Korean culture

Despite the fact that the current division of the Korean Peninsula into North and South Korea led to significant differences in the modern culture of both countries, traditions and customs Korean people and Korean culture as a whole are the same for both countries. Let's take a closer look at the main components of Korean culture.

• Dance

Since ancient times, since the reign of the Goryeo dynasty, in Korea great value had a dance. There are a huge variety of traditional dances, such as sword dance, fan dance, monk dance, jester dance, peasant dance, etc. They were performed both at the emperor's court and in the villages, villagers staged performances. Now dance is not such an important part of life in modern Korea, but there are many schools in many universities in Korea folk dance taught as an academic subject.

Pakjeommu - dance of the fluttering wings of a butterfly

• Painting

Painting is an integral part of Korean culture. It contains the influence of culture, but in itself it is specific and original. Of particular interest is the still painting that was formed during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty. They painted on silk, paper, special fabrics with vegetable, mineral paints or ink. If art painting reflected an unusual vision of the world through the eyes of an artist, then folk painting showed everyday life and problems everyday life. We can say that painting existed and developed in two directions, and left behind immortal creations.

Cat and butterfly. XVIII century. Artist: Kim Dong Ho

• Korean garden

Few people know, but the traditional Korean garden has existed for more than two thousand years. It looks like a landscape park; people take little part in its formation. All gardens include features such as streams, circular ponds, shaped trees, waterfalls, a rock garden, and hills resembling mountains. Harmony dominates here, regardless of a particular detail. Harmony is created by all the variety of shapes and sizes present here. Traditional Korean gardens are located in France (Nantes), Mexico City (Chapultepec Zoo), Turkey (Ankara), Germany (Berlin), etc.

• Hanbok

Hanbok is a national traditional costume consisting of a jeogori (blouse) and a chima (skirt) for women and paji for men. These are clothes for official receptions, holidays and festivals. But there are also hanboks that can be worn as casual wear. They are made from cheaper fabrics and are easy to care for.

• Kitchen

It is known that modern culture Korea borrows more and more every year more elements cultures of European countries, but something remains unchanged, namely - national cuisine. The basis, as in most Asian countries, is rice. But, nevertheless, traditional Korean cuisine has a number of distinctive, even specific features. For example, many dishes are replete with spices, especially red pepper, and all because Korea is a warm and southern country, and pepper allows you to keep food fresh longer, and over time, the concepts of “tasty” and “spicy” have become synonymous. Along with pepper, seasonings such as soy sauce and soybean paste are used. But in Koryo-saram, to give dishes a special taste, I use coriander in large quantities.

Kimchi – spicy pickled vegetables

Holidays in Korea

Like many countries, Korea has its own national holidays, which are usually celebrated on a special, Korean scale.

• Seollal - Korean New Year

Traditionally, this holiday is celebrated on the first day lunar calendar. The weekend lasts three days, and during this time it is customary to dress up in hanbok, visit parents or go to hometown, go to the seashore to meet the first rays of the sun there. Also on these days, deceased ancestors are remembered by preparing special dishes and performing a ritual called chare. In Sollal, children congratulate their parents, always bowing to the floor, and the person also becomes a year older.

• Liberation Day

This holiday is celebrated annually in North and South Korea on August 15th. On this day, Japan liberated Korea from colonial rule. On this day, an official ceremony is held, in which many high-ranking officials of the country participate. The country's flags are hung everywhere, and also, according to tradition, several prisoners are given amnesty on this day.

• Chuseok – a festival of harvest and remembrance of ancestors

The holiday falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth month eastern calendar. Weekends – the day before and the day after the holiday. A few days before the holiday, Koreans buy food and gifts, buy train and plane tickets to go to their hometown. On a holiday, they set the table in the morning and commemorate their ancestors, or take food to the cemetery. They tie sheaves of cereals to poles, thanking the gods for the harvest, and treat the brownie. Girls and women perform national dance Kankansulle, and children with their fathers fly kites into the sky.

