National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Custom of Enjoying Harvest Moon Day (Chusok)

September ２５ this year is the Harvest Moon Day (Chusok), a folk holiday of our people.

Chusok is a big holiday among the folk holidays of our people. Our people have enjoyed the holiday praying for a bumper harvest while preparing the full-scale reaping.

The important etiquette on the Harvest Moon Day is to visit graves of ancestors.

From of old, our people regard it as due duty and traditional custom to visit graves of ancestors with foods made with new crops of the year.

On the day people spruce up surroundings of the ancestors’ graves and hold memorial services. After the memorial services the visitors take foods recollecting the predecessors to promote harmony.

Like this, the custom of enjoying the Harvest Moon Day reflects beautiful mortal traits of our courteous people with deep sense of obligation.

Typical foods on the Harvest Moon Day are half-moon-shaped rice cake, nochi (fried cake made of glutinous rice and malty powder), chestnut dumpling, etc.

On the holiday people play folk games such as swinging (women), Korean wrestling (men) and archery.

In the evening of the Harvest Moon Day people feast their eyes on the full moon, reciting poems and singing songs reflecting their wishes.

Thanks to the benevolence of the Party, which values our advantageous tradition, the custom of our people enjoying the Harvest Moon Day is carried on continuously.

Rodong Sinmun