Is Korean. In general, Koreans are a large ethnic group speaking the same language. Although there are quite a few dialects of Korean, almost all Koreans use Literary Korean, which is based on the Seoul dialect, in their conversations.
The population does not speak English well, but all signs and signs are usually translated into this language.
Religion in the state is completely free. In general, South Korea is a rather religious country - believers here make up more than half of all residents. The main religions of the country are Buddhism - 51.2% of believers, Protestantism - 34.4%, Catholicism - 10.6%, Shamanism and Confucianism - 1.8%.
Population
In total, about 46 million people live in South Korea. Seoul has a population of about 11 million people. The population density in the country is generally one of the highest in the world.
The share of Koreans in the country's population is 99%. The remaining 1% is almost all Chinese.
Regardless of religion, almost the entire Korean society lives according to the teachings of Confucius. Confucianism in general is rather not a religion, but a philosophy, life teaching and instruction. According to this philosophy, each person has a place in society. The worker is dependent on the employer, and the son is dependent on the father. This structure is not subject to any changes. The dominant place in the society of South Korea belongs to men.
Confucianism is based on respect for the family, parents, ancestors, friends. As well as people in power. In addition, Confucianism emphasizes exceptional importance humanity, change, education, peace and justice. Many South Koreans think that their nation will reach unprecedented heights in the near future.
A distinctive feature of all Koreans is respect for any culture, as well as for foreigners.
Since age and position in society play a huge role, anyone is expected to be completely subordinate to their elders. That is why in Korea it is considered natural to ask about marital status and age almost immediately when meeting, in order to immediately understand what position he is in relation to the interlocutor.
Any man, regardless of age, will not be considered an adult if he is not yet married.
Korean Sign Language has some peculiarities. It is not customary to call a person with a hand that is turned palm up. It is also not customary to beckon with a finger, since dogs are called with such a gesture. To call a person, you should wave your hand with your palm facing down.
When meeting, it is customary to shake hands, as in European countries. Women don't shake hands.
The paradox of this social phenomenon is that culture of south korea, like the North, have not only a common language of communication, but also common historical roots of their ethical and moral traditions based on the principles and postulates of Confucianism. And if, in the Southern country, these principles of universal respect for parents, family, friends, and the older generation have acquired more humanistic forms, then in the Northern, the Juche teachings have significantly transformed these concepts.
All this led to the creation of not only a totalitarian state regime post-communist type, but also to the destruction of any freedoms of man and personality. However, if we consider modern tendencies in the upbringing of the younger generation in South Korea, then in this process, special importance is primarily given to the aesthetic education of the individual, and then technical and humanitarian knowledge of a higher order is superimposed on this formed “foundation”.
Religion in South Korea
It is no secret that almost all religions of the world are significantly influenced by both certain national traditions and the ethnic characteristics of a particular people or social group who professes it. This happened in our case as well. Geography of South Korea, suggests a significant influence of the cultures of neighboring peoples. After all, having traditionally Buddhist beliefs, it absorbed more ancient religious interpretations of Confucianism, which for many centuries was the official religion of the Joseon dynasty.
Economy of South Korea
The paradox of the development of the South Korean economy is the fact that, being backward until the sixties and focused mainly on the production of agricultural products for domestic consumption, over the past fifty years it has become the most advanced economy in the world, ranking 15th in the world in terms of GDP. In addition, there was a radical reorientation. And today the economy South Korea is advanced in almost all branches of industry and agriculture.
Science of South Korea
As many analysts in the field of economics write, one of the main reasons for the incredible success of South Korea in the field of economic development and production lies in the fact that these transformations were based, both in terms of significant investment in scientific and technical developments, and in the field of national education.
Art of South Korea
One of the main features of the development contemporary art South Korea is the fact that against the backdrop of the manifestation of modern urban trends, both in the field of architecture, monumental art and painting, the modern carefully preserves the ancient, centuries-old traditions of the masters of making the finest ceramics, architecture and working with metal.
South Korean cuisine
modern kitchen South Korea, like culture many countries of this Asian region, has the peculiarity that it is based on the use of the most common agricultural products, namely the same rice, beans and barley. At the same time, being a country surrounded by seas, the cuisine of South Korea also abounds with seafood, which traditionally, like ordinary Korean dishes, are richly seasoned with spicy spices.
Customs and traditions of South Korea
If we talk about, then in addition to the peculiar national dress "hanbok" and the traditional style in architecture, namely the construction of structures in the form of pagodas, landscape design occupies a special place in the culture of the inhabitants of South Korea. South Korean gardens, which are an indispensable element of any home, differ significantly from the tradition of creating parks in the same China and Japan. So, in particular, South Korean parks and gardens have the entire entourage present in the park is only of artificial origin. So, quite often a South Korean garden or park looks much more attractive than its natural counterpart.
Sports of South Korea
South Korea, being quite tightly integrated into the modern world economy in the field of sports cultivates almost all popular European sports. So, in many international arenas it is represented not only by football and basketball, but also by such somewhat exotic types as computer sports, which is based on individual and personal participation in computer multiplayer games.
Despite recent changes, the traditional Confucian structure public relations still largely determines the behavior of Koreans.
Respect for elders
Age and social position are of great importance. It is believed that those who are younger or who are lower in social position are obliged to follow the wishes of their elders without objection. Therefore, in Korea, people are often interested in the age, marital status of a person in order to determine their position in relation to this person. These questions are not asked out of idle curiosity. However, you can choose not to answer them if you don't want to.
Names
The most common Korean surnames include the following: Kim (21% of all Koreans), Lee (14%), Park (8%), Choi (or Choi), Chon, Chan, Han, Lim, etc. A Korean given name consists of a family name mostly of one syllable and a given name as such usually of two syllables. Last name comes first. Women in Korea do not take their husband's surname after marriage, but their children take their father's surname.
marriages
In Korea, marriage is traditionally considered the most important event in life, and divorce is a shame not only for former spouses, but also for their families. Despite this, the divorce rate has been on the rise in recent years. The modern wedding ceremony is somewhat different from the traditional one. First, a Western-style ceremony is held in a wedding palace or church. On it, the bride and groom are dressed respectively in a tuxedo and Wedding Dress. Then on the same day (and usually in the same place) a traditional wedding ceremony is held in a separate room, during which the couple are dressed in traditional Korean costumes.
Chere (rite of commemoration of ancestors)
According to traditional Korean beliefs, when a person dies, his soul does not immediately go to another world, but only after a change of four generations. All this time, the deceased is considered a member of the family. On holidays such as Seollal (Lunar New Year) or Chuseok (Harvest Day), as well as on the day of the death of the deceased, his descendants perform a rite of remembrance for the cher. Koreans believe that they can live happily through the care of deceased ancestors.
Rules of conduct and gestures
Koreans attach great importance to greetings and words of gratitude. They are always pronounced with a slight bow. The depth of the bow depends on the relative position of the speakers. Koreans do not like excessive displays of emotion and usually limit direct physical contact to a polite handshake. However, as your relationship grows closer, there may be more familiarity.
Foreigners in Korea are often surprised to see girls walking hand in hand. Touching between persons of the same sex who are in close proximity friendly relations are perfectly acceptable in Korea. Public displays of affection between different sexes, such as kissing and hugging, are not as rare these days as they used to be, but they continue to be considered obscene.
Traditionally, Koreans sit, eat and sleep on the floor. Therefore, when entering a Korean home, it is always necessary to take off your shoes. In Korea, it is considered indecent to be bare-legged in the presence of elders, so it is recommended to always wear socks or stockings when visiting a Korean family.
