traditional wedding ceremony

On April 9, 2017, tourists of Hahoe village could assist in the wedding ceremony. That was a real wedding ceremony, not a performance. Traditional wedding ceremony shows not only special costumes, but also all the procedures including bows, helpers, special foods on the table such as jujube, chestnut, apple, and dried persimmon, each having its own meaning.

The wedding table placed on center, bride and bridegroom are making bows each other with helpers aside. Of course, the bride was so beautiful. But I enjoyed also a lot the beauty and the grace of the helpers' every gesture.

This is the palanquin in which the bride will sit to move, and the sedan chair on which the bridegroom was sitting to come to the courtyard of the house, the ceremony place.

Here is the table full of symbols.

The bridegroom coming into the courtyard holding a little blue screen for a certain caution.

The palanquin for the bride.

The exquisitely prepared bride came out through these doors to assist the ceremony.

The 2 families now unified thank to the wedding are showing their greeting to spectators.

Hunminjeongum, the korean alphabet

Hunminjeongeum (lit. The Correct/Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People) is a document describing an entirely new and native script for the Korean language. The script was initially named after the publication, but later came to be known as hangul. It was created so that the common people illiterate in hanja could accurately and easily read and write the Korean language. It was announced in Volume 102 of the Annals of King Sejong, and its formal supposed publication date, October 9, 1446, is now Hangul Day in South Korea. The Annals place its invention to the 25th year of Sejong's reign, corresponding to 1443-1444.^[1]

The publication is written in Classical Chinese and contains a preface, the alphabet letters (jamo), and brief descriptions of their corresponding sounds. It is later supplemented by a longer document called Hunminjeongeum Haerye that is designated as a national treasure No. 70. To distinguish it from its supplement, Hunminjeongeum is sometimes called the "Samples and Significance Edition of Hunminjeongeum" (훈민정음예의본; 訓民正音例義本).

The Classical Chinese (漢文/hanmun) of the Hunminjeongeum has been partly translated into Middle Korean. This translation is found together with Worinseokbo, and is called the Hunminjeongeum Eonhaebon.

The first paragraph of the document reveals King Sejong's motivation for creating hangul:

• Classical Chinese (Original):

國之語音
異乎中國
與文字不相流通
故愚民 有所欲言
而終不得伸其情者多矣
予爲此憫然
新制二十八字
欲使人人易習便於日用"耳"(矣)

• Mix of hanja (Chinese characters) and Hangul (Eonhaebon):^[2]

• Rendered into written Korean (Eonhaebon):^[2]

• Translation (metaphrase):

“

Because the speech of this country is different from that of China, it [the spoken language] does not match the [Chinese] letters. Therefore, even if the ignorant want to communicate, many of them in the end cannot state their concerns. Saddened by this, I have [had] 28 letters newly made. It is my wish that all the people may easily learn these letters and that [they] be convenient for daily use.

”

• Translation (paraphrase):

“

The language of [our] people is different from that of the nation of China and thus cannot be expressed by the written language of Chinese people. Because of this reason, the cries of illiterate peasants are not properly understood by the many [in the position of privilege]. I [feel the plight of the peasants and the difficulties faced by the public servants and] am saddened by the situation. Therefore, twenty eight [written] characters have been newly created. [My desire is] such that, each [Korean] person may become familiar [with the newly created written language of Korean] and use them daily in an intuitive way.

”

Versions[edit]

The manuscript of the original Hunminjeongeum has two versions:

• Seven pages written in Classical Chinese, except where the Hangul letters are mentioned, as can be seen in the image at the top of this article. Three copies are left:
  • The one found at the beginning of the Haerye copy
  • The one included in Sejongsillok (세종실록; 世宗實錄; "The Sejong Chronicles"), Volume 113.
• The Eonhaebon, 36 pages, extensively annotated in hangul, with all hanja transcribed with small hangul to their lower right. The Hangul were written in both ink-brush and geometric styles. Four copies are left:
  • At the beginning of Worinseokbo (월인석보; 月印釋譜), an annotated Buddhist scripture
  • One preserved by Park Seungbin
  • One preserved by Kanazawa, a Japanese person
  • One preserved by the Japanese Ministry of Royal Affairs

Teacher's day and the very loved King Sejong

The May 15th is the teacher's day in Korea, many people visit their respected teachers and offer them gift. In may, you need to have an extra budget as there are holidays such as children's day, parents' day and this teacher's day. How come the teacher's day falls on the 15th of May? It is because the King Sejong, the most beloved king of Joseon Dynasty was born that day in AD 1397. They made this day the teacher's day in order to commemorate the Great King's birthday as well as to show their love for him.

The Great King is also the most respected person by politicians. The new President of Korea, Moon Jae In himself said he respects the most the Great King Sejong. So what of him made so many politicians admire him?

He has so many achievements in every parts, i.e. in agriculture, linguistics, sciences, military, music, history, gunpowder weapons, ...

He did many revolutionary works for the society such as appointing people from different classes as civil servants.

In relationship with the China (Ming), he made some successful agreements that benefited Korea.

Above all the wonderful and extraordinary achievements, he created the Korean alphabet, Hangul.

I wouldn't be wrong to say that every korean loves this Great King.

les crapauds, comment ils se reproduisent?

Le 30 mars, j'ai vu un crapaud dans le jardin, a l'entree du village Hahoe.

On dit que ces crapauds viennent sous le soleil a cette periode chaque annee. Portant les oeufs en elles, les femelle crapauds ont besoin d'etre mange par un serpant puisqu'elles ne peuvent pas faire eclore les oeufs. Les petits crapauds grandissent dans le corps du serpant qui finalement meurt.

Cette histoire m'a etonnee. Wikipedia raconte pourtant differement sur la reprodution des crapauds.

Je me demande pour quelle raison et sur quelle base on raconte ce genre d'histoire grotesque.

korean toad

At the end of March, I saw a toad in the garden. 

Toads are said to come out under the sun in this season.

I heard that they bear eggs and they can't put them out into the world by themselves and need to be eaten by a snake for them to hatch. Little toads would grow up in the body of snake.

Finally the snake dies and the toads come out. 

I was surprised to hear that. It is different from what wikipedia says.  

I am wondering why they are telling this kind of story.

Plum tree is blooming in HaHoe Village

I wish i could express the depth between the blossoms.

People call these apricot blossoms the messengers of spring.
The flowers resemble beautiful snowflakes though.

                    When you raise up your camera to the sky, you will have this.                                                          

                        I'd like to record how this fence is changing with seasons.