What is Chuseok?추석•Korean Harvest Festival

•3 day celebration where people travel back to their hometowns

•During this time, Koreans pay respect to their ancestors

•Feast of traditional Korean food

•Originally known as “the great middle”

•Held every year on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month

Foods eaten during Chuseok

BULGOGI

One of the dishes provided today!

•Marinated Beef

•Literally “Fire Meat”

•Marinated first before cooking with soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic

•Cooked with onions and mushrooms

•Originated in the Goguryeo Dynasty and was a popular dish served to kings

블고기

Chapjae 잡재

•Stir fried noodle dish

•Vegetables include spinach, carrots, mushrooms, bellflower root

•Use to be a popular royal dish served to kings

송편Songpyeon

•Dessert like food eaten during the holiday

•Rice Cake (dok)

•Usually crescent shaped

•Steamed over pine needles

Ancestral Worship•PERFORMED DURING THE MORNING OF CHUSEOK

•TIME FOR VISITATION OF ANCESTRAL GRAVES

•OFFERINGS ARE MADE (FOOD, DRINK, HARVEST)

•AN OFFERING TABLE IS SET UP

Chuseok is the time where thanks is given to ancestors for a successful and plentiful harvest

Prepared food and fruits are first offered to the ancestors before family consumes the food

Clothing Worn during Chuseok

Hanbok is the traditional Korean clothing worn during Chuseok

The clothing is very loose and comfortable

The top part of the garment is called the “jeogori” which is worn by both males

and females

The males wear pants called “paji” while the females wear a skirt known as the “chima”

Happy Chuseok2009!

Chinese Moon

Festival

aka "zhongqiu jie", Mid autumn festival, Lantern festival, Mooncake festival

one of the two most important Chinese holidays (the other being Chinese New Year)

held on the 15th day of 8th lunar month every year

the most representative food is the mooncake

end of summer harvest season is celebrated on this date

there is the long standing tradition for family and friends to gather and admire the round harvest moon together

Chinese Moon Festival

What is a mooncake?Chinese pastry eaten during the Moon Festival

Very popular gift given between family and friends during the festival

Usually filled with lotus bean paste (there are other fillings as well

Contains yolk(s) to symbolize the round moon

Thin crust

Very rich and heavy therefore eaten in small slices and served with tea

LEGEND OF THE MOONCAKEChina was once ruled by Mongolians during the Yuan Dynasty

People from the previous Song Dynasty tried to plan a revolt

They did not know how to organize the revolt when the Mongolian king was watching every move they make

However, the Moon Festival was right around the corner and they decided to stick messages insidethe moon cakes

As a result the revolt was successful

Today, people eat moon cakes to commemorate the event

Mid Autumn Festival Stories

Story of Chang Er

嫦娥Many versions

Fell in love with an archer named Houyi

One day 10 suns bloomed out of the sky causing great distress to earth

Houyi, a skilled archer, shot down 9 of the sons and became king

Houyi became king as a result

As time passed, Houyi became tyrannical

He ordered an elixir to be made that prolongs life

Seeing this, Chang Er takes the pill and eats it

Houyi, angered, attempts to shoot Chang Er with his arrows

Chang Er escapes and flies up to the moon instead

Chang Er (continued)

According to legend, the Jade Rabbitaccompanies Chang Er in pounding medicinefor the gods

It is said that 3 fairy sages once disguised themselves as pitiful old men who went to a monkey, a fox, and a hare for food. The monkey and fox had food so they offered some to the old men. However, the hare did not have any, so he just threw himself into the fire to offer the men his flesh. The fairy sages were so touched that theytook the rabbit and let him live in the Heavenly Palace and from then on he was known as the Jade Rabbit.

The Jade Rabbit

Moon Festival 2009

@ OMA

Lunar Calendar8th Month 15th Day

2009 Date: October 3

Chuseok 2009Korean Thanksgiving

SongpyeonKorean Rice Cake

A TIME FOR FAMILY….

Happy Asian Thanksgiving2009

OMA