Among the younger generation of Koreans, it is considered quite normal to pay a purse, but it often happens that someone from a group of friends or colleagues pays. It used to be considered impolite in Korea to talk while eating, but these days it is acceptable to talk and laugh at the table. Blowing your nose at the table is considered indecent.
Words of gratitude for delicious food and good service are always accepted with joy.
In Korea, it is not customary to call a person with an upturned hand or beckon with a finger. In Korea, dogs are usually called with such gestures. If you want to call a person, do it with your hand with your palm facing down.
hanbok
Hanbok has been the traditional clothing of Koreans for thousands of years. The beauty and grace of Korean culture is perfectly conveyed in photographs of Korean women dressed in hanbok. Until the advent of Western-style clothing in Korea about 100 years ago, hanbok was the everyday wear of Koreans.
Men wore chogori (jacket) and paji (trousers), women wore chogori and chima (skirt). Nowadays, hanbok is worn only on solemn and festive days, such as wedding day, Seollal (Lunar New Year) or Chuseok (Harvest Day).
Ondol
Rooms in a traditional home do not have a clearly defined purpose. For example, there are no rooms that are used as, say, a dining room or a bedroom. Depending on the need, the same room can be used both as a dining room (in this case, a small folding table is placed there) and as a bedroom (in this case, a mattress is laid in the room).
Most Koreans prefer to sit and sleep on the floor on special mats or mattresses. Rooms in a Korean house have a special heating system ondol built into the floor. Previously, rooms were heated by hot air that circulated through pipes in the earthen floor. Today, water heating is used: hot water circulates through pipes embedded in a cement floor covered with linoleum or other material.
kimjang
Kimjang is a centuries-old tradition of preparing kimchi for the winter, passed down from generation to generation. Various pickled vegetables (mainly kale), called kimchi in Korea, are harvested for future use in late autumn. It is simply impossible to imagine a Korean table without this dish.
Oriental medicine
In Eastern medicine, it is believed that all diseases are caused by a decrease in vital energy and a weakening of the body's immune system, i.e. not a dysfunction of any particular organ, but an imbalance of vitality in the body as a whole. Therefore, Eastern medicine seeks to treat diseases by strengthening the immune system and restoring harmony in the body, and not by eliminating pathogenic factors.
The main methods of oriental medicine include treatment medicinal herbs, acupuncture (acupuncture), moxibustion with wormwood and cupping.
A Korean wedding is not only an interesting tradition that goes back far into history, but also the union of two families, as well as a ritual that must be present in the lives of all young people in Korea. Those who have not started a family before the age of 30 are considered strange, and all relatives and friends of this person will do everything to try to arrange it as soon as possible personal life- they will try to marry the girl to a Korean, and young man- marry. Often, in search of their soulmate, young people resort to the help of qualified matchmakers who are sure that when choosing a partner for life, you should not be guided only by feelings, since in this case you see in a person only positive traits and it is quite possible to make a mistake and make the wrong choice.
Times are changing and traditions have long sunk into oblivion, according to which young people could not influence the choice of their life partner and did not know anything about him until the very wedding ceremony. Today, marriages are built on love, but despite this, there is one tradition that continues to be followed to this day. The fact is that marriage cannot be entered into between young people with the same origin or pon. Pon is a generic name inherited through the male line. For example, the surname Kim is the name of Kimyating. One surname can have more than a dozen pons, which can be the reason for refusing to marry.
Getting to know Korean newlyweds
Although today the conspiracy about the upcoming wedding does not occur behind the backs of the young, parents play a significant role in their fate. They make sure to find out all the information about the bride or groom, and only after that they give a blessing to the Korean wedding.
The fate of the young people is decided at a meeting called "sogethin". It takes place on neutral territory, which is often a restaurant. It is there that the parents of the young meet, and their acquaintance takes place. Often at such meetings there is an exchange of previously prepared medical certificates, indicating the state of health of the young. This is due to the fact that Koreans pay great attention to the health of future offspring. And after that, the girl's parents decide whether she will marry a Korean or still sit in the girls.
Korean Bride Matchmaking
After a successful acquaintance, the groom can send matchmakers to the bride. The groom's father, uncles and attendants act as matchmakers. The main thing is that their number must be odd, which is very important for Koreans. Accompanying people are called "wuxi" and the main requirement related to them is the ability to sing, joke and dance. Relatives of the young, as well as divorced ones, who can bring misfortune to the future young family, cannot be included in the number of "usi".
Matchmakers, who are considered very honorable, go to the bride's house, where all the nuances of the upcoming wedding celebration, as well as the future life of the young couple, are discussed.
Traditions of a mini-wedding "chenchi" in Korea
At the request of the bride's relatives, the groom's side organizes a mini-wedding "chenchi", or, to put it simply, the bride, which is a kind of test for the groom. One can only sympathize with the future spouse, since at this mini-wedding everyone present will constantly make fun of him and ask a lot of tricky questions.
The groom's relatives, in turn, should generously present the bride, having prepared for this in advance cuts of beautiful material, watches, scarves and other things. Most often, gifts are targeted and each of the groom's relatives must present his present to the bride.
The side of the bride the next day should respond with gratitude for the mini-celebration. To do this, the bride must give gifts to all those who before this presented her with their presents.
Wedding ceremonies in Korea
Before the start of the wedding celebration, a certain thanksgiving ceremony takes place in the groom’s house, during which, after the whole family of the groom has tasted treats at the festive table, the groom kneels, folds his palms, bows and says words of gratitude to his parents.
After that, accompanied by "wuxi", the groom goes to the bride's house to go through the tradition of her ransom, which for some reason many consider to be primordially Russian. In fact, the custom of ransom has existed in Korea since ancient times.
The first to meet the groom are the brothers, sisters and bridesmaids, who will definitely be presented with gifts, and those who are younger with sweets. Only after that, the groom will be able to get into the house and freely reach the bride's room, where he will have to pay a more serious ransom for the opportunity to see his chosen one. The size of the ransom directly depends on the skills of the "usi", if he has eloquence and can praise the groom, then he may well be allowed to go to the bride for free.
There is another way to compete for the bride. To do this, the groom can enter into a playful fight with the older brother of his beloved. It looks pretty fun, and a positive attitude from this action is guaranteed to everyone around.
After the groom is finally reunited with the bride, everyone sits down at the table, the place of honor at which is given to the young. Parents give useful instructions to the bride, advising her to obey her husband in everything and to be a good housewife and wife. This is followed by the process of handing over the bride's dowry to the groom. By the way, until this moment he is strictly forbidden to touch him.
It's time to go to the groom's house, at the entrance to which there is a bag of rice, which is considered the main breadwinner in Korea. Stepping over the bag, the bride must not stumble along the laid silk path, symbolizing wealth and prosperity. In order to unite with her future mother-in-law and avoid all sorts of omissions in the future, the girl should look with her into the mirror she brought with her from home. Following the bride, they carry all her dowry.
Banquet at a Korean wedding
Envelopes with money are most often used as wedding gifts. This is a tradition and it is extremely rare that cash gifts are replaced by tea sets that are familiar to us. By the way, the custom of giving only money for the holidays is found, by the way, in many Asian countries.
For the musical arrangement of the celebration at the ceremony in Korea, favorite performers are often invited. Relatives of the newlyweds also do not deny themselves the pleasure of singing a couple of songs in honor of new family, and this is almost the main entertainment of the Asian holiday. And even if the singers sing terribly, they will still get a storm of applause from others.
On the festive table there are always expensive drinks, sweets and a wide variety of treats. Most of the food is purchased in advance by the groom's relatives to show their wealth.
Many traditions in Korean weddings have come from modern times. Here, as in other countries, the bride throws her wedding bouquet into the crowd of her unmarried bridesmaids, and the guests at the festive table shout “Bitter!” with pleasure.