• Korean wedding

A modern Korean wedding is neither a traditional Korean nor a European wedding. New traditions and customs among the Korean people developed only about fifty years ago, but they are firmly entrenched and widely used by all Koreans.

Wedding traditions and customs of the Korean people have changed a lot over the years. recent years. Since the sixties, wedding ceremonies have been traditionally held in so-called “ritual” halls. But most often weddings are held in restaurants or in hotel conference rooms. Guests arriving for the ceremony must bring a gift to the newlyweds, usually money. The bride and groom also have their own waiting rooms where guests can take photos with them. Traditional hanboks have been replaced by “traditional” European outfits - wedding dress and a suit. Wedding - open event. Often, in addition to the photographer, there is a videographer. Instead of the familiar Mendelssohn march, Wagner's wedding march is played, which is extremely rarely used in other countries. The groom enters the hall first, then the father leads the bride to the altar. The most important role in a wedding ceremony is played by the person performing the ritual. Usually this is a close relative or friend of the groom. The whole ceremony lasts about half an hour, after which the young couple and guests go to the gala banquet. After it begins, the young people put on traditional outfits and go to a specially designated room, where they have dinner with their parents. Usually, immediately after the wedding, the couple goes on a trip.

• Tol chanchi - first birthday

A child's first birthday is a special date. Often, preparation for this holiday begins even before the baby is born. On this day you are invited large number guests, and the ceremony itself is often held outside the home. Guests bring gifts to the baby, congratulate him, after which a traditional ritual begins that determines the fate of the child. Various objects are placed on the table in front of a child dressed in hanbok, each of which carries a special meaning. His fate depends on what the baby picks up. For example, if it is a handful of cereal, then he will never go hungry. Threads promise long life, and the book is a rich mind. After this, a traditional banquet begins, before which the child’s parents bow to the floor, thanking the guests for coming. This is how the first birthday goes!

Thus, even today, in today’s rapidly changing world, the traditions and customs of the Korean people fill the lives of Koreans with meaning and are passed on from generation to generation. After all, the economic situation can be restored, but no one can return lost traditions and culture.

Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!

We continue the series of articles about the amazing and not yet fully explored Asian corners of our planet. Today our imagination will take us straight to Korea, and this article will help in such a difficult task.

We will learn a lot of interesting things about the traditions of South Korea: how a traditional family is built, what holidays people love most, how to behave in a decent society, what arrogant old ladies are called and what vice many Koreans suffer from. Good luck!

Family

South Korean habits and customs have evolved over many centuries. With the growth of urbanization, Europeanization, informatization and other difficult words things have changed somewhat, but the basics remain the same. They may seem logical, nice, correct, or, conversely, strange, paradoxical - it’s up to you to decide.

Family values

Family ties are the highest value for many in Korea. An unmarried man is not considered a full-fledged man.

Previously, three or four generations could live in a house. The older man was in charge. In general, a man had greater rights than a woman, but in order to avoid gender disputes, in the second half of the last century a bill was passed, according to which the son and daughter had equal rights in inheritance.

Now married couples usually live separately from their parents. The average young family - mother, father, one or two children. The relationship between spouses is strong, because when they divorce, they disgrace not only themselves, but also their relatives.

The wife usually keeps her maiden name, but the children take their father's last name. The names and surnames of Koreans are short, sonorous and do not differ in phenomenal diversity.

Most popular surnames:

• Kim - worn by every fifth Korean;
• Lee - every seventh;

Housing

Koreans' houses are called "hanok". It is built so that household members can enjoy unity with nature as much as possible and at the same time comfortably hide from the vagaries of the weather: summer heat, humidity and winter coolness.

Life is arranged in such a way that the family spends most of their time at home on the floor: this is where they eat, sleep, work, and have fun. Therefore, the interior is simple: mats or thin mattresses for sleeping, flat cushions for sitting, small folding tables for meals. Main feature The structure of the house has a built-in “warm floor” system, which cannot be avoided in Korea.

