Difference between revisions 1957976 and 1958547 on hiwiki

{{Infobox Korean name
|img=Korean ancestor veneration-Jesa-01.jpg
|caption=''[[Jesasang]]'', ceremonial table setting on Chuseok.
|hangul= 추석
|hanja={{linktext|秋|夕}}
|rr=Chuseok
|mr=Ch'usŏk
}}
'''Chuseok''' ([[Korean Language|Korean]]: 추석), originally known as '''Hangawi''' (한가위) (from archaic [[Korean language|Korean]] for "great middle"), is a major [[harvest festival]] and a three-day holiday in [[Korea]] celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the   [[lunar calendar]]. Like many other harvest festivals, it is held around the Autumn [[Equinox]]. As a celebration of the good [[harvest]], Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of Korean traditional food.

== Origins ==
Historically and according to popular belief, Chuseok originates from ''Gabae'' started during the reign of the third king of the kingdom of [[Silla]] (57 BC - AD 935), when it was a month-long [[weaving]] contest between two teams.<ref>The Academy of Korean Studies, ed. (1991), "Chuseok", ''Encyclopedia of Korean People and Culture'', Woongjin (in Korean)</ref><ref>Farhadian, Charles E. (2007). ''Christian Worship Worldwide''. Wm. Bm. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-2853-8.</ref>   Come the day of ''Gabae'', the team that had woven more cloth had won and was treated to a feast by the losing team.

Many scholars also believe Chuseok may originate from ancient shamanistic celebrations of the [[harvest moon]].<ref>Farhadian, Charles E. (2007). ''Christian Worship Worldwide''. Wm. Bm. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-2853-8.</ref>   New harvests are offered to local deities and ancestors, which means Chuseok may have originated as a worship ritual.<ref>Korea University Institute of Korean Culture, ed. (1982), "Social Life", ''Korean Heritage Overview'', '''1''', Korea University   (in Korean)</ref> In some areas, if there is no harvest, worship rituals are postponed, or in areas with no annual harvest, Chuseok is not celebrated.
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== Traditional customs ==
[[चित्र:Koreanthanksgiving-chuseok.jpg|thumb|Another table with many traditional food offerings on it.]]In modern [[South Korea]], on Chuseok there is a mass exodus of Koreans returning to their hometowns to pay respects to the spirits of one's ancestors.   People perform ancestral worship rituals early in the morning.   They often visit the tombs of their immediate ancestors to trim plants and clean the area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors.   Harvest crops are attributed to the blessing of ancestors.

One of the major foods prepared and eaten during the Chuseok holiday is ''[[songpyeon]]'' (송편), a crescent-shaped rice cake which is steamed upon [[pine]] needles. Other dishes commonly prepared are japchae, bulgogi and fruits.

=== Folk games ===
A variety of folk games are played on Chuseok to celebrate the coming of Autumn and rich harvest. Village folk dress themselves to look like a cow or a turtle, and go from house to house along with a [[Nongak]] band playing music. Other common folk games played on Chuseok are [[tug of war]], [[ssireum]], [[archery]] and [[Litter (vehicle)#Korea|gama]] fighting. Folk games also vary from region to region. [[Ganggangsullae]] dance which is forming a circle under a moon is performed by women and children in southwestern coastal regions, and [[cockfight]] or [[bullfighting]] in the southern regions.

== Dates for Chuseok on the Gregorian calendar ==
[[चित्र:Korean rice cake-Songpyeon-01.jpg|thumb|''[[Songpyeon]]'']]
Chuseok is on the following days: 
* 2006: October 6
* 2007: September 25
* 2008: September 14
* 2009: October 3
* 2010: September 22
* 2011: September 12
* 2012: September 30
* 2013: September 19
* 2014: September 8
* 2015: September 27
* 2016: September 15
* 2017: October 4
* 2018: September 24

Chuseok, as well as the day before it and afterwards, are legal holidays in South Korea.

==Notes==
<references/>

==References==
The Academy of Korean Studies, ed. (1991), "Chuseok", ''Encyclopedia of Korean People and Culture'', Woongjin (in Korean)

{{cite book
  | last = Farhadian
  | first = Charles E.
  | title = Christian Worship Worldwide
  | publisher = Wm. Bm. Eerdmans Publishing
  | date = 2007
  | isbn = 9780802828538 }}

{{Cite book
  | contribution = Social Life
  | title = Korean Heritage Overview
  | editor-last = Korea University Institute of Korean Culture
  | volume = 1
  | publisher = Korea University
  | year = 1982
  | postscript = <!--None--> }}
(in Korean)


==See also==
*  [[Hansik]], the other Korean holiday for ancestral rituals
*  [[List of harvest festivals]]
*  [[Public holidays in South Korea]]
*  [[List of Korea-related topics]]

{{Commons}}

[[श्रेणी:Holidays in Korea]]
[[श्रेणी:Buddhist holidays]]
[[श्रेणी:Autumn holidays]]
[[श्रेणी:Harvest festivals]]

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