1、South Koreas Festivals 2012.8 1 Guideline January 1： Solar New Year ( ) Lunar January 1： Lunar New Year ( ) Lunar January 15： Lantern Festival ( ) March 1： Independence Movement Day ( ) 105 days after Dongji ： Hansik ( ) April 5： Arbor Day ( ) May 5： Childrens day ( ) Lunar April 8： Buddhas Birthday
2、 ( ) Lunar May 5： Dragon Boat Festival ( ) Jun 6： Memorial Day ( ) July 17： Constitution Day ( ) August 15： Independence Day ( ) Lunar August 15： Mid-autumn Festival ( ) October 3： Foundation Day ( ) December 25： Christmas Day ( ) For the HIPO OJT program， Im supposed to stay in Korea for 2 months.
3、Although the time is kind of short, I wanted to explore major Korean festivals and holidays and learn the main meanings and customs. The Koreas long history, agrarian culture, and mix of religions provide a multitude of different festivals and holidays throughout the year. Koreas festivals seem simi
4、lar to Chinas but also very different. Most Korean festivals are very colorful and have specific customs and unique characteristics. 2 Lunar New Year holiday, is the first day of January according to the lunar calendar, plus the day before and after. It is one of the most important Korean national h
5、olidays; Lunar new Year is typically a family holiday. The 3-day holiday is spent by many to go visit their parents and other relatives, where they perform an ancestral ritual, eat special food ( and ) , and play traditional games. Many Koreans dress up in traditional Korean clothing, called hanbok.
6、 But nowadays, small families tend to become less formal and wear other formal clothing instead of hanbok. Other Koreans spend their holiday by visiting East-coast locations such as Gangneung and Donghae in Gangwon province, where they are most likely to see the first rays of the New Years sun. Luna
7、r New Year 3 Independence Movement Day Korean people commemorates the March 1st Movement in 1919. Symbolistic figure of March 1st Movement is Yoo Kwan-Sun, who led the movement and sacrificed her life for Koreas getting independence. Note: March 1st Movement On 1 March 1919, the 33 nationalists who
8、formed the core of the Samil Movement convened at Taehwagwan Restaurant in Seoul, and read the Korean Declaration of Independence that had been drawn up by the historian Choe Nam-seon. The nationalists initially planned to assemble at Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul, but they chose a more private loca
9、tion out of fear that the gathering might turn into a riot. The leaders of the movement signed the document and sent a copy to the Governor General, with their compliments. 4 Hansik Hansik is 105 days after Dongji and is one of the four major festive holidays in Korea. The term Hansik is derived fro
10、m an old custom of not lighting fire, thus eating cold food. It is said that the origin of this holiday goes back to ancient China where the day was made to console JieZitui, a loyal subject of Jin. This day, the country holds sacrificial rites at Jongmyo (Royal Shrine) and Neungwon. Citizens hold t
11、heir own memorial services and visit their families ancestral graves. If the grave is worn they lay fresh turf in a custom called Gaesacho. People also plant trees around the grave. Farmers also spread seeds from the farmhouse 5 Arbor Day Arbor Day (Sikmogil) used to be a “no work“ public holiday in
12、 South Korea. Even though, it is no longer a legal holiday, many Koreans still celebrate the holiday. One of the reasons April 5 was chosen as Arbor Day was because this time of year (Cheongmyeong) is the best time for planting flowers and trees. April 5 was also the day when Silla Kingdom unified K
13、orea, and King Songjong cultivated a field known as Sonnongdan outside of Tongdaemun in 1343. Chinas Arbor day is on March 12, and also we will plant a tree as a good investment for the future, and as a way to prevent erosion. 6 Childrens day Childrens Day in Korea is viewed by Korean children in a
14、similar manner as Christmas is viewed by many children in the west of the world - as a time for gifts and fun. Because, it is a national holiday, parents are free to let children indulge the whims and wants by taking them to amusement parks, movies, parks, zoos, and other places that draw the excite
15、d laughter of youth. Childrens Day in Korea traces its origins to Bang Jeong-hwan, a childrens story book writer, who, on May 1, 1923, wrote “An Open Letter to Adults.“ This letter asked adults to speak to children with respect, and speak softly. Note: Chinas Childrens day is on June 1. 7 Buddhas Bi
16、rthday According to the Buddhist calendar, its the year 2,554, and to celebrate the birth of the Buddha, over 100,000 brightly colored lanterns have been strung up along Seouls streets. Yeon Deung Hoe ( ), or the Lotus Lantern Assembly, is a traditional Korean folk festival that began centuries ago