Behavior in society

Respect for elders

Position in society is very important when social contacts. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Koreans you don’t know well start asking awkward questions: who are your parents, how old are you, where did you study, are you married. Don’t take it for impudence or tactlessness - this is how the locals determine how to communicate with you.

The main postulate of interpersonal communication is respect for elders and unquestioning submission to them.

Elderly people can deny themselves nothing and behave as they please. Sometimes this behavior leads to the point of absurdity, which, however, is considered the norm in Korea. The name of this “absurdity” is ajumma.

For example, representatives of the older generation are allowed everything. They will give grannies a head start in Russian public transport: they push, interrupt, jump in line, without a twinge of conscience they can speak out about young people, and if they don’t like something, they can even spit at them. What can young people do - just endure.

Bad habits

It cannot be said that the Koreans are leading healthy image life: many people devote the entire day to sedentary work, and then go to bars, restaurants, cafes, where they indulge in conversations with friends over a glass or two of something alcoholic. As a whole, the figure for the country is impressive, which sometimes elevates Korea to the top positions in the world in alcohol consumption.

However, even when drunk, young people behave surprisingly quietly, decorously and nobly.

Food in Korea is very spicy, and the most popular meat here is pork. It is usually fried on the table and eaten with a variety of appetizers. You can read more about Korean cuisine.

Rules of decency

In Korea they are considered decent to the point of indecency short skirts, which cover practically nothing when climbing stairs. But at the same time, the slightest hint of cleavage will be the subject of the girl’s condemnation.

The concept of morality is quite vague: ordinary girls sacredly honor their marriage, love their one and only unique husband. At the same time, history has long known about the existence of local geishas - kisen.

They entertained the audience by playing musical instruments And acting skills, with their knowledge of literature and art, served food and drinks. It was believed that it was better for a gisaeng to be smart and have excellent conversational skills than for her to be beautiful. Probably, gisaengs could provide intimate services in exchange for money, but no one considered them prostitutes.

Gisaengs played an important role in Korean culture: they were the heroines of many novels, and during turbulent times they became nurses.

A few more interesting facts

• In Korea, you need to get used to bowing - this gesture accompanies greetings, farewells, and gratitude.
• Touching should be treated with caution - it is not allowed to touch unfamiliar people, women, only a light handshake is allowed.
• Shoes are taken off almost everywhere here.
• Blowing your nose in public is considered bad manners, while slurping is a compliment for the cook.
• Here they don’t apologize for trifles, for example, if one accidentally touched the other’s shoulder.
• It is not customary to hide your hands when talking.
• Red pens simply do not exist in Korea - writing in red spells disaster.
• Nine out of ten residents have vision problems, which is why there are so many people wearing glasses around.
• The time that the mother carried the fetus is counted towards the child’s age - so, the baby is already born at nine months.
• The new, “endemic” fashion has become plastic surgery, especially for eyelid correction. Parents often give surgery to young people – both girls and boys – as a gift when they reach adulthood.

Favorite holidays

Wedding procession

Despite all the progressive thinking of today's youth, they do not stop taking into account the opinions of their elders, so they need the blessing of their parents to get married. Moreover, a few days before the celebration, a feast reminiscent of matchmaking takes place.

European traditions seeped into Korean wedding fashion, only made it more unique and inimitable. Now the ceremonies are held in two stages: Western and traditional.

The wedding takes place in European style. The groom, dressed in a suit, enters the special hall for rituals, where guests have already gathered, followed by the bride and her father, dressed in a wedding dress. The ceremony lasting about thirty minutes is performed by someone familiar, for example, a close friend of the groom.

Main musical accompaniment- not the usual Mendelssohn march, but a Wagner march.

Later, the newlyweds change into national costumes - hanboks, which cause a flurry of admiration among Westerners. The action continues with a meal in honor of the newly-made spouses; they are given gifts, mostly money. Then the young people go on a journey together.

