[YeitSuda] The Tradition of Jongga Connected Through Sharing

Andong is home to the largest number of Jongga (head families) and their culture in the country. There are dozens of Jongga old houses designated as cultural assets, and the total number of ancestral rites for the Bulcheonwi (immortal spirits) in the Andong area reaches 50, so looking around, it is said that the Jongga is the head of the family and the one who is respected. Recently, during a reporting trip to Nongam Jongtaek in Dosan-myeon, Andong, Lee Won-jeong, the 17th generation head of the family, was busy brewing the home-brewed liquor ‘Ilyeop Pyeonju.’ Nongam Jongtaek, where Lee Hyun-bo, famous for the poem "Eobuga," the 17th generation descendant, lives, holds 600 years of history and overlooks the Nakdong River right in front.

Nongam Jongtaek Geungudang in Andong.
[Photo by Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation]

The central building of the Jongtaek, ‘Geunggu-dang,’ was first built in 1370 during the Goryeo Dynasty by Lee Heon, the great-grandfather of Nongam, and through this space, it conveys the meaning of carrying on the ancestral legacy to this day. Right next to it, Aeildang was a space built in 1512 by Nongam himself to care for his elderly parents. As much as it means cherishing each day, it is a place imbued with the desperate filial piety of a child who knows there are only a few days left to spend with aging parents, and it is a building that stands out for its beautiful scenery.

According to records, in 1519, when Nongam was serving as the magistrate of Andong, he held a ‘Hwasan Yangro-yeon’ banquet here to celebrate longevity for all elderly people over 80 years old in Andong, regardless of status or gender. Despite his position as magistrate, Nongam personally wore a colorful patchwork garment and danced to entertain the elders, showing his profound filial piety.

Nongam Jongtaek, which was operated as a Hanok stay, experienced a quiet period due to the impact of COVID-19. When the daily routine of cooking warm meals for guests every morning and diligently cleaning and decorating every corner of the house disappeared, the busy time of the head of the family also came to a halt. At that time, the daughter-in-law suggested releasing the liquor she brewed as home-brewed alcohol to the world. The head of the family was hesitant to walk an untraveled path and repeatedly declined, but after continued persuasion, she finally agreed. The liquor, made using only three ingredients?clean rice, nuruk (fermentation starter), and water?brewed in the traditional family method, was named ‘Ilyeop Pyeonju’ after a line from Nongam’s "Eobuga" and a fisherman’s song sent to Nongam by Toegye, which says, ‘Floating a small boat (Ilyeop Pyeonju) on the vast waves (Mangyeongpa).’

'Il-yeop Pyeon-ju,' a traditional homemade liquor from Andong Nongam Jongtaek, gaining popularity as a beloved drink among the public
[Photo by Il-yeop Pyeon-ju website]

When the liquor, which had only been passed down as home-brewed alcohol, was released to the public as ‘Ilyeop Pyeonju,’ orders continued to come in to obtain this precious liquor, and now it is said to be in short supply. This is understandable since the insistence on traditional methods results in very limited production quantities. By chance, I was able to visit on the day the liquor was bottled at the brewery and tasted a glass. The liquor, made only with nuruk, rice, and water, had a deep and subtle floral aroma, so I asked if flowers or other ingredients were added, but the head of the family waved her hand and smiled, saying, "It’s amazing that such a taste comes out just by brewing it in the traditional way."

The home-brewed liquor used in ancestral rites has been released as a brand and presented to the public, and Jongga cuisine has been developed into menu items and established as tourism products. On the recent Yudutnal (the day of the first bathing of a boy), at Dongam Gotaek’s Sujoldang, the Yudujeol ancestral rites were opened to the public, and the family dish served at the rites, Geonjin Guksu (dried noodles), was offered. Geonjin Guksu, passed down through the hands of the head of the family for 400 years, is a traditional noodle made by grinding wheat and soybeans harvested that year into flour, kneading the dough, rolling it thin, cutting it, and rinsing it in cold water. The traditional method is followed exactly from kneading the dough to making the broth and garnishing.

At the crossroads of whether to preserve tradition exactly as it was or to change it to fit new appearances, the descendants of Andong Jongga are choosing the path of sharing and promoting tradition. They believe it is the responsibility of the elders to have many people interested in tradition and to ensure that tradition continues.

Editor's NoteYeitsuda (藝It Suda) is an abbreviation for chatting about art, a column focusing on issues and trends in the arts, including music, fine arts, and performances.

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