The 24 seasonal divisions and folklore customs of May
Ripha and Soman are included in May of 24 seasonal divisions.
Ripha means the beginning of the summer and it is the 7th division which falls on 6th or 7th of May. Soman means that it is a period of mid-summer which falls on 21st or 22nd of May.
Our ancestors sowed various kinds of cereal grain and planted vegetables during these periods.
People sowed corns between Ripha and Soman periods and planted beans before or after Ripha, but in case of long-season crops it was sown till the period of Soman.
On the other hand, sericulture began this time as it is suitable for growing of mulberry leaves.
Normally spring is a warm season in our country, but in Soman period the weather gets colder for a while and then gets warmer again.
During this period, our people made vigorous weed-removing of all kinds of field crops.
In case of millet, it had double weed-removing and for corn, it had only once.
Besides, as it is a period for growth of plants, many edible herbs were widely used in dietary life.
There are many edible herbs in our country. For examples, herbs such as aralia shoots, leopard plant, royal fern, bracken, anise and broad bellflower are available in spring season.
These herbs, which grew in Koku, Ripha and Soman periods, were especially tasty.
Due to these reasons, our people used the herbs of these periods in such dietary life as salad, kimchi and soup.
Like this our people created diligent and various life-work-style and inherited it consistently in accordance with seasonal characteristics of May for a long time.
