The memory of Chuseok

By Pooneh Nedai
Editor in chief of Shokaran magazine and publisher of Amrood

Tehran: Chuseok is a great holiday for Korean people. It is the time for thanksgiving, respecting ancestors and reconnecting the family.

I had the chance to see Chuseok holiday when I was in Korea in 2009.

I had a one month stay project to know more about Korea and write my diary book which was published in 2009 under the title; “The Land of Phoenix” with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports.

I travelled to Andong on the morning of Chuseok day. Many people were driving on the highways to reach their beloved family.

I remember the red apple trees near Andong.

We stopped to take pictures. I remember the heavenly fragrant of so many apples that weighed on the branches.

Andong is a special preserved village with its pure nature. I stayed the night in a Hanok, a Korean traditional house.

In the morning, they took me to a ceremony. It was great! The family members bowed behind the doors of a traditional house for some time.

Later they opened the doors. It was like a miracle. Lots of colorful foods and fruits were placed inside the house with careful design and decoration.

They said that they are respecting their ancestors. They prepared all the food and dedicated it to them.

They believed that behind the closed doors, their ancestors may feel free to pick up foods. I fell in love with such a symbolic respect for ancestors.

We are living on earth because of our ancestors and we inherited their consciousness.

Following the ceremony, they brought the colorful foods to us. We were the prosperous guests who had the chance to taste lots of delicious foods and deserts which was made by grandmothers and mothers of the house.

This was a nice scene that I have preciously treasured in my mind for years and that I now recall with great fondness as Koreans celebrate Chuseok.