Chuseok

Hello. My name is Seo-yun, and I live in the Silla Kingdom a very, very long time ago. After a long, hot summer of helping my parents in the fields, the air has finally turned cool and crisp. This is my favorite time of year because it means the harvest is here. Our rice fields look like a golden sea, with the heavy stalks of grain swaying gently in the breeze. The persimmon trees in our yard are dotted with bright orange fruit, and the pear trees are so full their branches hang low to the ground. Having so much food to gather is a wonderful blessing. It means we will have plenty to eat all winter. That is why we have a special celebration to say thank you to our ancestors, the family members who lived long before us, for their blessings. We call this happy day Chuseok.

I woke up on the morning of Chuseok before the sun did. I was too excited to sleep. The smell of something sweet and nutty was already coming from the kitchen. I jumped out of bed and put on my brand new clothes. My mother had made them just for today, with a bright yellow top and a deep red skirt that swished when I walked. In the kitchen, my mother and grandmother were already busy. ‘Seo-yun, come help us make songpyeon,’ my mother said with a smile. Songpyeon are special rice cakes shaped like a half-moon. We made the dough from rice flour and filled them with sweet beans and sesame seeds. Mother told me, ‘If you make your songpyeon beautifully, you will have good luck.’ I tried my very best to pinch the edges perfectly. After our bellies were full of the yummy rice cakes, it was time for the charye ceremony. My father and grandfather carefully set a special table with all our best food, like fruits, rice cakes, and fish. We placed it in the main room of our house as an offering for our ancestors. Then, we all bowed deeply to show them our respect and thanks. Later in the evening, as the sun began to set, we walked to the grassy hillsides to visit our ancestors’ graves. We pulled away any weeds and made sure the area was neat and tidy. When the moon rose, it was huge and bright, like a giant lantern in the sky. We joined the other villagers in a big, open field. We all held hands and danced in a circle, singing a happy song. This dance is called Ganggangsullae, and we do it to celebrate the full moon and our wonderful harvest.

As I danced with my friends and family, my tummy was full of delicious songpyeon and my heart felt even fuller with love. I looked up at the big, bright harvest moon and felt so happy and safe. It felt like the moon was smiling down on all of us. I knew that our ancestors were watching over us, too, happy that we were remembering them. Chuseok is a day for being thankful for our food and our family. I hope that this wonderful tradition of celebrating together under the full moon will last forever, just like the moon always returns to light up the night sky.