Taeborum (redirected from Daeboreum)

Taeborum (Daeboreum)

February; 15th day of the first lunar month

Taeborum marks the first full moon of the Lunar New Year in Korea ( see Sol) and is at least as important as that holiday. Many customs and games are traditional on this day, which is also sometimes called the Great Fifteenth. The Fifteenth, or Full Moon Day, marks the end of the New Year season in Korea and is regarded as the final opportunity to ensure good luck for the coming year. It is considered lucky on this day for people to routinely repeat their actions nine times—particularly children, who compete with each other to see how many "lucky nines" they can achieve before the day is over.
It is common to celebrate the Great Fifteenth with kite flying and kite fighting, which is done by covering the strings with glass dust and then crossing them so that they rub together as they fly. The string held by the more skillfully manipulated kite eventually cuts through the string of the less successful kite, sending it crashing to the ground.
Another popular sport on this day is the tug-of-war. In some areas, an entire town or county is divided into two opposing teams. It is widely believed that the winners will bring in a plentiful crop and will be protected from disease in the coming year.
See also Bridge Walking; Burning the Moon House; Spirit Burying; Torch Fight

CONTACTS:
Korea Foundation
10-11F, Diplomatic Center Bldg., 2558 Nambusunhwanno, Seocho-gu
P.O. Box 227
Seoul, 137-863 South Korea
82-2-3463-5600; fax: 82-2-3463-6075
www.koreana.or.kr

SOURCES:
AnnCustKorea-1983, pp. 53, 69
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 88