First birthday

This event is called "tol chanchi". They begin to prepare for it much in advance, sometimes even before the baby is born. Many acquaintances come to the banquet, which is rarely held at home, and present the baby with generous gifts.

On this day, the fate of the new little person is determined to some extent. Objects are placed in front of him, and his life depends on which one he chooses. For example, by choosing grain, a child will always be well-fed, a book - smart, a skein of thread - long-lived.

New Year - Sollal

Koreans celebrate the first day of the year with the onset of the first lunar days first month. This date is never static, so every year it is celebrated on a new day.

At this time, the people are left to themselves and their families for three days. They put on hanboks, go to their parents, even if they live far away, and celebrate the New Year.

In Sollal, the Chere ceremony is often held - a holiday of remembrance of ancestors.

Rite of Remembrance

Chere is held on New Year's Day, Harvest Day and the anniversary of death. According to Korean beliefs, after death the soul of the deceased does not leave the earth, but protects his relatives for another four generations, as if being nearby.

To celebrate this event, people buy gifts, food in advance, set a rich table, or go to the cemetery. The event is accompanied by dancing girls and a parade of kites in the sky.

Conclusion

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Is Korean. In general, Koreans are a big ethnic group speaking the same language. Although there are many dialects of Korean, almost all Koreans speak standard Korean, which is based on the Seoul dialect.

The population has little command of spoken English, but all signs and signs are usually translated into this language.

Religion in the state is completely free. In general, South Korea is a fairly 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 entirely Chinese.

Regardless of religion, almost the entire Korean society lives according to the teachings of Confucius. Confucianism in general is not a religion, but a philosophy, life teaching and instruction. According to this philosophy, every person has a place in society. The employee is dependent on the employer, and the son is dependent on the father. This structure cannot be changed in any way. Men dominate South Korean society.

Confucianism is based on respect for family, parents, ancestors, and friends. And also to people in power. In addition, Confucianism emphasizes the critical importance of humanity, change, education, peace and justice. Many South Koreans think 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, everyone is expected to completely submit to their elders. That is why in Korea it is considered natural to ask about marital status and age, in order to immediately understand what position he is in relative to his interlocutor.

Any man, regardless of age, will not be considered an adult if he is still unmarried.

Korean Sign Language has some peculiarities. It is not customary to call a person with a hand that is facing upward. It is also not customary to beckon with a finger, since this is a gesture used by dogs. To call a person, you should wave your hand, palm down.

When meeting people, it is customary to shake hands, as in European countries. Women don't shake hands.

Culture North Korea simultaneously complex and diverse. The fact that communism dominates here has preserved the traditions and customs of the country. At the same time, the state strives to develop art and culture. At the same time, no matter what is done, the idea can be traced everywhere that the DPRK is best country. And importantly, North Korean culture is not influenced by the West.

Initially, society is based on respect for elders - including parents. Every resident of the country reveres power and justice - it was precisely due to these foundations that communism was able to take root. In Korea, all religions are considered a relic of the past, but, nevertheless, Buddhism and Christianity function normally in the country, and believers are not oppressed. Respect for elders is manifested in many areas. For example, elders have no less powers than local leaders. War veterans are exempt from everyday chores, but you can still often see them in the fields, because... they do not use these benefits.

The Korean ideology says that one must work for the benefit of children, but what is this connected with?

This may be due to the fact that the minimum age for marriage is 22 and 24 years old, but there are a number of restrictive additions. In addition, one of the factors that often prevents people from getting married is that young people are not ready financially, and without this, the authorities do not allow them to get married. To begin with, a minimum capital is accumulated, and then you can hold a wedding ceremony, although such events are quite ruinous.

