"Let's Stop Chuseok Food Now"... Ancestral Rites Table Leads to Family Conflicts

9 out of 10 People Say "Charyesang Food Should Be Simplified"
Reports of Domestic Violence Increase During Holiday Breaks
Sungkyunkwan University Announces Standardized Simplified Charyesang Table Plan

On the morning of the 5th, a ceremonial table for children's cultural experience was set up at Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Conflicts frequently arise during the Chuseok holiday, a time when the whole family is supposed to gather and enjoy, due to preparations for the ancestral rites table. A survey also revealed that setting up the ancestral rites table is the most stressful part of holiday events.

On the 5th in Busan, a woman was arrested by the police after wielding a weapon during an argument with her husband over preparations for the ancestral rites table ahead of Chuseok. The couple argued after discussing "let's not prepare the ancestral food anymore." The enraged wife swung a kitchen knife at her husband, injuring him.

Many citizens feel burdened by setting up the ancestral rites table. In January, HR tech company Incruit conducted a survey of 847 adult men and women to understand their thoughts and difficulties regarding holiday preparations. As a result, 6 out of 10 respondents (60.0%) identified "making jeon (Korean pancakes) and setting up the ancestral rites table" as the most stressful and burdensome part of holiday events.

Additionally, 94.3% of respondents agreed that simplification of the ancestral rites table food is necessary. Regarding the level of food preparation for the ancestral rites table, the most preferred option was "a table set mainly with foods favored by the family or the deceased" (68.4%), followed by "a table with 1-2 single dishes" (16.1%) and "a table with a variety of dishes but reduced quantities" (11.2%).

Sungkyunkwan, which has preserved Confucian traditional culture, also recognized the seriousness of this issue and announced a simplified standard for the ancestral rites table. The Sungkyunkwan Ritual Establishment Committee held a press conference, stating, "Confucianism has played an important role among our people for many years," but also reflected, "During modernization, it failed to fulfill its role and only reminisced about past glories without pioneering new paths. As a result, public perception of Confucianism has become very negative."

They added, "Every holiday, terms like 'holiday syndrome' and 'gender discrimination' have been rampant," and lamented, "Even the phenomenon of increased divorce rates after holidays has been unfairly blamed on Confucianism."

Reports of domestic violence also increase during holiday periods. According to the National Police Agency in January, from 2017 to 2021, the average number of domestic violence reports received nationwide during the Lunar New Year holiday period exceeded 4,000 cases. This is ▲1.4 times (1,076 cases) in 2017 ▲1.51 times (1,032 cases) in 2018 ▲1.44 times (954 cases) in 2019 ▲1.42 times (865 cases) in 2020 compared to the daily average number of domestic violence reports received throughout the year.

The Sungkyunkwan Ritual Establishment Committee announced the 'Simplification of Ancestral Rites' plan on the 5th at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. The photo shows an ancestral rite table set with nine types of food according to the simplification plan. Photo by Sungkyunkwan Ritual Establishment Committee. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, according to the standard, the basic simplified Chuseok ancestral rites table includes six types of food: songpyeon (rice cakes), namul (seasoned vegetables), grilled dishes (jeok·炙), kimchi, fruit, and alcohol. If adding a bit more, guidance allows for placing meat, fish, and rice cakes. The key point is that oily foods like jeon (Korean pancakes) should not be placed on the table, and the number of dishes should be limited to a maximum of nine.

The Sungkyunkwan side stated, "The ancestral rites are a ceremony filled with the sincerity of descendants honoring their ancestors, but if this causes suffering or discord within the family, it is certainly undesirable," adding, "The respect for ancestors does not lie in the number of dishes, so there is no need to strive to prepare many."