Lunar New Year: Burning Festival 2013

Every year on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar and the first full moon of lunar new year Korea holds a festival to celebrate. On this day, there are many traditions and customs performed to ward off misfortune and to wish for a bountiful new year. In the morning, people will wish for good health and fortune by cracking the shell of a peanut or walnut with their teeth. By night, Koreans like to share traditional foods with their neighbors and family.

When the moon rises into the sky (around 4:30pm) "Burning Daljip" happens. Diljip is a huge pile of straw and twigs. The burning of Diljip is a tradition to ward off misfortune and bring good luck. Then they will Jisin-balgi, the stomping on the ground to comfort the god of the earth.

There is also a tradition called "deowipalgi" which means "selling of heat". It usually involves a friend or family member by calling his or her name before sunrise. If they respond, they are then told "Buy my heat." Then the buyer is then responsible for absorbing all the heat the seller would have otherwise received in the coming summer.


                                                     

Sending my wish into the fire.

The South Korean President 

In Busan alone, there was 6 Daljip (huge fires) around the city. Bobby, a few friends, and I decided to attend the event at one of our favorite beaches. 

Here is a video of the fire.