Chusok("fallevening")isaKorean"HarvestMoon"(Han-gawi)festivalsetonthe15thdayoftheeighthlunarmoon.Chusok(韩国中秋节),alsoknownastheKoreanThanksgivingorMid-AutumnFestival,isoneofthemostcelebratedKoreanholidays.Itoccursduringtheharvestseason.Thus,Koreanfamiliestakethistimetothanktheirancestorsforprovidingthemwithriceandfruits.
ThecelebrationstartsonthenightbeforeChusokandendsonthedayaftertheholiday.Thus,manyKoreanfamiliestakethreedaysofffromworktogettogetherwithfamilyandfriends.
Thecelebrationstartswithafamilyget-togetheratwhichricecakescalled"Songphyun"(蒸糕)areserved.Thesespecialricecakesaremadeofrice,beans,sesameseeds,andchestnuts.Thenthefamilypaysrespecttoancestorsbyvisitingtheirtombsandofferingthemriceandfruits.TheKoreansvisitthegravesoftheirancestorstobowandcleantheareaforthecomingwinter.Intheevening,childrenweartheirfavoritehanbok(traditionalKoreanclothing)anddanceunderthebrightmooninalargecircle.Theyplaygamesandsingsongs.LiketheAmericanThanksgiving,Chusokisthetimetocelebratethefamilyandgivethanksfortheirblessings.
Communityactivitiesincludemaskeddance,Kanggangsuwollae,anancientcircledance,tug-of-warsandthetortoisegame,kobuk-nori(乌龟游戏),inwhichtwomendressasatortoiseandtourthevillagedancingandperformingforfoodanddrink.Mostofall,Ch'usokisatimetogivethanksfortheautumnharvestandreaffirmfamilialandcommunityties.