If we hear about Chuseok, we first think about making and eating songpyean and jeon. But don't you wonder when Chuseok was started or what Chuseok means? If you want to enjoy Chuseok more, then you have to know about the history of Chuseok, its meaning and how it is celebrated. So I want to tell you about that.
First, Chuseok began during the Silla dynasty. During Silla, King Yura divided empresses, women of six prefectures, into two groups during July and August. When they were divided, they weaved like a picture and then were judged. The group that lost had to prepare alcoholic drinks and foods, play games, sing songs and dance. So the day when ancestors sang songs and danced was called "Gabe", which means Chuseok today.
Second, Chuseok is the day when people celebrate the abundant harvest of the year and give thanks for the harvest to heaven and their ancestors. So, they prepare songpyeon and foods which are made of grain, have a feast to honor their ancestors and pay visits to their ancestors' graves.
Finally, Koreans celebrate Chuseok with many kinds of games like Gang-gang Sullae, Allgeasimni so on. Gang-gang Sullae is played by people who grab the next person's hand, dance and sing songs, while drawing a circle in the moonnight. Another game, Allgeasimni, is played by people hanging grains like rice, sorghum and millet, which is tied together on a door or pillar. The meaning of those games is that people wish to be rich next year.
Now we have gotten to know about the history of Chuseok, its meaning and how it is celebrated. Isn't Chuseok a very interesting tradition? If you think so, how about enjoying Chuseok in Korea this year, thinking about those three things of Chuseok?