Children are treated with trepidation. Children always look well-groomed and neat - and the wealth of their parents should not affect this in any way. It is worth noting that strollers are not used here - and children are carried in special slings on the back or chest. In the country you can see many playgrounds in operation and under construction, as well as sports complexes. There are many clubs where children can show their creativity. At the same time, they are not making a show of it, but are really trying for the benefit of the children. Children are not punished, as is customary in Western countries. Children are raised on patriotism and respect for elders. Therefore, in Korea you can constantly see children helping grandmothers cross the road or carry bags. But children are not praised for such good deeds, because for them this is considered the norm.

Advice

Every passenger gives up his seat to a woman with a child on the bus; everyone is interested in his successes and what he plans to do in the future. Children are a favorite topic, do not miss the chance to communicate with these people.

Korean character

Koreans are a reserved nation. People communicate in a calm and even tone, and this is considered a sign of respect. Here it is not customary to laugh loudly, swear or kiss in public. Especially with the older generation. Koreans are quite friendly and will be happy to chat, but then they may suddenly remember about urgent matters. The fact is that direct contact with a foreigner is not particularly encouraged here.

Greetings

In Korea they greet each other with a slight half-bow. This half-bow expresses respect for the interlocutor, and does not detract from self-esteem. When meeting, they can also shake each other’s hands, and it can be both the left and right hand. They try not to look into the eyes, because... this can be regarded as psychological pressure. Don’t be surprised if someone pushes you or steps on your foot and doesn’t apologize, it’s not accepted here. Gifts are not given, but placed at the entrance to the house - this and the previous point are related to not embarrassing a person. It is also not customary to thank people who do you a favor.

Conclusion:

Communism, patriotism and respect for elders reign in Korea. They treat children with special respect. Outwardly, it may seem that Koreans are not friendly people, because... they do not have the usual traditions, as they do in most countries. But this does not happen because they treat someone badly, but simply so as not to embarrass the person in a given situation. 

European culture is radically different from Asian culture. This is manifested in absolutely all social and everyday nuances, which is why Asia is incredibly attractive for tourists from all over the world. Of particular interest is the culture and customs of South Korea, which for quite a long time was somewhat isolated from the rest of the world. Today, Europeans find this country incredibly beautiful and original, so we decided to tell you the most interesting facts about Korean culture.

Korean culture: features

At the beginning of the article, I would like to clarify that Koreans are an indivisible nation with common traditions, religion and customs. But due to certain circumstances, the country was divided into parts and now represents two absolutely sovereign states - South and In cases where journalists or sociologists mention Korea, they mean precisely the state called South Korea. We will do the same. Moreover, cultural heritage both countries is identical.

South Korea: customs and traditions

Korean culture was formed under the influence of Chinese and Mongolian people. This can be seen in some elements of folk costume and musical tastes, which are surprisingly reminiscent of traditional Chinese chants. If you ever find yourself in Korea, you will be surprised how often you can hear music and songs on the city streets. They accompany the life of an ordinary Korean from the moment of birth until death.

Religion has greatly influenced cultural traditions Korea. Initially, almost all Koreans were ardent adherents of shamanism. Only with the arrival of the first Buddhist monks from China to these lands did a new religion begin to spread throughout the country. It surprisingly quickly entered the life of Koreans and overlapped with their traditions. In addition, Buddhism gave a powerful impetus to the development of art. Traditional painting, for example, under the influence of the new religion, was enriched with previously unused styles and trends. Silk painting and paintings in the style of naturalism became popular.

The attitude towards the older generation occupies a special place in culture. This tradition can also be attributed to Koreans. Among them, it is still customary to treat elders with great respect and carry out their words without reservation. Quite often, being among strangers, Koreans are eager to find out social status and age. This is what they start from when building a model of behavior in society.

how is this?

Young Koreans respect the will of their parents above all else and marry only after their blessing. After all, in Korea, divorce is considered a shame not only for two people, but also for their families. Nowadays weddings are played mainly in two versions - traditional and Western style. Thus, all secular laws and cultural traditions are respected. The most common clothing at any festive ceremonies is the Korean national costume, Hanbok. It evokes admiration among Europeans because this clothing represents a riot of colors and simplicity of lines, which together form an incredibly attractive image.

