Chuseok

 Chuseok

Chuseok is a term referring to the full moon of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. It is the leading holiday of the year meaning the month in the middle of autumn and the day in the middle of August. 

If you interpret Chuseok literally, it means that autumn evening and furthermore the moonlight in autumn is the best night. Also, it has the meaning of a good holiday when the moon is exceptionally bright. Therefore, Chuseok can be said to be a term with a very symbolic meaning. 

The night of Chuseok called moonrock since moonlight is the best on Chuseok. The holiday food for New Year's Day is rice cake soup. Otherwise, the holiday food of Chuseok is Song Pyeon. In holidays, ancestral rites are made and family, relatives and neighbors share a meal. So Song Pyeon is a symbol of autumn. 

In Korea, we have seasonal food because  it is extremely sensitive to the season. And we have four season. Among many kinds of rice cake, Gae Pi rice cake and Song Pyeon are spring and autumn foods since whether is neither hot nor cold. Song Pyeon in spring refreshes old rice with pine from pine sol. But, Song Pyeon in autumn makes the scent of pine more clear. 

Song Pyeon is made by kneading rice flour into a round shape with fresh green beans, sesame, chestnut, jujube, sweet potato, dried persimmon, cinnamon powder, etc. The name Song Pyeon was given because pine needles were laid every time it was steamed. Taro soup with Song Pyeon is also served on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday. Taro soup is boiled by mixing kelp and beef. Also there are several kinds of Korean pancakes which is made with flour and eggs. These foods are also for Chuseok memorial service table.  Steamed chicken goes on that table. For Chuseok, wee prepare various kinds of seasoned vegetables. 

Korean service those foods for ancestors on memorial service table. Descendant bow two times in front of the table. After that, family and relatives sit around the big table and share food talking each other. 

Many people in Korea postpone visiting parents' and relatives house because of corona crisis. I hope Corona crisis is finished so we can get back to normal life. 

Reference : https://bit.ly/32KnVew