Days 38-41 January 24-27 2009
We got a little bit of snow this morning...just a tiny bit...just barely covering the ground....3rd time this winter...I've never seen snow 3 times in one winter!
Seol-nal (Lunar New Year)
The Lunar New Year holiday, also known elsewhere as Chinese New year, is second in importance only to Chuseok (the Harvest Moon Festival). Every year, family members make a grand pilgrimage to their hometowns. During the 3-day period, Seoul is almost deserted a most people leave the city to return to their ancestral roots.
Although many of the younger generation take advantage of the time off to go skiing or travel abroad, Korea's roads, railways, and skies are full of homeward bound travelers. People line up for hours when the bus and train tickets go on sale, about 3 months prior to the holidays. For those masochistic enough to try driving, taking over 24 hours to drive from Seoul to Busan is not unheard of! (Normally, it takes 5-6 hours. However, the family bond runs deep in Korea culture, and it seems that people gladly make the journey.
Family and Ancestor Worship
During the 3-day holiday, families go to their hometowns and visit relatives, bringing expensive gifts of food and drink. They usually stay with the head of the family (usually the eldest male in the family). The children and grandchildren perform saebae (bowing and paying respect to ones elders). If they do a good job, they are rewarded with envelopes of money.
The first thing in the morning, everyone cleanses their bodies then dress in their best hanbok (traditional Korean clothes). Together, the extended family performs ch'arye (a ceremony to commemorate their ancestors).
Afterwards, they trek to the ancestral gravesite for a grand picnic (although in the past, generally only the men would go, but this tradition has changed recently.). The females of the family have spent days and a minor fortune (the average cost per family is over W100,00) to prepare the Lunar New Year's sacrificial food. At the gravesite, the food and alcohol is placed around the graves in offering to the family's ancestral spirits. After a period of sang-myo (bowing and paying respects to their ancestors), the family enjoys the meal and drink.
Traditions
One New Year's Day, one should eat ddeok-guk (rice cake soup) for good luck. Children are told that they will not grow any older unless they eat their ddeok-guk. The soup is made by diagonally slicing sausage shaped rice cakes into thin, oval slices. The rice cake slices are soaked in water, then boiled in beef broth. The soup is garnished with chives, seaweed, and egg.
Throughout the first month of the lunar calendar, villagers hold ceremonies and events asking the spirits for fortune and peace in the coming year. While some of the rites are performed only by females, others involve the entire village, such as offerings to the Earth spirit.
On New Year's Day of the lunar calendar, after villagers have shown respect to their family members and visited their ancestral tombs, they will gather to enjoy a farmers band and pay respect and tribute to the Earth spirit. First they will visit the home of the wealthiest villager who entertains them with food and drink. All the village members then dance around the yard and through the house and any other buildings on the property, singing songs to the Earth spirit. The songs ask that the family and home be blessed with fortune and prosperity in the coming year. Afterwards, they move on to the next house and continue on until all the homes had been visited. If the Earth spirit is pleased with these activities, he will endow the people with many rewards throughout the year.
Traditionally, people would stay awake on the night before New Year's Day. Records indicate that the court held narye (exorcising ceremonies) to expel any evil spirits. Ten dancers in Ch'oyong masks danced to a musical accompaniment. In rural areas, a musical performance of nong-ak (farmers' music) was also used to expel evil spirits and usher in good fortune
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