Folk Customs of DPRK Seen in August

Pyongyang, August 3 (KCNA) -- In August there are Ripchu and Choso, ones of the 24 seasonal divisions of the year in the lunar calendar, in the DPRK.

Ripchu means the beginning of autumn and Choso the decrease of summer weather.

Ripchu and Choso fall on August 7 and August 23 this year.

From olden times, the Korean ancestors pulled up barnyard grass, set up scarecrows on paddy fields in order to prevent crops from birds and animals and mowed for next year's farming in the period.

On the other hand, they planted and cultivated vegetables for kimchi-making.

Vegetables grown in autumn are radish, cabbage, etc.

In the period, people enjoyed various folk dances and folk games.

Typical of them are shoulder dance, dance of handclaps and camp-hitting.

In August people have made various kinds of foods according to the seasonal characteristics of August.

Typical are green corn and eggplant foods.

As seen above, the diligent Korean people have created and steadily carried forward various customs of life in conformity with the seasonal characteristics of August from long ago. -0-