17、during the Goryeo Period, when Buddhism reached its zenith as ancient Koreas state religion. But even today, the festival preserves the tradition of making and hanging lanterns as symbolic offerings of light, wisdom and compassion in a world often filled with darkness and suffering. On the day of Bu
18、ddhas birth, many temples provide free meals and tea to all visitors. The breakfast and lunch provided are often sanchae bibimbap. 8 Dragon Boat Festival Dano is one of the four main national holidays in Korea. The celebration of Dano in the coastal town of Gangneung, located in South Koreas Gangwon
19、 prefecture, is especially distinctive, being accompanied by masques and shamanist ritual performances, and it has a history of at least one thousand years, although it only acquired the outline of its present day form during the last century. Within Korea itself, the Dano celebrations of Gangneung
20、were listed as early as 1967 as the thirteenth indigenous cultural item to be classified as a major intangible cultural asset of the ROK. 9 Memorial Day The South Korean (officially the Republic of Korea) Memorial Day (Korean: Hyeonchung-il) is held every June 61 to commemorate the people who died w
21、hile in the Korean War and other significant wars or battles. On this day, a memorial ceremony has been held in the National Cemetery in Seoul, starting from 1956. At 10 A.M. on Memorial Day, a siren rings all over the country, and people have silent prayers for 10 minutes. Also, the South Korean fl
22、ag is flown at half-staff. 10 Constitution Day Constitution Day was proclaimed as a national holiday on Oct. 1,1949, with the creation of the National Holiday Law. A commemorative ceremony is held in the presence of President,Chairman of the National Assembly,Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and t
23、he original constitutional assembly members, and citizens hanging the national flag. Special activities such as marathons are often held. Since 2008, Constitution Day in South Korea has been no longer a “no work“ public holiday, following the restructure of laws, regarding the public sector with a 4
24、0-hour work week. But, it is still a national holiday for commemoration. 11 Independence Day Korea gained its independence from Japanese colonial rule on August 15,1945, and the Republic of Korea was established three years later. Each year, South Korea commemorates the nations liberation from Japan
25、ese occupation and the formation of the Republic of Korea. Known as National Liberation Day, this public holiday is celebrated with festivities, ceremonies, and parades nationwide. 12 Mid-autumn Festival The holiday is often recognized by foreigners as the Korean version of the American Thanksgiving
26、 Day: it is a day when families get together, express thanks to their ancestors for a plentiful harvest, and wish for another good year. The day before and after Mid-autumn are also holidays, giving people 3 days to visit their families and hometowns. Many Chuseok traditions involve expressing grati
27、tude to ancestors. On the morning of Chuseok, people present newly harvested rice, rice wine and Songpyeon, a crescent-shaped rice cake, to their ancestral altars. They then visit their ancestors graves, trimming weeds growing on and around the graves, and making formal bows of gratitude to their an
28、cestors. 13 Foundation Day Gaecheonjeol in Korea, which means “the day when the sky opens”, is marked with various commemorative events including the re-enactment of symbolic sacrificial rituals. The day is also marked with diverse activities like public speeches,Taekwondo and other performances by
29、various artists. All schools, public offices and private offices remain closed to honor the National Foundation Day of Korea. A special event is held in downtown Seoul at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts with some 3,000 people in attendance as well as Prime Minister. The altar is said to have b
30、een erected by Dangun to offer thanks to his father and grandfather in heaven. 14 Christmas Day Just like in the West, the Christian churches in South Korea hold Christmas pageants and conduct special services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The young people especially enjoy the fellowship these
31、 observances provide. After the Christmas Eve services, they go caroling to the homes of older church members, where they are typically treated with hot drinks and snacks. There are many celebrations taking place in the Christmas time in South Korea. Many people get together and enjoy partying in the evening time. Many others visit their relatives houses and have a great time together. The Christmas time comes only once, so the buildings, shops and other tourist attractions are decorated with glittering lights. Thank you.