Korean traditions after marriage
The next morning after the festival, the bride must get up before everyone else, cook rice for the whole family and clean up. Modern Korean girls are very lucky, because they only have to clean the apartment, but in the old days, young wives had to put the whole house and yard in order.
After a while, the groom's relatives come to visit, each of which the girl must give gifts prepared in advance, which are purchased by her parents.
This is how the family life of every Korean girl begins and, although many traditions are not observed by modern couples, the main part of the Korean wedding takes place the same way as many years ago.
Major holidays in Korea
New Year |
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Independence Movement Day This day is celebrated in honor of the Declaration of Independence against colonial Japan, proclaimed on March 1, 1919.... |
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sollal |
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Children's Day On this day, parents dress up their children in the best clothes and take them for walks to parks, various attractions, zoos, etc. |
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Buddha's birthday |
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Memorial Day |
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Constitution Proclamation Day |
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Independence Day of South Korea |
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Founding Day of Korea |
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Catholic Christmas |
Chuseok
■ Chuseok is the holiday of thanksgiving to the ancestors.
Chuseok is celebrated on August 15th according to the lunar calendar and is one of the 3 most important and popularly celebrated holidays in Korea (“Solnal” - New Year in lunar calendar, "Tano" - the Spring Festival, celebrated on the fifth of May and, of course, the holiday of thanksgiving to the ancestors for the new harvest - "Chuseok").
Other names for Chuseok are Hangawi and Junchuchul. On the Chuseok festival, all family members gather and, together with relatives, eat cooked food made from a new crop, paying tribute to the ancestors and asking for a bountiful harvest in next year. This year, Chuseok falls on September 18th. But this holiday is usually celebrated for three days: one day after and one day after, so September 17, 18, 19 are considered holidays in Korea.
■ Traditional ceremonies for Chuseok
In the morning, at dawn, a table is set at home, food from the products of the new crop is placed on the table, including Songpyeon rice cakes, as well as a glass of alcohol. After the rite of "Chara" has ended, they climb the mountains (since the graves in Korea are located mainly in the mountains). Graves on this day are cleaned and cleaned of weeds (according to Korean tradition, it is not supposed to often go to the grave of the dead, disturbing their peace, so when you come there occasionally you need to put things in order). The ceremony of cleaning the grave is called "Bolcho". And after pulling out the grass on the grave, thanksgiving bows are made to the ancestors, which are called “Solmyo”.
Here are three main rituals through which people show their gratitude to their ancestors for the new harvest. And when the evening comes, everyone gathers in a circle and, under the round moon, they dance the Kankansulle folk dance and play various national games.
■ The main dish is Chuseok-Songpyeong rice cakes.
No Chuseok is complete without Songpyeong Rice Cakes. Rice flour dough is kneaded, then small pieces are torn off the dough and stuffed with a sweet filling of beans, sesame seeds and chestnuts. Then shaped into a crescent moon and steamed along with pine needles, pine needles are added to give Songpyeong Rice Cakes a pine flavor. It is said that a girl who cooks beautiful crescent-shaped Songpyeong bread will marry well. Either because of this or for some other reason, everyone is trying to make beautiful Songpyeong.
■ Traditional Kankansulle dance on Chuseok
The history of this dance goes back to the time when there was a war between Korea and Japan in 1592. Commander Lee Song-Chin ordered the women to change into military uniform men and surround the mountain, hoping thereby to mislead the Japanese, who could mistake the women for the Korean army from afar and thereby miscalculate the forces of the Koreans. That battle was won by Yi Sung-Shin with a good strategic plan. Since then, this dance has appeared, which has become popular. The girls put on beautiful national dresses "Hanbok", holding hands and forming a circle sing: "Kankansulle, kankansulle ...."
■ Where can I go for Chuseok?
In Kogun Palace, Hangukminseokjeon National Village of Korea, Namsangol Hanok-maeul National Village, various activities will be held during Chuseok. From September 17th to 19th, the National Korean Village "Hangukminseokjeon" will host a performance in which ancient traditional rites will be reproduced, as well as folk festivals will be held. In the Namsangol Hanok-maeul national village, also from the 17th to the 19th, there will be a demonstration of national customs, they will show how to make Songpyeong rice cakes, how to lay the thanksgiving table for the ancestors of Chare-san, the thanksgiving table for the ancestors of the Charigi ”(this is how they lay the table of thanksgiving to the ancestors in the provinces of Cholado and Gyeongsangdo) and various folk festivals and games.
Folk festivals and folk performances will also be held in the Gyeongboggung, Changyongkung, and Chandoggung Palaces.
The holiday begins in the early morning with a ritual of sacrifice to the ancestors, who are given the right to be the first to taste tteok and vodka from rice of the new crop, as well as fresh fruits: persimmon, chestnuts, jujube, nuts, ginkgo fruits, quince.
Having had a bite, the people go to the family cemetery - to the graves put in order in advance. Traditional dishes for this day: songpyeon - green and white rice cakes similar to dumplings with the addition of unleavened white or red sweet beans, chestnuts. On the days of the holiday, Koreans consume Baekchu vodka from the new crop of rice in large quantities. Chuseok was considered a good sign, if one of the guests, having drunk, could not get up or even fell asleep at the table. Maybe this is where the current tolerance of Koreans towards drinkers comes from. In Chuseok, it was necessary to taste chicken meat. One of the wonderful events in Korean life, which fills people's hearts with joyful expectations on the eve of Chuseok, are bonuses and holiday payments (bonuses), which are generously presented to their employees by firms and enterprises.
Get triple the fun on Chuseok!
Chuseok is a great time for relaxation, entertainment and shopping. On this biggest Korean holiday, various activities are held in Seoul and many places in the provinces, and shopping centers, including duty-free shops, are busy serving customers who come to the holiday sale. You can experience all this for yourself by coming to Korea now. But do not forget to think over the program of your trip first. Hurry up to get acquainted with Korean traditions and enjoy shopping in the latest fashion!
Step 1. "Chuseok" and its traditions
Like Seolnal (Lunar New Year), Chuseok is the most significant Korean holiday, which takes place on August 15 according to the lunar calendar. a ritual of ancestor worship, laying on the table "tok (rice cakes)" and vodka made from freshly harvested rice. After this ceremony, Koreans go to the cemetery or relax with their families. Chuseok is the most abundant holiday, and it is not for nothing that people say: "Let life be no better and no worse than on Hangavi." The traditional dish of the holiday is "songpyon" made from new rice, peas and chestnuts. The abundance of only ripened chestnuts, persimmons, apples and other fruits warms the souls of all Koreans on this holiday. In the villages on Chuseok, dances ("gangansulle"), traditional games ("sajanori", "juldarigi") and parties are played.
Step 2. Traditional games galore
On Chuseok, many places in Seoul host traditional Korean games and various events. In all places associated with traditional culture, including ancient palaces, some kind of performance is sure to be held. These days, having learned the date and place of the event, it is good to participate in competitions and concerts that are held for free. Dancing in masks, traditional wedding, preparing a festive "tok", traditional games - everything that is not easy to see on ordinary days - will leave unforgettable impressions in your memory.
Step 3. Sale plus gifts
On Chuseok, you can buy branded items at duty-free shops at a discount of up to 70-80%. In addition, you can take part in various competitions and receive gifts. Of course, this does not mean that you should buy things you do not need and spoil the whole trip with this. In order to get the most out of your trip, you need to know the information you need in advance and make smart purchases.
Before traveling to Korea, be sure to check out online duty free. In this way, you can save time by thinking ahead of time of a list of things that you would like to purchase. In addition, this way you can save yourself from unnecessary purchases and calculate your finances. In order to make a purchase on the online duty free, you first need to register on the site, and then order the product you need. Please note that payment is made by credit card, and when buying an expensive item, it is better to see it yourself first.
