The Rite of Passage and Folklore of Koreans

Abstract

Koreans once considered life a series of continuing codes and rituals. When it was the right time, there was always the appropriate ceremony. The Korean equivalent of a bar-mitzvah, Kwanrye, was a prerequisite for marriage, and Jerye was a ritual for the display of filial duty. Koreans performed these ceremonies at public places because they meant something only when they were recognized by others. Even a small wedding ceremony consecrated with humble food, such as a single bowl of water, had to be performed in front of the neighbors. The idea of performing these rituals in public had become an important factor in uniting and maintaining a community. However, traditional ceremonies were not always positive or constructive. Sometimes they contained merely empty and useless formalities. For instance, the practice of moaning in low voices during Sangrye, or the idea of measuring filial duty by the amount of food at Jerye, were examples of the frivolousness contained in such rituals.