is hangwa . It is a general term to categorize sweet foods made with tteok , meaning rice cake. It

2145-521: The game and the term water originated from Tujeon . It was formerly similar to Hanafuda , but was changed due to similarities with the latter. It went through a course that made it reduced by four base colors and thinner than before, spreading throughout to turn out goods on a mass-produced basis. Since Chuseok is a traditional holiday that has been celebrated long before the division of Korea , people in North Korea also celebrate Chuseok. However,

2200-457: The holiday as they want, easily traveling wherever they want to go. Harvest Harvesting is the process of collecting plants, animals, or fish (as well as fungi) as food, especially the process of gathering mature crops, and "the harvest" also refers to the collected crops. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulses for harvest, typically using a scythe , sickle , or reaper . On smaller farms with minimal mechanization , harvesting

2255-549: The holiday. A variety of folk games are played on Chuseok to celebrate the coming of autumn and rich harvest. Sonori is a folk performance where Village folk dress themselves to resemble a cow or turtle and go from house to house along with a nongak band playing pungmul music. Other common folk games played on Chuseok are talchum (mask dance), board game called Yut Nori , (also known as Yunnori, Nyout , and Yout ), archery , ssireum , (Korean wrestling), and juldarigi ; folk games vary by region. Ssireum ( 씨름 )

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2310-472: The holiday. Some, especially those in working classes, try to visit their ancestors' gravesites during Chuseok. However, social and economic issues in North Korea have been preventing visits. In addition, the extremely poor infrastructure of North Korea, especially in terms of public transportation, makes it almost impossible for people to visit grave sites and their families. In contrast to the poor Songbun lower class North Koreans, middle and elite classes enjoy

2365-545: The holidays being vastly different in origin and celebration. Although most South Koreans visit their families and ancestral homes, there are festivities held at the National Folk Museum of Korea . Many places are closed during this national holiday, including banks, schools, post offices, governmental departments, and stores. Airline tickets to South Korea around the festival are usually sold out three months in advance and roads and hotels are overcrowded. Charye

2420-475: The ideology that divided Korea also caused some differences between the way that the holiday is celebrated in North Korea from the way it is celebrated in South Korea. In fact, North Korea did not celebrate Chuseok and other traditional holidays until the mid-1980s. While South Koreans celebrate Chuseok by visiting and spending time with family members, most North Koreans do not have any family gatherings for

2475-425: The knee poking out. The players must then attack each other with their bent knees, having to eliminate them by making their feet touch the ground; the last player holding up his or her knee wins. The game is about strength, speed, and balance; to stay alive, one must display the capability of fighting back. Hwatu ( 화투 , also known as Go-Stop or Godori ) is composed of 48 cards including 12 kinds. The rules of

2530-572: The major foods prepared and eaten during the Chuseok holiday is songpyeon ( 송편 ; 松餠 ), a Korean traditional rice cake made with ingredients such as sesame seeds, black beans, mung beans, cinnamon , pine nut, walnut, chestnut, jujube, and honey. When making songpyeon , steaming them over a layer of pine-needles is critical. The word song in songpyeon means a pine tree in Korean. The pine needles not only contribute to songpyeon's aromatic fragrance, but also its beauty and taste. Songpyeon

2585-476: The morning. Then, they visit the tombs of their immediate ancestors to trim plants, clean the area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors. The rest of the day is spent playing folk games and bonding with the family members. Harvest crops are attributed to the blessing of ancestors. Chuseok is commonly incorrectly translated as "Korean Thanksgiving" in American English despite

2640-546: The most popular options for Chuseok gifts. Some extravagant gifts can be purchased: one kilogram of wild pine mushrooms, which are expensive because they cannot be artificially grown, (560,000 won) US$ 480.27 and red ginseng products (1.98 million won) US$ 1698.11. However, the most exorbitantly priced gift is six bottles of wine at Lotte Department Store for a staggering (33 million won) US$ 28,301.89. Chuseok gift sets are big business in Korea and prices are typically inflated around

2695-458: The natural world. The game is considered an agricultural rite to predict the results of the year's farming. If the team representing the female concept won, it was thought the harvest that year would be rich. Korean people used to watch chicken fights ( 닭싸움 ), and learned how chickens fought; a game inspired by such was invented. To play the game, people are separated into two balanced groups. One must bend his or her leg up and hold it bent with

2750-403: The pine needles are also said to have medicinal effects on the food. Although the cultural significance of songpyeon remains the same, differences in color, shape, ingredients, and even thickness can be found across Korea. As pumpkin is widely grown in this region, Chungcheong Province is known for its pumpkin songpyeon. The pumpkins are dried and ground into a powder which is then mixed with

2805-462: The rice cakes on top of pine needles gives them a unique taste and scent, and also helps to prevent the rice cakes from sticking together while steaming. As pine trees also produce large amounts of phytoncide , this effectively kills germs, and helps avoid spoiling due to the presence of terpene . According to the Dongui Bogam ( 동의보감 ; 東醫寶鑑 ), the most well-known Joseon medical book,

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2860-469: The rice cakes. Songpyeon made in Gyeongsang Province are typically larger than the songpyeon found in other regions. A popular type of songpyeon found here is ramie songpyeon, which consists of boiled ramie leaves which are added to the rice cakes to make them healthier. A traditional filling for songpyeon made on Jeju Island is sweetened peas. The songpyeon are sometimes shaped with

2915-562: The rice flour to make the dough. The rice cakes are often shaped to look like small pumpkins. The result is a sweet rice cake that is bright in color. With an abundance of potato crops and oak trees , Gangwon Province is known for its potato songpyeon and acorn songpyeon. These rice cakes are made with potato starch and acorn powder, respectively. The songpyeon in this region are typically flat with ridges from pressing down using fingers and in Gangneung, people leave their handprints on

2970-475: The southern coastal area of Korea. To watch a video clip of the Ganggangsullae dance, click here . For other folk games, they also play Neolttwigi (also known as the Korean plank ), a traditional game played on a wooden board. Juldarigi ( 줄다리기 ), or tug-of-war, was enjoyed by an entire village population. Two groups of people are divided into two teams representing the female and male forces of

3025-515: Was a month-long weaving contest between two teams. On the day of Gabae , the team that had woven more cloth won and would be treated to a feast by the losing team. It is believed that weaving competitions, archery competitions, and martial arts demonstrations were held as part of the festivities. Many scholars also believe Chuseok may originate from ancient shamanistic celebrations of the harvest moon . New harvests are offered to local deities and ancestors, which means Chuseok may have originated as

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