Shopping at duty-free shops at the airport
In order to calmly go shopping at the airport duty-free, you need to register in advance. First of all, you must not forget the Dutifree catalog. The store at Incheon Airport is very large, so it's best to familiarize yourself with the goods first and then shop. Lotte's duty-free at Incheon Airport mainly sells cosmetics, perfumes, clothes and watches, while AK's duty-free sells cosmetics, electrical goods from Sony, Phillips, etc. NOTK's duty-free has a Korean department, where, in addition to branded items, cigarettes, ginseng and kimchi are sold, an Australian department , where products from sheep's six are sold, as well as various seasonal sales departments. However, the sale may be in certain departments, so you need to shop by comparing prices with the city's duty free shops.
Shopping in urban duty free
Walking around Seoul, you can shop in urban dutifree shops. Knowing the features of each store, you can buy a thing without spending a lot of time on it. City duty free are located mainly in the city center, hotels, parks, which allows you to combine tourism with shopping. For example, while shopping in Myeong-dong, you can look into the department store Lotte and Lotte Dutifree.
Korean New Year
The New Year's holiday lasted the entire first half of the 1st lunar month: it began with the appearance of the crescent of the new moon and ended on the full moon of the 14th-15th day. His first day and last were especially intense.
In the New Year holiday of the Koreans, like many peoples, the magic of the 1st day played a big role. The first day of the New Year holiday was celebrated especially solemnly and cheerfully, as it was believed that what the first day would be, the whole year would be like that. The Koreans had a belief: "The merrier we celebrate the New Year, the richer the new harvest will be." Therefore, on this day, folk festivals, mass games, and sports competitions were organized.
In the New Year's rituals, elements of a joke and a game were observed. On Uizhu Island, young men and women held competitions in eating sweets. There was also a custom at dawn to eat raw chestnuts, ginkgo fruits, gnaw on walnuts and unpeeled pine nuts, while repeating the wishes: "All year, all twelve months, live without worries and know no diseases!" It was believed that cracking nuts strengthens teeth and prevents dental diseases. There was a New Year's joke - "sale of heat". We tried to get up as early as possible and call out to someone. If he responded, they immediately shouted: "Buy my warmth!" It was believed that if you sell heat in this way, you will not get a heat stroke. Therefore, on the morning of the 14-15th day, no one answered the call. Peasants to the sound of drums and bronze cymbals, singing a cheerful song, went around the houses and wished the owners happiness in the new year. They were fed in every house.
On New Year's celebrations, clergymen also visited the houses: monks, shamans and shamans, fortunetellers. Buddhist monks left the monasteries and made their rounds of the surrounding villages. They went from door to door and to the beat of a drum, chanted the Namuamittabu prayer, while distributing cakes made in the monastery. The owners of the house in exchange for a cake gave them two cakes, rice or money. It was believed that if a child ate a cake received from a monk, he would not get smallpox. The monks also made sacrifices to the spirits of the five parts of the world, for which they went into houses, where they also said New Year's greetings and prayers. For this, they were given some rice, and the monks assured that the people who donated it would be happy throughout the year. Sometimes the monks would stop on the street and read prayers to the beat of a drum, and people would throw coins at them. Mudan shamans and pansu shamans went from house to house, for a small fee they wondered about the future fate of their inhabitants, performed cleansing rites and prayers for the well-being of family members. The meeting of the first full moon in the new year, which fell in the middle of the month, was accompanied by bright rituals. At dusk, when the silver glow in the eastern sky signified the beginning of the full moon, large groups people climbed to the tops of the mountains to meet the moon, and when she rose, they all prostrated themselves on the earth before her radiant face. This traditional veneration of the moon has long roots and is associated with ancient games under the moon. In some parts of the country, bonfires and torches were lit during moonrise. The girls, holding hands tightly, repeated prayers. It was believed that whoever sees the moon first will be happy: if a peasant sees it, then this year he will have a rich harvest, if a scientist, then he will successfully pass the highest civil exams, and in the future he will receive a high position. A barren woman will have a child, a bachelor will choose a bride as beautiful as the moon. There were folk omens: by the appearance of the moon they tried to predict what the year will be. If the moon is white, it means that there will be heavy rain; if it is red, there will be no rain; if it is bright, it means a good harvest;
On the 14-15th day of the 1st month, in many places they performed the rite of "walking on bridges". For example, in Seoul on this night with the rising of the moon, the inhabitants went for a walk along the numerous bridges of the city. Huge crowds of adults and children in white and multi-colored robes passed over the bridges, reflected in the mirror surface of the water. Walking and fun continued all night; merchants of various small things and sweets, comedians, conjurers, etc. were located on the bridges of the capital. There was a belief that one who crossed seven bridges that night would get rid of misfortunes for the whole year. The words "bridge" and "leg" in Korean sound the same - "tare". This is probably why the belief was born that the one who walks on the bridges on the first full moon will have strong legs and will never wear them out. To do this, everyone had to cross the bridge as many times as he was years old.
With the full moon of the 1st month, many entertainments and games were associated, which in the past had magical significance. One of them was a game of tug-of-war (chultarigi). It sometimes involved several hundred people.
On the 14th day, from noon until late at night, Seoul celebrated the Dragon Festival (Yongun Magi). Countless junks rode up the river where the dragon altar was located. The boats were filled with old women and mothers with children. For the Dragon Spirit, various objects were thrown into the river, paper was burned. In some areas, small boats were launched along the river. To beg for a good and long life for children, the shamans burned paper at the dragon altar and hung long white threads and long strips of white fabric, which were called "threads of life" and "bridge of fate". All the altars were hung with long threads and strips of cloth. Sometimes a dragon altar was set up in the house and offerings were made there. At the same time, they worshiped the spirits of rocks and stones, asking them for protection of children.
In South and Central Korea, rituals of protecting the house were performed, for which a shaman was invited. She wondered about the coming year. So, in the province of North Chungcheong, shaman women made scarecrows from grass, placed them along the road and set them on fire at night. Depending on the direction of the fall, the scarecrows determined what the year would be like.
Symbols of longevity (deer, pine, bamboo, mountains, sea).
On the night of the 14th day, with the help of 12 beans, embedded in the stems of the kaoliang and thrown into the well, they guessed about the precipitation throughout the year. The stems were pulled out of the water and looked at which of the 12 beans swelled more than the others. It was believed that in that month there would be more rainfall. To determine the fate in each month of the coming year, 12 walnuts strung on a needle were burned.
Of particular interest are the producing rites, expressing the wish for a fruitful year. In the New Year's festivities, a significant place was occupied by magical rites, the purpose of which was to increase soil fertility and obtain a bountiful harvest. In some areas, there was a custom to make a wooden figurine of a namuso bull. As stated in Dongguk Seshigi, everyone from officials to commoners displayed such figurines along the road. The author of "Dongguk Seshigi" believed that this custom probably dates back to ancient times, when bull figurines were made from the earth and were called "hylkso".
On the night of the 2nd day, according to custom, they hid all the shoes in the house, as they believed that an evil spirit appeared at night. Hiding shoes, extinguished the light early and went to bed. A straw rope was stretched in front of the gate, and a fine sieve was hung on the door to delay the night visitor. It was assumed that the spirit would become interested in the sieve and begin to count numerous holes on it, and in the meantime dawn would come, the roosters would crow, and the spirit would disappear.
