Korean New Year History

However many koreans now also celebrate the new year at the start of the solar calendar january 1 as westerners do.

Korean new year history. Records of 7th century korean new year celebrations are included in the chinese historical works the book of sui and the old book of tang. Korean new year commonly known as seollal 설날 is the first day of the lunar korean calendar. In north korea lunar new year was abolished in 1953 following the korean war but was revived in 1967.

The origins of the lunar new year festival are thousands of years old and are steeped in legends. Happy new year in korean. It consists of a period of celebrations starting on new year s day.

Origin and history of new year in republic of korea korean new year is also known as seollal 1st day of the lunar calendar. The koreans also celebrate solar new year s day on january 1 each year following the gregorian calendar. The earliest references to korean new year are believed to be found in the 3rd century chinese historical work records of the three kingdoms book of wei volume 30.

It is the most important of the traditional korean holidays. This year lunar new year is february 19. One legend is that of nian a hideous beast believed to feast on human flesh on new year s day.

Koreans celebrate new year s day at the start of the year on the lunar calendar solnal and have done so for thousands of years. The event is considered as a family oriented holiday. Saehae bok mani badseiyo.

The 12 animal gods of the chinese zodiac are also followed and this year is the year of the pig. January 1 of the gregorian western calendar koreans also celebrate seollal which usually lasts for three days the day of the day before and the day after. By the 13th century korean new year was one of the nine major korean festivals.