The origin of Chilseok

The origin of Chilseok appears for the first time in China's Jehaegi. It flowed into Korea from the state to the Han Dynasty.

Based on the story of Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo, Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo, who were unable to meet each other, meet once a year on the Ojakgyo Bridge made by crows and magpies. It often rains on Chilseok, and according to this legend, it is said that it is tears of joy for Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo, and it is said that the rain before and after Chilseok Day is because Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo wash their carts with water.

Also, on Chilseok, magpies and crows go up to the sky to make Ojakgyo Bridge, so they cannot be seen from the ground. After Chilseok, the hair of the magpie was peeled off, and it is said that it was because the stone was attached to the head to put the Ojakgyo Bridge, and it is also said that Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo stepped on the magpie's head and passed by.[1]

It seems that Korea also had this story and customs in the Three Kingdoms period. This is because among Goguryeo tomb murals, the mural of Deokheung-ri tomb in Gangseo-gu, Nampo-si, Pyeongannam-do, reflects the story of Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo. According to the records, King Gongmin of Goryeo sacrificed at the palace on Chilseok Day along with the queen and gave rust to the white crowns, and there is a record that during the Joseon Dynasty, a feast was held at the palace and the past of Jeolilje was held to the Confucian scholars of Seonggyungwan. It can be inferred from the literature such as Dongguk Sesigi that the customs of Chilseok were actively developed in the private sector outside the palace.

I eat wheat noodles, wheat pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, etc.

In addition, various customs were practiced in the private sector on Chilseok Day. According to Dongguk Sesigi, in the old days, schoolchildren were asked to write poems with Gyunwoo Jiknyeo as a poem. In addition, there were the customs of violence and violence to dry clothes and books in the sun. This is to prevent mold from getting stuck when the clothes in the closet and the books on the bookshelf are damp during the summer rainy season. On the other hand, there was a custom of Geolgyo in which women prayed for sewing skills in Jiknyeo Castle, and Geolgyo Bridge was originally originated in China. At the dawn of Chilseok, women put fruits such as melons and cucumbers on the table and bow to pray for their sewing skills to improve. In the evening, if there is a spider web over the table, the weaver in the sky is happy to think that the wish was granted. In other regions, they put purified water on the jar, put a tray of ashes on it, and prayed to the stars to improve their sewing skills, and believed that if there were traces of ashes the next morning, they would be good at sewing because they had a spirit.

The custom of making wishes to stars, ancestors, nature, and Buddha was also performed according to the region and family. Depending on the region, rituals such as Chilseokje, Yongwangje, and Fieldje are held, and foods such as wheat noodles, wheat pancakes, and pumpkin doraejeon are also made and eaten in shrines. They make wheat pancakes with Chilseok food and play until late at night with alcohol and snacks called Chilseoknori.

China and Vietnam enjoyed dating because it was lovers' day.[2] In Korea, there was a custom of drying clothes and books in the sun, offering food to Jiknyeo, and taking a bath in search of mineral springs or waterfalls, considering the rain falling on Chilseok as mineral water. However, in modern times, the meaning of the holiday has faded a lot. Holidays other than holidays are bound to fade.

In Japan, it is called Tanabata or Hoshiai. However, even in Japan, it is a holiday that was forcibly changed to solar power during the process of modernization. Of course, there is a custom called Tsukiokure, which is postponed one month later to meet the season because forced change to solar power makes a seasonal difference. Most of the Chilseoks are held on July 7 of the solar calendar, but in some regions, Tsukiokure is applied to August 7.