The 16th day of the 1st month was considered the most dangerous, since the activity of evil forces and demons especially "increased", so on this day they avoided leaving the house. In the first days of the New Year, the main concerns for the health and happiness of children fell on women. The natural desire of every woman to see her children strong and healthy often led to the performance of ancient rituals aimed at "cleansing from disasters" or "cleansing from evil spirits." For this purpose, boys and girls, under the guidance of their mothers or grandmothers, made special wooden vessels in the shape of gourd gourds and, having tied them with a thread, threw them out into the street at midnight. They cut out the image of a foot from paper, inscribed their first name, last name and year of birth on it, and then pinched these leaves into sticks from the hagi bush and stuck them into the roof. Sometimes the month and the moon were cut out of paper, or a human figure was drawn on paper; signing their name and surname, they wrapped a coin and some boiled rice in paper and threw it all at a crossroads or into a river.
On some day after the 15th, they bought a live turtle, stuck a sheet of paper on its back with the designation of their name, surname, year of birth, and, wrapping the turtle in their dress, threw it into the river at night with the words: "Here I am saving your life, remember me and take care of prolonging my life."
As already mentioned, the most dangerous childhood age was considered to be 10 years for boys and 11 years for girls. It was believed that children at this age should be especially protected from future misfortunes. To do this, they made a straw image of a person, stuffed it with small money and threw it over the gate. Children came running and gutted the image. It was believed that with him all the troubles destined by fate for man would go away.
The days of the New Year holidays were filled with numerous entertainments. After the celebrations of the first full moon of the year, life gradually returned to its usual course, and the peasants began to prepare for spring work.
Hanbok folk costume
The women's hanbok costume consists of a wrap skirt and jacket. Such a suit is often called "chima-jogori": "chima" in Korean means "skirt", and "jogori" - "jacket". The male hanbok consists of a short jacket and wide trousers called baji, which are tied at the ankles.
Over both costumes, a long coat called "durumagi" may be worn.
The modern "hanbok" is similar to the attire of Koreans during the Confucian Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). "Yangbans", i.e. people belonging to the hereditary aristocratic class, which was formed not on the principle of material wealth, but depending on the degree of learning and social status, wore clothes of bright colors, the winter version of which was sewn from smooth and patterned silk, and the summer version - from high-quality and light matter. However, the common people, both legally and financially, could only afford clothes in white, pale pink, light green, gray or dark gray from bleached hemp or cotton.
The beauty of Korean hanbok
The beauty of the hanbok suit lies in the harmony of colors and clean, simple lines. Most jogori jackets have zippers on the inside to keep them from opening up. Long ribbons are also attached to the jacket, which are tied in a "burnt" pattern. "Otgoreum" is one of the three most important parts of "hanbok", which evaluates the beauty and quality of the costume. Two other important criteria are the rounded line of the “bere” sleeves and the collar of the “git” jacket. The ends of the "git" are usually clearly crossed, and a replaceable white collar called "dongjong" is sewn on it. The regular pleats of the "chima" skirt stretch down from the high waist and widen towards the bottom, giving the lines of the skirt a graceful look.
Types of hanbok costume
Traditionally, hanbok has been classified into several types depending on the social status, class, gender and age of the wearer. Today, hanbok is worn mainly on special occasions and is divided into types based on its function. In modern Korea, hanbok is commonly worn at weddings, anniversaries, baby anniversaries, and folk festivals.
Myeongjeol hanbok (Festive costume)
Traditionally, Koreans show their respect for their parents by bowing to them early in the morning on the first day of the New Year. Usually on this day, both parents and children wear hanbok. The children's costume consists of a colored striped jacket and a skirt or trousers.
Dol Hanbok (Children's Anniversary Costume)
The first anniversary of a child's birthday, which is dol in Korean, is traditionally celebrated to wish the child a long and healthy life. Children on this day wear "dol hanbok", which is also called "dol ot", which means "anniversary clothes".
Boys usually wear a pink jogori jacket and a long blue gorye cape. Girls usually wear a colored striped jacket, but lately it has been considered fashionable to wear a "daniy" - one of the types of holiday jackets.
Hwagabyeong hanbok (anniversary costume)
"Hwegabyeon" is a festive evening that children arrange in honor of the 61st anniversary of their parents and wish them a long life. Men who turn 61 wear "geumgwangjeobok", and women "danye" wear a festive costume for special occasions.
Hollebock (Wedding suit)
The wedding version of the "hanbok", unlike the everyday one, is distinguished by its colorfulness. The groom's suit consists of baji pants, jogori jacket, jokki vest, magoja cape, and durumagi coat. The bride wears a green chima skirt, a yellow jogori jacket, and a long women's wonsam coat. The bride's hair is decorated with a jeokduri crown.
Saenghwal hanbok (casual costume)
When putting on the national hanbok costume, all existing rules and remember the details down to the smallest detail. Since this is not very comfortable, a version of the everyday hanbok has been developed that is easier and more comfortable to wear. The number of people who want to express their individuality by wearing costumes that combine traditional beauty with modern simplicity is gradually increasing. Modern versions of traditional hanbok clothing are very diverse both in style and in the material from which they are made.
Information borrowed from Internet sources.
In the modern material culture of the Koreans, there is an organic combination of national traditions developed over many centuries, with elements of the so-called modern foreign culture.
Cities
The urban population of Korea is more than 25% of all residents of the country. Major cities are Seoul (3 million people), the capital of the DPRK Pyongyang (750 thousand people), Busan, Chongjin, Incheon, Daegu, Heungnam, Wonsan, etc. All big cities countries are located on sea coasts or in river valleys close to the sea. Korean cities are very heterogeneous in terms of layout and architecture. Modern urban planning began to develop in the last three decades. Many major cities in the country have been rebuilt and changed significantly in their appearance. The changes affected especially urban centers. This part of the cities has a modern layout with perpendicular or divergent streets. The main streets are wide, paved and built up with multi-storey buildings, often lined with trees, decorated with lawns and squares with ornamental plants and flowers. All the trading life of the city is concentrated on these streets. The outskirts of Korean cities have kept the old layout almost unchanged.
Pyongyang - the capital of the DPRK - is a major economic and cultural center. The city is spread out on both sides of the navigable Tedongan River. Pyongyang is the cradle of the national culture of the Korean people. Its history goes back over one and a half thousand years.
For a long time, Pyongyang was the capital of the Goguryeo state, and in its vicinity there are numerous ancient historical monuments, including the tombs of Goguryeo, as well as architectural monuments of later centuries, the observation tower of Ilmildok, the Pubeknu pavilion, the Buddhist monastery of Yongmensa, the pavilion of Yeongvan (beginning of the 12th century), the Daedongmun fortress gate (the end of the 16th century), etc.
During the hostilities of 1950-1953. most of the residential buildings, industrial and cultural centers were destroyed. After the armistice was signed, the big job for the restoration and reconstruction of residential areas and industrial enterprises.
The largest city in Korea - Seoul - is located on the right bank of the Hangang. From west to east, two main streets pass through the city, which are intersected by four equally wide, straight streets. These streets are built up with high-rise, comfortable buildings and are rich in greenery. On the outskirts of the city, one-story clay houses predominate. Industrial enterprises are concentrated in the southwestern part of the city. There is a university, several institutes, and cultural institutions in Seoul. There are many architectural monuments in the city and its environs: the Gyeongbokgung Palace Ensemble, the marble pagodas of Hanmyotai, the chrome of Munmyo, the remains of a medieval city wall with eight gates.
A characteristic feature of housing construction in the post-war years in the DPRK is the transition from building small individual houses to the construction of large, multi-storey buildings and comfortable residential areas. Instead of narrow streets, wide, spacious avenues are being created. In place of the clay shacks of the workers' quarters, two-three-story stone houses are being built.
