Full of Harvest, Full of Harmony
“No more, no less than Chuseok”. Koreans often say this at Chuseok the second biggest national holiday. It is August 15th of lunar calendar the time right after the first harvest. Nowadays, the importance it has as the agricultural society is decreased but in some ways Chuseok make family gathered and have a good time with relatives after a long time.
First, making special foods for Chuseok is a process that gathered family members work together. One of them is a Songpyeon, a semicircular steamed rice cake. In that, sesame, red bean, soya, or mung bean is gotten into. According to tradition, if unmarried women make a Songpyeon well, she will marry a great guy and give birth a beautiful baby. And they also cook other foods such as Korean pancake, and fried food together. During the cooking time, they say hello to each other and talk about the recent conditions. This is usually happened the day before Chuseok.
Then, in the daytime of Chuseok, whole family members go to their ancestors’ cemetery along with the food made in the previous day. After arriving the grave, they spread the cookery onto the small stone table and bow down to the ground. Eating the offering is the last part of the service. It is called Seongmyo. Or, they set the table with the foods that their antecedents had liked in the house. Mostly it is composed of fruits, rice cakes, dry fishes, alcohol and more. Bowing down and eating is same. This ceremony contains thankful mind for the forbears’ lasting protection and asking good health and long life to descendants in heaven.
At the night, people come out of the house and enjoy the full moon. Normally, they climb up to the low hill. With seeing the moon, people make a wish. They may hope peace, health, and happy for their family. In the past, many women came together, held their hands in a circle, and went around beneath the moon. Then one woman led a song first and the other women replied with singing “ganggangsulae”. Also, the moon of Chuseok was used for divination. Through this they predict a good or bad the harvest would be. Since techniques of the forecast have already developed, this is no more continuous.
Through Chuseok people could meet their relations and hometown friends after a long separation. Plus, they also prepare the rest of the year in relaxing. Even the meaning of Chuseok is gradually weakened because of the today’s busy circumstances, it is a beautiful tradition to be succeeded. Like the quotation at the very first, contentment contained in Chuseok must last in every year.
Peer Feedback
ReplyDeleteTo. SeongHwa Jeong / From Unbae kwon / First draft
1. What I like about this piece of writing is the structure of your essay. it’s just first draft, but your essay seems to perfect when it comes to the structure.
2. Your main point seems to be chuseok as the second biggest national holiday.
3. I love your hook. you starts your essay with a quotation. it was natural and caught me.
4. I couldn't find connection between first paragraph and second one. your body paragraph’s contents are good, which are the process of the holiday, but I think there’s lack of connection between first paragraph and body paragraph
5. Your contents was good, especially I could know about the exact process of chuseok. If you try to compensate the unity, connection between first paragraph and body paragraph, your essay would be more readable
Second Draft
ReplyDelete“No more, no less than Chuseok”. Koreans often say this at Chuseok the second biggest national holiday. It is August 15th of lunar calendar the time right after the first harvest. Nowadays, the importance it has as the agricultural society is decreased but in some ways Chuseok make family gathered and have a good time with relatives after a long time-even going and coming time takes so much. Normally Chuseok is three-day holiday so each day has own process. More than half of first and last day is ‘on the road’ time. Thus, from the night of first day to the whole second day may be the exact time for spending with families and relatives. An ordinary traditional process usually happens at that time step by step.
First, making special foods for Chuseok is an initial process that gathered family members work together. One of them is a Songpyeon, a semicircular steamed rice cake. In that, sesame, red bean, soya, or mung bean is gotten into. According to tradition, if unmarried women make a Songpyeon well, she will marry a great guy and give birth a beautiful baby. And they also cook other foods such as Korean pancake, and fried food together. During the cooking time, they say hello to relatives and talk about the recent conditions. This is usually happened the day before Chuseok.
Then, in the daytime of Chuseok, whole family members go to their ancestors’ cemetery along with a few of foods made in the previous day. After arriving the grave, they spread the cookery onto the small stone table and bow down to the ground. Eating the offering is the last part of the service. It is called Seongmyo. Or, they set the table in the house with the foods that their antecedents liked while they lived. Mostly it is composed of fruits, rice cakes, dry fishes, alcohol and more. Bowing down and eating is same as the going to the cemetery. This ceremony contains thankful mind for the forbears’ lasting protection and asking good health and long life to descendants in heaven.
At the night, people come out of their home and enjoy the full moon. Normally, they climb up to the low hill or find a place good for the viewing the moon. In seeing the moon, people make a wish. They may hope peace, health, and happy for their family. In the past, many women came together, held their hands in a circle, and went around beneath the moon. Then one woman led a song first and the other women replied with singing “ganggangsulae”. Also, the moon of Chuseok was used for divination. Through this they predict a good or bad the upcoming harvest would be. Since techniques of the forecast have already highly developed, this is no more continuous.
Through Chuseok people could meet their relations and hometown friends after a long separation. Plus, they also prepare the rest of the year in relaxing during the holidays. Even the meaning of Chuseok is gradually weakened because of the today’s busy circumstance it is a beautiful tradition to be succeeded. Like the quotation at the very first, contentment contained in Chuseok must be lasted in every year.
Final Draft
ReplyDelete“No more, no less than Chuseok,” Because Chuseok have been plentiful holiday for a long time, Korean people say it frequently. Chuseok is the second biggest national holiday. It is August 15th of lunar calendar, the time right after the first harvest. Nowadays, the importance it has as the agricultural society is decreasing but in some ways Chuseok make family be gathered and have a valuable time with relatives after a long time. Normally Chuseok is three-day holiday so each day has own process. More than half of first and last day is ‘on the road’ time. Thus, from the night of first day to the whole second day may be the exact time for spending with families and relatives. An ordinary process usually happens at that time step by step.
First, making special foods for Chuseok is an initial process that gathered family members work together. One of them is a Songpyeon, a semicircular steamed rice cake. In that, sesame, red bean, soya, or mung bean is gotten into. According to tradition, if an unmarried woman make a Songpyeon well, they will marry a great guy and give birth beautiful babies. And they also cook other foods such as Korean pancake and fried food together. During the cooking time, they say hello to relatives and talk about the recent conditions. This is usually happened the day before Chuseok.
Then, in the daytime of Chuseok, whole family members go to their ancestors’ cemetery with a few of foods made in the previous day. After arriving the grave, they spread the cookery onto the small stone table and bow down to the ground. Eating the offering is the last part of the service. It is called Seongmyo. Or, they set the table in the house with the foods that their antecedents liked while they lived. Mostly it is composed of fruits, rice cakes, dry fishes, alcohol and more. Bowing down and eating is same as the going to the cemetery. This ceremony contains thankful mind for the forbears’ lasting protection. People wishes good health and long life to descendants in heaven.
At that night, people come out of their home and enjoy the full moon. Normally, they climb up to the low hill or find a place good for the viewing the moon. In seeing the moon, people make a wish. They may hope peace, health, and happy for their family. In the past, many women came together, held their hands in a circle, and went around beneath the moon. Then one woman led a song first and the other women replied with singing “Ganggangsulae,” Also, the moon of Chuseok was used for divination. Through this they predict whether the upcoming harvest will be good or bad. Since techniques of the forecast have already highly developed, this is no more continuous.
Through Chuseok people could meet their relations and hometown friends after a long separation. Plus, they also prepare the rest of the year in relaxing during the holidays. Even the meaning of Chuseok is weakening gradually because of the today’s busy circumstance it is a beautiful tradition to be succeeded. However, contentment contained in Chuseok must be lasted in every year.