The true meaning of the holiday is family harmony and happiness.
The Korea Confucian Culture Promotion Institute’s Korean Etiquette Center on Thursday proposed “modern, tailored” guidelines for Seollal ancestral rites.
Charye, which literally means a rite of offering tea, originally involved placing only three or four items such as tteokguk (rice cake soup), songpyeon (rice cakes) and fruit. But after Seollal and Chuseok became official holidays, the rites evolved into larger family gatherings and the table grew more elaborate.
The center said excessive preparation and costs are widely cited as a main cause of holiday conflict. It said state rites such as the Jongmyo memorial service and ceremonies at long-established head families should strictly preserve their original forms, but ordinary households need alternative options that prioritize family harmony and happiness.
It added that rules such as “hongdongbaekseo” — placing red fruit on the east and white fruit on the west — and “joyulisi,” a prescribed lineup of jujubes, chestnuts, pears and persimmons, lack clear documentary support. No traditional etiquette text strictly sets the types or placement of fruit, it said.
The center advised that four to six items, centered on tteokguk, are enough. It said oily jeon (pan-fried dishes) were not recommended for charye in traditional etiquette studies. It also said offering foods an ancestor enjoyed in life or modern fruits can be a contemporary way to show respect, and suggested that placing an ancestor’s photo instead of a paper memorial tablet written in Chinese characters can be a worthwhile option that strengthens family bonds.
Institute President Jeong Jae Geun said, “Tradition is not a fossilized relic; only when it flows with the times like running water does it remain with us.” He added, “This Seollal, I hope it will be a warm time of harmony, holding the hands of the family beside you as much as the sincerity you show in honoring your ancestors.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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