Rural settlements
Most of the population of Korea lives in villages and on farms located along river valleys and on plains suitable for agriculture. In densely populated agricultural areas, estates are closely adjacent to each other and the number of houses in one village sometimes reaches several hundred. In such villages there is no clear planning. The village square is on the outskirts of the village. The fields are often located on considerable distance from the settlement. In mountainous areas, where the area of cultivated fields is insignificant, scattered settlements consisting of 5-6 houses are common.
At present, the DPRK is building new settlements with a clear plan, in which comfortable dwellings, schools, cultural and public buildings are being erected according to standard projects.
dwelling
Korea is characterized by a closed nature of development. A residential building is built, according to tradition, in the depths of the yard, on both sides of it there are outbuildings, sheds, granaries, between which covered gates are made. Very often in the estates there are two residential buildings, in one the old people usually live, in the other the family of the eldest son. Residential buildings are located either parallel to each other, or at an angle, forming, as it were, the letter "G".
In some areas of Korea, such as on the east coast, both houses are built under the same roof, with outbuildings adjacent to the residential building. As a rule, estates are fenced.
The nature of residential buildings and estates is very diverse. Their architecture and layout are strongly influenced by socio-economic and geographical conditions. In the south, residential buildings are being built lighter, with open terraces and gardens attached to them. In the north, the layout of houses is more compact, the building is more adapted to harsh climatic conditions.
The most typical and widespread dwelling in Korea is a frame-pillar house (chip), plastered with clay. It is rectangular in shape, small in size, usually 6X3 or 8X4 m, about 4.5 m high. The walls of such a house consist of a wooden frame, to the supporting pillars of which wooden slats and kaolian stems fastened with straw ropes are attached. The walls woven in this way are coated with clay on both sides. In order to isolate the dwelling from groundwater, as a rule, an earth platform 45-50 cm high is arranged under the building, the walls of which are reinforced with stones. Sometimes the walls of the house are lined with stones to protect them from erosion. As a rule, the house has three chambers and consists of a kitchen (puok), lower (aryppan) and upper (uppan) rooms. In the kitchen there is a hearth with one large and two or three small boilers for cooking and heating water. The firebox is made without a door, below the kitchen floor, the floor in the kitchen is earthen, plastered with clay.
Depending on the composition and financial situation families the number of rooms can be more - 4-8. Each room has external doors leading to a long open gallery (pocto).
For the construction of houses, local building materials are widely used - most often clay, stone, wood (in the north), kaoliang stalks and chumiza. The roofing material is tiles made of red or gray clay and rice straw. Thatched roof for protection against strong winds covered with a special net, to which stones are tied. The roof, gable or four-slope, is made with a large extension. The shape of the roof is curved, with raised edges. This form of roofing is observed in many modern buildings and is characteristic of Korean architecture.
There were no windows in old Korean houses, if they were, they were mostly oriented towards the courtyard. To illuminate the room, the doors were arranged with lattice and pasted over with special oiled paper, which transmits light well.
Korea is characterized by a kind of home heating system - ondol (“warm floor”). This system uses the heat of the kitchen hearth, the chimney of which is laid out on the ground, occupying part of the kitchen floor and the entire floor of the living rooms. The chimney is placed in several parallel rows of brick or stone, coated with a thick layer of clay at the top, forming the floor of the room. The exhaust pipe is located diagonally from the firebox and is displayed at some distance from the house.
A similar heating system has existed in Korea since ancient times. In the Chinese chronicle "Tanglu" it is noted that at the beginning of the 7th century. in Goguryeo, "commoners made long bunks in the middle of winter, heated for warmth." However, this heating system was not widespread throughout the peninsula at that time. According to the same chronicle, in Xinlo (Silla) they made stoves (hearths) in the middle of the room.
Koreans sit on the warm floor, eating and exercising. homework and also sleep. Naturally, the floor is kept very clean. Koreans do not enter the room in shoes, but leave them at the entrance. They sleep on wadded, thick blankets, covered with thinner, lighter blankets, put soft cushions under their heads. For the day, bedding is folded into chests that are placed along the walls of the rooms. There are also small, lacquered, red chests of drawers with drawers, decorated with copper, ornamented plates.
In the post-war years, modern European furniture appeared in the homes of not only workers, but also peasants: beds, wardrobes, chests of drawers, sideboards, tables and chairs. Furniture manufactured at furniture factories is made according to national tastes.
Food
Koreans, as an agricultural people, eat mainly plant foods and only eat meat (mainly pork) and fish in small quantities. The main food of Koreans is rice.
The diet is three times a day, hot food (soup, porridge) is prepared in the morning and in the evening. Usually, the diet of Koreans includes various cereals - rice, chumiz, barley, etc., which replace bread for Koreans.
Rice porridge (pap) is made from special, non-glutinous varieties of rice, steamed, without salt. A daily dish, besides rice, is a vegetable spicy kimchi dish, made from sauerkraut or radish. Korean women also prepare hot spicy chae dishes from fresh vegetables. Soy is used as a seasoning for many dishes.
Soy is prepared in two types - liquid (kanzhang) and thick, pasty (chan). To cook soybeans boil soya beans(khon). When the beans have cooled, they are kneaded to a doughy state and small koloboks are made, which are hung for one to two months in a warm place. When the koloboks are dry, they are soaked in a certain amount of water and then kneaded. To obtain a thick soybean, pepper is added, to obtain a liquid soybean, this mass is squeezed out and the resulting liquid is boiled. Soybeans are stored in clay, closed containers, in a dark place.
A kind of traditional dish is a dish made from raw fish (khwe). Pieces of raw fish are poured with vinegar, and then pepper, salt, garlic, finely chopped carrots or radishes are added. In 20 minutes. after mixing, the dish is ready to eat.
For holidays and family celebrations, common dishes of guksu and chaltteok are prepared. Kuksu - home cooking fresh dough noodles. Noodles are served with meat or chicken broth, in which pepper, soy and kimchi are added for spiciness. Chhaltteok - bread made from glutinous rice or millet. The steamed hot grain is laid out in a large wooden dish, and two men alternately beat it with large wooden hammers until rice or millet turns into a continuous, pasty mass. After this mass has cooled, it is laid out in dishes and eaten with a sauce made from mashed and roasted soybeans or beans.
Food is prepared for vegetable oil. Koreans, like many other peoples of East and Southeast Asia, did not eat dairy products and milk until recently. In contrast to China and Japan, they drink little tea. Of the alcoholic beverages, rice vodka (sul) is known. It is warmed up before use.
It has long been a custom to decorate holiday tables with fruits at wedding, mourning and other ceremonies. The most common types of fruits now are apples, pears, peaches, persimmons. Dates and chestnuts are also used.
Since time immemorial, Koreans have been able to cook wonderful dishes and various fruit confectionery. In the southern regions of the country, on the day of the spring holiday (January 15 according to the lunar calendar), the entire population prepares a special, so-called medicinal porridge - from glutinous rice, honey, dates, chestnuts, pine nuts, sesame oil, liquid soybeans. This dish is considered a great delicacy and is served during large feasts. Fruit biscuits and a "flower" salad made from persimmon, Chinese magnolia vine, honey and spices are very popular.
In mountainous and forest areas, the population eats berries, wild edible fruits, and various types of wild herbs. “Mushrooms” growing on trees (pheori) are also eaten.
In Korea, chopsticks are common, and flat spoons are used for soup and liquid dishes. Koreans usually eat at a low table, about 30-35 cm high, sitting around it on an ondol.
