eunpa lake park, february
the wind persists to rattle the windows and
the waters alternate between frozen and fluid
continuously avoiding a definitive state
shifting over night just as assumptions begin to form.
lunar new year
This lunar new year vacation was an absolute treat that took place over the course of four days and in three very different cities: Gunsan, Cheonan, and Seoul.
On Sunday morning we boarded a bus bound for Cheonan at the reoccurring scene for adventure, Gunsan intercity bus terminal. Cheonan is a home to approx. 700,000 people and a surprising number of Damien Hirst sculptures. There is a chance I would have never visited Cheonan were it not for a unexpected opportunity to attend a traditional new year celebration.
About a month ago, my dear friend YeongJeong Yun invited me to celebrate the Lunar New year with her family in Cheonan. The invitation alone was an honor because the Korean celebration is very family oriented. Part two of the excitement heh heem nervousness was that these days, my friend lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA with her infant daughter, husband and dissertation in progress....thus would not be joining us for the festivities. The invitation entailed traveling to new city to stay overnight in an apartment with three generations of people I had never met and whose language I barely speak. Quite the social experiment. Luckily, the kids smoothed over any awkwardness with constant questioning and an insatiable appetite for tic-tac-toe.
On New Year's day, most Koreans perform an ancestral ritual that involves preparing, arranging, and bowing in front of a table full of food and pictures of their ancestors. The meal in itself is primarily typical Korean fare but two noteworthy differences in the day are attire and arrangement. The food is arranged according to both its color and cardinal directions and hanbok, the traditional dress is worn. The Yun family was more than hospitable. They took care to explain and identify several new fruits and vegetables and also allowed us to take part in the food preparation for the ceremonial table.
After the table was set, a brief but beautiful ceremony took place. Drinks were poured in glasses set before the deceased, incense was lit, and the living performed several kneeling bows between verses of prayer. Afterwards, the ancestors retired to their respective shelves and we enjoyed the thoughtfully prepared cuisine. The food was amazing and quite inventive. It never occurred to me to gut a chicken and fill it with octopus but I can now verify that the resulting shall we say, choctopus, is delicious.
A partially set ceremonial table. Note the center piece.
Midday Monday we ventured northward to Seoul. By ventured I mean rode a subway for two hours. Yes, Seoul is that big and we were only there long enough to explore a sliver of the city. However, we ate Mexican food (twice)!!, wandered through a palace, saw contemporary Korean artwork! (Seungmo Park's portraits made from screen squares are outstanding), and visited the Beautiful Tea Museum.
Not bad for 32 hours. Big props to the Seoul subway system, not a single taxi was utilized in the making of this vacation.
If there is only one tradition that follows me home from Korea, I do believe it will be celebrating the Lunar New Year. My fondness for the moon is ever growing thus a holiday in its recognition is highly appropriate. And I am always down for gathering with friends and family to eat, drink and be merry. Particularly, if choctopus is on the menu.
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