Loss of folk customs leads to loss of nation
As he talked with officials on March 1, Juche 69 (1980), Chairman
They failed to give an immediate answer, only blushing. With a broad smile on his face, the Chairman told them it was Jongwoldaeborum, the 15th day of the first month by the lunar calendar.
Only then, the officials remembered that the Korean People have the ancestral custom of celebrating Jongwoldaeborum as a big holiday. March 1 that year was the 15th of January by the lunar calendar.
He offered the Korean taffy he brought with him to each of the officials and said that though they were living in the modern world and were the most advanced and civilized men, they should also have a knowledge of how their ancestors celebrated lunar New Year’s Day. Then he told them about the customs of celebrating the holiday which had been handed down to the following effect.
According to the old records, our ancestors called lunar New Year’s Day “sesu”, “nyonsu”, “wondan” or “wonil”. To mark the day, they above all prepared the meal well and it was called “sechan”. They also made new clothes which were called “solbim”. There was also a custom of sitting up all night on lunar New Year’s Eve. People believed that if they slept, their eyebrows would turn grey. On lunar New Year’s Day, children made deep bow to their parents and elders in their villages and adults exchanged greetings making well-wishing remarks. People of all ages and both sexes enjoyed the holiday as they played yut (four-stick game), seesawing, kite-flying, sleighing, top spinning and the like. Besides, our ancestors held various events from lunar New Year’s Day to Jongwoldaeborum. Especially, farmers went out to fields to set fire on the ridges around paddy fields and non-paddy fields, which was aimed at killing harmful insects.
The Chairman said that the Korean people have established excellent folk customs and traditions not only in celebrating such holidays as lunar New Year’s Day but also in working life, cultural life, food, clothing and housing and moral life, adding that the folk customs and traditions which were created by ancestors and had been preserved through generations reflect the Korean people’s noble mentality and feelings, etiquette and morality and unique life style and the taste and characteristics peculiar to the nation.
And he noted that loss of folk customs may lead to loss of the nation.
After listening to his edifying remarks the officials realized why the Chairman asked what day it was.
The officials became aware that the preservation of folk customs which they made little account of as an ordinary matter are related to the destiny of the nation.