Food is cooked in cast-iron cauldrons embedded in the oven. Now in cities, and in rural areas, factory-made dishes are becoming more common. In the villages, there are still ancient brass and wooden utensils, bowls of various sizes with lids for food, basins, troughs and other utensils needed in the household, as well as large clay pots (dock). They ferment vegetables for the winter and store water, wine, soybeans, rice, beans. This method of storage in pots in a humid climate is very convenient - the products protect from spoilage and from domestic rodents, which are very numerous in Korea. These pots are usually placed on special earthen grounds, in courtyards.
Cloth
Korean national clothes are original. An erroneous assertion has taken root in the literature. that the cut and composition of Korean clothing were borrowed from China in the 14th century. This opinion is true only in relation to court clothes, which really were not original.
The main elements of the national costume were developed in the first centuries of our era. A characteristic feature of the clothing is the presence of a short swing sweater with narrow sleeves and wide trousers. Modern clothes are simple and have almost no adornments, although, as the Chinese chronicles testify, the clothes of the ancient Koreans were richly embroidered with silver and gold. Perhaps the disappearance of gold-embroidered jewelry in modern costume is partly due to the fact that in the 16th century. A royal decree was issued forbidding commoners to wear embroidered clothes made of expensive fabrics, as well as silver and gold jewelry.
Men's clothing consists of a zip-up jacket and wide trousers (padi). The suit is usually made of white fabric (wadded for winter). Pants are fastened at the waist with a wide, long sash and tied at the ankles with ribbons and tucked into white cloth socks (posop).
Women's clothing consists of a short jacket (chogori) with narrow, long sleeves, wide trousers and a wide open or pleated skirt (chima), tied above the waist with a wide, long sash that tightly tightens the chest. It is interesting to note that in Korea, until recently, there was a custom of bandaging the chest. Only breastfeeding women did not close or tighten their breasts. Currently, skirts are made on the bodice. In winter, a warm vest with fur or a long robe (turumagi) is worn over the chogori.
Men's jacket and women's jacket have a kimono cut. The back and floors consist of two panels folded in half, so there are no shoulder seams. A seam is made on the back, a deep smell in the front. Long sleeves are sewn on in a straight line, the seam falls well below the shoulder. The neckline is straight, elongated, with a sewn-in stand-up collar, turning into a shawl in front. Usually, a narrow, white stripe is sewn along the upper edge of the collar, giving the suit a neat look. As early as the beginning of the 20th century. in some areas, the ancient custom of gluing clothes was preserved. For this, glue was cooked from potato starch. The tradition of gluing the hem of the skirt, fixing the ties and collars on the jacket with glue was preserved for the longest time. The ancient custom of gluing clothes was also reflected in the Korean method of washing clothes, in which clothes were torn open and each sporok was washed separately. Until now, clothes are heavily starched (especially sweaters).
Children's national clothes in their cut almost do not differ from the clothes of adults. Its peculiar feature is the colorful sleeves of children's blouses, which are sewn from multi-colored stripes: red, white, blue, light blue and yellow material.
Men and older women prefer white fabrics. The clothes of young Korean women are distinguished by a rich combination of colors. For weekend outfits, fabrics of various colors are chosen, suitable for this time of year. So, for example, in the spring they prefer light green or dark blue skirts and light pink sweaters. In summer, skirts are light blue or light green and white, transparent blouses - tepsam (the cut is the same as chogori, but without lining). In autumn, women wear brown skirts with light orange sweaters. In winter, as in other countries, dark colors are selected. Women's sweaters are often trimmed with fabric of a different color, for example, maroon ribbons are sewn to light chogori. The collar and cuffs of the same color are sewn in.
Brides mainly wear skirts of red, hot pink, raspberry color and pale green sweaters with long ribbons, red collars and cuffs. Bright, red tones finish symbolizes youth.
Korean women's clothes are characterized by bright colors, but, with the exception of wedding dresses and dance costumes, it is not customary to combine many colors, usually two bright colors are combined.
At present, national clothes are most persistently preserved among women and the elderly. In cities and among rural youth, the national costume is replaced by purchased clothes or clothing made in accordance with fashion from purchased fabrics. In the DPRK, among party and public workers, the paramilitary type suit is most common. AT summer time flax suits are very popular among men.
Peasant shoes are sandals woven from ropes or straw; in rainy weather, hollowed wooden shoes on high stands are worn on the feet. Now in cities and rural areas, leather purchased shoes are becoming more common. On rainy days, they wear solid rubber shoes (komushin) with a pointed, slightly raised toe.
Most Korean women wear braids. Girls put their hair in two braids, weaving long, red or burgundy ribbons into them. Young and old women put their braids in a bun at the back of their heads. The bun is held with the help of long hairpins, which are an attribute of the hairstyle of only a married woman. Now among urban women, haircuts and fashionable modern hairstyles are common. Women and children usually go bareheaded.
In the past, men also grew long hair and wore them before the wedding braided. On the day of the wedding, the hair was collected at the crown in a bun. Now this old one. hairstyle can be found only in deep old people. They also retain national hats with a high crown and wide brim made of horsehair or thin bamboo splinter.
Currently, among men, the most common headwear is kepi, straw and felt hats.
By historical standards, a fairly young state of South Korea, the traditions and customs in it practically do not differ from the customs North Korea. And it is not surprising, because it is, in fact, one state with a common, until a certain time, history and culture.
As in all eastern countries, the traditions of South Korea practically do not change over time. Although women are no longer regulated by the length of the skirt and hair, nevertheless, the ratio of older to younger and the sign language remain unchanged. So, for example, if the elder greets the younger (by age or position), then the elder gives one hand, and the younger shakes it with both hands. This rule also applies to relationships in everyday life. The elders are allowed to hold everything (pour, pour, serve with one hand, while the younger ones must do it with both hands). In addition, it is forbidden to call a person with an upturned palm or finger (this is how dogs are called in South Korea). The palm should be turned down.
Marriages in South Korea are concluded once and for all, divorces are not welcome. Despite this, the public display of feelings between members of opposite sexes is considered indecent, but close friends of the same sex can even walk around embracing.
Education is well developed in South Korea, and all state schools have a technical bias, thanks to which the country has a sufficient base of robotics, the development of cyber technologies (including security ones). For catching poisonous jellyfish, South Korean specialists have created special robots with a productivity of 900 kg of killed jellyfish per shift.
The youth of South Korea receives humanitarian development in private universities. Despite such an advanced development of future technologies, the attitude of the local population towards red ink seems strange. It is believed that the person to whom the note is served using red ink will undergo all sorts of calamities.
Cinematography is well developed in South Korea. The traditions of South Korea have also found their way into films, the local success of which has surpassed even the worldwide fame of the most sensational blockbusters. Koreans enjoy going to cinemas to watch Korean films, and this is not at all because the government has made it mandatory for cinemas to show locally produced films at least 80 days a year. It's just that the difference between Eastern and European cultures is very great.
The premieres of local theaters are also popular, many of which preserve the age-old traditions of theatrical art.
The culture and traditions of South Korea are quite contradictory. Here progress is combined with superstition. Conservatism is intertwined with modernism. Few will believe, but even everyone's favorite dish - Korean-style vegetables - is a centuries-old custom that helps to replenish the supply of vitamins in the body during the long, harsh winter. Much more can be said about the culture, traditions and customs of South Korea, but this will be the topic and format. scientific work It's best to see everything with your own eyes.
traditional art
Dance
Jinju gommuAs in music, there is a division into court and folk dances. Common court dances are jeongjaemu performed at banquets, and ilma- during the Confucian rituals. Jeongjaemu are divided into original hyanggak jeonjae) and those coming from Central Asia and China ( tangak jeongjae). Ilma divided into civil munmu) and military ( Mu Mu). Many costume performances or dances are performed in different parts of Korea. The traditional dress for dancing is the genja, a special dress. worn during festivals.
The traditional choreography of court dances is reflected in a variety of contemporary productions.