Korean folk costume: general characteristics

The costume, which is the national holiday clothing in Korea, is called hanbok. It has remained virtually unchanged for several millennia. Korean consists of three main parts:

• jeogori;
• chhima;
• old

Chogori is an outer shirt, chhima is an A-shaped skirt, and otkorym are wide and long ribbons that prevent the shirt from opening and are a decorative element of the costume.

A Korean men's suit consists of the following elements:

• jeogori;
• paji;

The jegori outer shirt in a man's suit differs little from that of a woman's, and paji pants are comfortable baggy trousers tied with two ribbons, which makes them almost universal. In the cold season, a type of coat called pho was worn on the jegori.

Hanbok color scheme

In various runway photographs, the Korean national costume appears to foreigners as something surprisingly colorful. Koreans know how to combine bright and rich colors with each other to create unique images. Usually two or three colors are used in one suit in unusual combinations. Chhima and jeogori were often decorated with gold foil embroidery, which was elevated to the rank of a special art in Korea.

The bright colors of hanbok have always been available only to noble Koreans. They had the right to use all kinds of colors, which often played an informational role when meeting with acquaintances. For example, deep blue Only women with one son could wear it.

Commoners were forbidden to use bright colors: their Korean national costume was replete with shades of gray and beige. The poor could afford some color variety - pink and green colors. But she always had very pale shades as opposed to pure and rich colors hanbok of aristocrats.

What material was hanbok made from?

The Korean national costume was most often made from cotton blend fabrics. They wore well in the hot season; in other seasons, silk clothing was common. But only the rich could afford such variety. The general population of Korea wore hanbok made of plain cotton or hemp.

Women's Hanbok: details

It is worth noting that throughout the history of its existence folk costume I only changed its length and design elements. IN general outline it remained intact, which speaks of its extreme convenience, which Koreans are proud of to this day. The jeogori outer shirt has always been quite short; in the traditional version it reaches the waist. But in different times its length varied significantly. For example, in the eighteenth century, chogori turned into a kind of top that barely covered the chest. In some provinces, it even left the breasts uncovered, which indicated that the woman had children.

Chhima also did not always have the current bell shape. Under the influence of Mongolian and Chinese culture Since the seventeenth century, the skirt began to widen towards the hips and narrow towards the legs. In the nineteenth century, this form of chhima reached its maximum expansion and gradually began to acquire more traditional look. Now the skirt national costume starts just below the chest and widens towards the floor. Okorym ribbons were originally very narrow, but over time they began to be made from fabric that contrasted with the color of jeogori in order to create an additional design element from them.

Hanbok: men's suit

Hanbok for men has undergone virtually no major changes. Chogori and paji were often made from fabric different colors, which made it possible to create unique combinations and combinations. In a men's suit, jeogori reaches mid-thigh and is loose-fitting, unlike the fitted women's version.

As outerwear, men often wore not only the already mentioned pho, but also magoja - and a removable collar. It was customary to wear it over the jegori and not fasten it. This item of clothing came in Korean culture thanks to the Mongol princesses. But a few years later, it became so integrated with the traditional hanbok that to this day it is considered the main part of the national costume of not only men, but also women.

Children's traditional clothing

The Korean national costume for girls and boys is not much different from adult models. Parents try to buy suits of bright colors for their beloved children, which are worn not only on official public holidays, but also in close family circles. It is also customary to wear hanbok for various occasions. holiday events V kindergarten and school.

It is difficult to imagine at least one celebration in Korea that would be complete without a national costume. Absolutely all Koreans, without exception, love him. And this is not surprising, because in addition to its beauty, hanbok is distinguished by its extraordinary convenience and practicality. Therefore, if you happen to visit South Korea, be sure to bring a hanbok from there as a souvenir. With its help you can produce unforgettable experience at any party.