[Digging Travel] Andong Sujoldang Jongtaek Still Observes the Lunar June 15 'Yuduchasa' Without Fail

Andong Hagye Village Sujoldang 'Yuduchasa'
Seasonal Grains and Fruits Used for Ancestral Rites, 15th Generation Matriarch Continues Geonjin Noodles Tradition
Open to Public Ancestral Rites Since 2021 "Sharing Tradition Is the Duty of Elders"

Charye (茶禮), the ancestral rites performed at the shrine during holidays or on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, originally meant a ritual offering of tea. This tradition dates back to the Silla period when Chungdamsa (忠談師) is recorded to have brewed tea and offered it to Maitreya Buddha at Namsan Samhwaryeong on the third day of the third lunar month and Junggu (重九, September 9). As customs changed, tea offerings transformed into alcohol, and along with the rites on the first and fifteenth days, the term "chasar" has been passed down to describe the rites performed during Seol (Lunar New Year), the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Yudu (the fifteenth day of the sixth lunar month), and Dongji (Winter Solstice). Among these, Yudu, now the most unfamiliar seasonal day, is a deeply rooted traditional Korean holiday dating back to the Samhan period, with no equivalent in China or other countries. The Sujoldang ancestral home in Hagae Village, Dosan-myeon, Andong City, Gyeongbuk Province, which still honors Yudu on the lunar June 15, was bustling with preparations for the chasar on this day.

Andong Sujoldang Yuduchasa.
Photo by Travel Team

Dongam Jongtaek, a collateral ancestral home of Toegye Yi Hwang (1502?1571), belonged to his third grandson Dongam Yi Yeongdo (1559?1637). The small tiled house on the right side of this residence, called 'Sujoldang,' is well known to the public. It was originally a jaesa (ancestral ritual house) built by descendants to perform Yi Yeongdo’s memorial rites. The building, constructed in the 17th century, was relocated to its current site in 1975 during the construction of the Andong Dam.

Yoon Eun-sook, the 15th generation matriarch of Sujoldang, was busy preparing Geonjinguksu, the main dish for the Yudu chasar. Geonjinguksu is characterized by mixing seasonal wheat flour and soybean powder harvested during the Yudu season in a 3:1 ratio, fermenting the dough for 2 to 3 hours, then rolling it thinly with a red rolling pin to make noodles. The noodles are so thin that the writing on the hanji paper placed underneath is clearly visible, reflecting the meticulous care involved.

Thinly sliced Geonjin noodles from the fingertips of the master. Sujoldang still adheres to traditional methods to make noodles.
[Photo by Travel Team]

After rinsing the noodles in cold water, they are served in a chilled broth with various garnishes such as meat, egg strips, zucchini, and sesame seeds, typical seasonings from the Gyeongsang-do region, arranged modestly on the ritual table. At first glance, it might seem like just a bowl of noodles, but the thin, delicate noodles are lighter than somyeon, and while today the broth is made from beef brisket or chicken, in the past it was brewed using sweetfish caught from the Nakdong River. This dish embodies the effort and dedication of the ancestral rites and the pride of the head family in preserving tradition, which is felt with every bite.

When the ritual table was set with freshly harvested seasonal grains, fruits, and the carefully prepared noodles in the jaesa house, the elders and young grandchildren of the clan raised their cups in offering. Originally, only direct elders of the clan could enter the jaesa house, but since 2021, Sujoldang has opened the Yudu chasar to the public. Thanks to this, even young grandchildren can perform the bowing rites, and visitors like reporters can witness the scene. One family member participating in the rites said, “Thanks to the press, I’m seeing the ritual table for the first time in 30 years since I got married.”

Andong Sujoldang Yuduchasasang. Seasonal grains and fruits, along with the family's traditional Geonjinguksu, are served together on one table.
[Photo by Travel Team]

While the food was prepared by the matriarch’s hands and the women of the household took care of all the table settings, the remark that it was their first time seeing the ritual table touched many hearts. Lee Jaeyoung, the 15th generation head of Sujoldang, explained, “At the crossroads between preserving tradition exactly as it was or adapting to changing times, we chose to share our tradition.” This meant that rather than a fossilized tradition, it is a living event and ceremony, and it is the responsibility and true duty of the elders to inform young people and open the way for their direct participation.

Six ritual tables were prepared that day, including those for the four ancestors (father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather) and two for the Bulcheonwi (불천위, spirits whose memorial rites are perpetually maintained). Sujoldang is unique in that the two ancestors, Toegye Yi Hwang and Dongam Yi Yeongdo, are honored as Bulcheonwi, with their tombs located on the back and front mountains, respectively, giving special significance to the clan’s ancestral rites. This ancestral home continues to hold the Yudu chasar, a seasonal rite that has faded elsewhere, maintaining the tradition. To carry on this proud spirit, the traditional house experience operated by Sujoldang receives continuous applications. On this Yudu chasar day, a family who stayed overnight at the traditional house also participated, refreshing the meaning of the tradition by driving away the summer heat and paying respects to their ancestors.

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