Painting
Scene of the day Tano
Main article: Korean painting
The earliest paintings found on the Korean Peninsula are prehistoric petroglyphs. With the penetration of Buddhism from India through China, various other techniques appeared in the country. Very quickly they became the main ones, although local techniques were preserved and developed further.
Naturalism became a popular trend in painting, with motifs such as realistic landscapes, flowers and birds. Most of the paintings are done in ink on mulberry paper or silk.
In the 18th century, local techniques advanced greatly, mainly in the field of calligraphy and seal engraving.
During the Joseon period, porcelain items decorated with blue designs were popular. At the same time, woodworking developed, leading to elaborate furniture such as chests of drawers, cabinets, and tables.
Ceramics
Celadon incense burner from the Goryeo dynasty
The use of pottery in the Korean Peninsula goes back to the Neolithic. The history of Korean pottery is long and includes the creation of early ritual and decorative items. During the Three Kingdoms period, pottery flourished in Silla. Clay products were processed with a special fire, which led to the formation of a specific blue-gray celadon color. The surface was decorated with various geometric patterns.
During the Goryeo period, jade green celadon wares became popular. In the 12th century, new inlay techniques were developed, allowing for more elaborate decorations in a variety of colors. Evelyn McCuneh writes: “In the twelfth century, the production of ceramics reached its perfection. Several new types have appeared in a quarter of a century, one of which, inlay, can be considered a completely Korean discovery. Neither China nor Japan produced the inlaid celadon unique to Goryeo wares.
In the 15th century, white porcelain became popular. It soon became more popular than the celadon. White porcelain was often decorated or painted with copper.
During the late Joseon period ( late XIX century), blue-and-white porcelain became popular.
customs
Architecture
Traditional peasant house
Habitats are traditionally chosen using geomancy. Although geomancy has been a vital part of Korea's culture and shamanism since prehistoric times, geomancy was later reintroduced into Korea from China during the Three State Period.
The house should be built against a hill and facing south to receive as much sunlight as possible. This arrangement of houses is also popular in modern Korea. Geomancy also influenced the shape of buildings, their location and the choice of material.
Traditional Korean houses are organized into an inner wing ( anche) and outer wing ( locust). The specific layout depends on the region and the wealth of the family. While the aristocrats use the outer wing for receptions, the poorer people keep their cattle there. The greater the wealth of the family, the larger the house. At the same time, it is forbidden for any family to have a house over 99 can except for the king. Caen- the distance between two supports used in traditional houses.
The inner wing usually consists of a common room, a kitchen and a hall with a wooden floor. More rooms can be attached to it. Poor peasant families may not have an outer wing. Heated floors ( ondol) have been used in Korea since prehistoric times. The main materials used in construction are wood, clay, tiles, stone and straw. Due to the use of wood and clay in the past, few old buildings have survived to the present day. Nowadays, people usually live in apartments and more modernized dwellings.
The oldest and most remarkable of the monuments of Korean architecture is Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace ("Palace of Sunshine and Happiness"), built in 1394. The palace complex is divided into several pavilions. Around the throne room of Geunjeongjon were the private chambers of King Taejo (r. 1392-1398), the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. One of the pavilions, Gyeonghoeru, is located in the center of the lotus pond.
Gardens
Main article: Korean garden
The principles of building both temple and private gardens are the same. Basically, the style of gardens was influenced by shamanism. Shamanism is associated with nature and mysticism and is distinguished by the utmost attention to the details of the landscape. Unlike the gardens of China and Japan, which contain elements made by people, everything artificial is avoided in Korean ones, the gardens try to look even more “natural” than nature itself.
The hearth warms the hearts of all people. Every person must have a family, regardless of gender and age. It is she who gives reliable support and sincere support, without demanding anything in return. Help is provided from a pure heart on a gratuitous basis. The love and affection of relatives will help to survive even the most difficult life situations and crises.
House
In South Korea (SK), the main priorities are given to those aspects of life that are inextricably linked with the family hearth. Traditions in relationships between relatives have been honored since ancient times. Therefore, in this country, marriage and the creation of a new cell of society are treated so reverently. Previously, friendly families lived in cute private houses, but everything is changing, so they were replaced by multi-storey apartment buildings, skyscrapers, and the country's relations with the statutory rules of existence remained in them.
Traditional housing of Koreans is now almost never found. Perhaps, new buildings are the only thing that distinguishes between new and old South Korea, because family life has not changed at all. The rules and customs in relations between men and women remained the same.
The house is considered a sacred place, where it should always be clean, dirt and disorder are completely unacceptable. Based on this mandatory rule, you can only be in the house without shoes, that is, barefoot (at best, in socks). While this is easy to put up with during the summer months, additional underfloor heating or flooring is required during the cold seasons. Modern technologies used in construction and interior decoration have significantly improved a comfortable existence, and without harm to health.
Marriage
The opinion of the older generation is also considered dominant. Young people will not dare to take an important step, such as creating a new family, without parental consent and blessing. Of course, today young men and women have much more freedom of action than some time ago, but no one in this country can do without the guidance of their mother and father. And parental control is even welcome.
When parents get to know each other, their names are never given, they are introduced as “mother” and “dad”, while in our country and in most other countries it is customary to introduce them by name and patronymic. These are such different attitudes to acquaintance. Such appeals to close relatives are associated with another tradition of South Korea. The meaning of the name there (according to the signs of the South Koreans) has a very large weight, affects fate, makes a person weaker and more vulnerable. Therefore, the inhabitants of this Asian country also very rarely disclose their name.
With the development of the economy, families in the South Caucasus began to live much better. But the attitude to the disposal of finances remained unchanged. This country is considered one of the most economical. South Koreans will never spend money on something they don't need at all. There are very few things used in household use, they serve the owners for a long time. Due to the fact that there is no abundance of certain items in the interior, the houses are always clean and tidy. Excesses that even wealthy families can’t afford can simply not be understood, so they continue to be content with little, without spending money on unnecessary things.
How to eat in South Korea
Another custom concerns eating. Eating is carried out strictly in a sitting position at a miniature table on small legs, of course, on the floor. Around him are all the members of the family.
How do people sleep in South Korea?
South Koreans have long preferred to sleep lying on the floor. But today, more and more often they use modern benefits, preferring comfortable beds or sofas to sleep on the floor, they also use ordinary dining tables and chairs in everyday life. But as a tribute to their national cultural values, they can also be placed on the floor (with conveniences).
About family relationships
In the families of South Korea, relations between the weaker and stronger sex have always been distinguished by enviable mutual understanding and respect for each other. Despite the fact that in the families of this nation a woman has the same rights as a man, the duties between them are clearly demarcated.
The wife provides comfort and coziness in the house, resolves disagreements that arise, keeps the hearth (this, by the way, is her primary task). A man is the head and authority of the family, he solves the most important issues for its existence, but does not interfere in home improvement, conflict resolution, even in the most difficult situations, he still remains on the sidelines.
About children in South Korea
Children in this country are born at the age of one. Because the South Koreans have a kind of chronology. The child spends 9 months in the womb (almost a year), which is why a year is added. But that's not all, at your first New Year one more is added, that is, children born are 2 years older than their actual age. The attitude to the sex of the child (whether it be a boy or a girl) is the same, no particular preference is given.
Families are very hospitable, during a celebration or a general dinner, chic tables are set, despite the frugality of the South Koreans. Women are excellent housewives who are glad to see friends and acquaintances. The head of the family should be located above others during receptions, he is the first to sit down at the table and start the meal. This is a sign of respect for his home and home. It is also not customary to introduce yourself by name among the guests, although they are sincerely happy to share news and learn something new, because they have such an inquisitive nature and mentality.
