A Celebration for the Moon

A look into a Traditional Korean Holiday: Jeongwol Daeboreum

Throughout human history, the celebration of a bountiful harvest is weaved into many cultures. Many of these celebrations are rooted in religious and cultural practices, however, there is an underlying display of the connection that many of these cultures had to the earth, moon, and sun and all it provided for them.

For South Koreans, one of these holidays is Jeongwol Daeboreum (정월 대보름 or “Great Full Moon”). It is a celebration of the first full moon of the new year (Seollal) of the lunar Korean calendar, which is believed to be the largest and most bountiful moon of the year. In 2021, Seollal is celebrated Friday, February 12, and Jeongwol Daeboreum is on Friday, February 26.

For a long time, in Korea, China, and other East Asian countries, people believed that there was a relationship between the size of the moon and their grain harvest. They believed that the larger the moon grew over time would translate to the growth of the grain in the fields.

In an agricultural society, wishing for fertile fields and good health was crucial for them. Although far less of Korea’s economy is now agricultural, and in many ways, some of the holiday's meaning has faded due to industrialization, it is still carried out enthusiastically.

Like in many holidays and their celebrators, there are several different ways that Koreans celebrate Daeboreum. For some, the celebration begins at night with Daljip, a huge bonfire made of straw or twigs. The Daljip is piled into a triangular shape to create a ‘house’ for the rising full moon and a small opening or ‘door’ is set to the east for the moon to enter by. As the moon rises, the daljip is set on fire to ward away evil spirits and bring good luck. As it burns, Koreans stamp on the ground in a ritual called Jisin-balpgi, which is performed to comfort and pray for the god of the earth who protects the house and wards off any evil spirits. The leftover ashes, now with the moon's blessing, will be used for fertilizer.

One of the better-known activities during the holiday is Jwibul-nori (쥐불놀이), a traditional game played by children. The night before Daeboreum (and for some following Daljip), charcoal fires are lit inside tin cans, which children then whirl around on strings. Although this has mostly derived from entertainment purposes, some believe the intention was to further promote good growth by letting the burning embers and ashes from the cans fall on the fields to fertilize the soil and deter any vermin that may damage future crops.

For many, the focal point for Daeboreum is a custom called Dalmaji, where Koreans would gather outside to see the moon. Maji comes from the verb Majihada meaning “to welcome.” Upon welcoming the moon, it is said that they could predict the farming for the coming year based on the moonlight. If the light was bright, then the year would be plentiful; and if the light was dim, then there would be a rainy season. There is also a belief that the first people to catch a glimpse of the moon will either have good luck for the coming year or a wish granted. Some Koreans even go as far as to climb mountains and other high places to see the moon rise.

On the morning of the first full moon, a traditional Korean breakfast would be Ogokbap (오곡밥 or “five-grain rice”), which goes as far back as the Silla dynasty around 57 BC - 935 AD. The dish contains five types of grain, often rice, black beans, African millet, sweet red bean, and millet.The beans and grains in Ogokbap are meant to represent the different kinds of crops Korean ancestors planted and harvested. For that same reason, they also eat seven different kinds of seasoned vegetables like pumpkins, eggplants, mushrooms, etc. Each component of this traditional meal is also a way for families to nourish their bodies with plenty of nutrition during the cold winter months in Korea.

Unfortunately, like many ancient cultural traditions that may be outdated due to industrialization or other advancements in society, the celebration for the first full moon is slowly fading away with the youth of Korea. After considering the hardships in 2020 from a global pandemic and civil unrest across the world, maybe this is a celebration everyone should consider trying in hopes for a better year in 2021. Or at the very least, give a little extra appreciation to the moon and all it provides for our Earth.