Joint Ancestral Rites for the Whole Nation During Boseong World Tea Expo Period... Broadcast Nationwide on Boseong-gun YouTube on Chuseok Day

Developing a Cultural Movement to Explore the Origins of Charye and Set Up the Charye Table

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Boseong-gun, the green tea capital, announced on the 15th that it will hold a 'Joint Ancestral Rite for the Holiday' during the Boseong World Tea Expo period for all citizens, including those who find it difficult to visit their hometowns due to COVID-19, ahead of the upcoming Chuseok holiday.

The joint ancestral rite will be broadcast live on the official website broadcasting channel of the Boseong World Tea Expo on the 19th, and will be edited for easy viewing by the general public and aired nationwide through Boseong-gun's YouTube channel at 9 a.m. on Chuseok day.

The 'Joint Ancestral Rite,' held on the special stage of the Boseong World Tea Expo, is hosted by the Boseong Hyanggyo Confucian Association. In keeping with the green tea capital, tea will be offered on the ritual table while revisiting the origin and meaning of the rite.

Various forms of ancestral rites will be demonstrated, including rites offering both tea and alcohol, rites offering only tea, and simplified rites suitable for urban settings. The methods and origins of these rites will be explained to promote Korea's unique traditional culture.

From the 17th to the 20th, those who subscribe to and comment on the Boseong World Tea Expo YouTube channel and apply for the tea offering on the ritual table on the expo's official website (limited to the first 1,000 applicants) will receive a gift of Boseong green tea (20g) and Boseong rice (500g) to place on their ritual table. Gifts will be shipped starting on the 22nd.

A county official emphasized, "The Chuseok holiday period will be the most critical time for COVID-19 prevention," and added, "Although it is regrettable, we hope people will refrain from visiting their hometowns this year and pay their respects sincerely through the online joint ancestral rite."

Meanwhile, the custom of offering tea to ancestors is believed to have started in Korea during the Silla period when tea was first introduced. The appearance of alcohol instead of tea in Korean holiday ancestral rites is said to have begun after King Yeongjo, concerned about the people's livelihood during the devastated national economy caused by wars such as the Imjin War and the Manchu invasions, ordered by royal decree to use "alcohol or hot water, that is, sungnyung (scorched rice water), instead of precious and expensive tea."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.