Chuseok Wish (추석 소원)
The act of moon-viewing is called Dalmaji (달맞이) in Korean, which translates to moon-welcoming (迎月) or moon-watching (望月) in its Chinese characters. On the night of Chuseok, it is a custom to find a good spot to watch the first full moon of the year rise, so Koreans like to climb to the mountaintop with their family or just gather in their own backyard. However, Koreans also say that it is difficult to see a full moon in Seoul nowadays because of the tall buildings and air pollution. Therefore, Koreans like to go somewhere high (like the Namsan tower) or return to their hometown (which are often on the outskirts of Seoul or even more far away) to enjoy a full view with their family.
In ancient times, when electricity was still not widely available, the moon was regarded as an important and even holy source of light at night. The dark pointed to danger and fear, while the moonlight indicated tranquility and vitality. Therefore on the 15th of August (according to the Lunar Calendar), people celebrated endlessly and made their wishes on the moon for a wonderful year to come. Farmers wish for rain and a good harvest; parents wish for their children to have a promising future, and children wish for good health for their parents.
Though not a commonly practiced aspect of Chuseok, the Calligraphy Wishing Tree is an important tradition of the Nam Center Chuseok Dae Party. Participants are provided with strips of calligraphy paper and calligraphy pens to trace the Korean word “추석 소원” (Chuseok Wish). Afterwards, the participants could write down their own wish on the paper in either English or Korean, and hang their wish on Nam Center’s “Wishing Tree”.
Below are the Korean writings of 추석 and the associate Chinese character, 秋夕, which literally mean autumn eve. Try tracing the hangul on a sheet of paper!
