What can link a rabbit, a turtle and the Moon?

Do not expect the retelling story of the classical fable. Those three elements shape the three days celebration known as Chuseok.

On the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar year, Koreans celebrate the harvest festival. Chuseok is a time to give respect and show gratitude to one's ancestors for the harvest. It is a time for families to reunite and celebrate.

As with many Asian cultures, the Moon has a predominant place in the observance, but what about the rabbit and the Turtle?

There is no unique explanation in folklore that explains how the festival of Chuseok came to be. Many legends and myths are out there, one of them featuring a rabbit, another a turtle.

The rabbit is said to be a student of Buddhism, along with the fox and the monkey. One day, the Celestial Emperor decided to see how their studies went and, disguised as a beggar, he asked the three animals to bring him food. They all scattered to gather food. The fox brought back fish, the monkey fruits, and the rabbit, in his small paws, had grass. Looking at the bounty from his two friends, the rabbit was dismayed. He decided then to set the grass on fire and jumped into the flames to offer himself to the hungry man.

Impressed and moved by this self-sacrifice, the Celestial Emperor then declared the rabbit as the guardian of the Moon.

The Moon's rabbit became a symbol of fertility, longevity and harvest.

What about the Turtle?

The turtle is found in a part of Korean history dating more than a thousand years ago. At the time of the Three Kingdoms, the kingdom of Silla (신라) warred against the kingdom of Baekje (백제) and defeated their enemy.

It is said that Baekje's king, King Uija (의자왕), found a turtle with odd markings on its shell. His advisers interpreted the signs and concluded that it was a bad omen. The marking supposedly read: "Baekje full moon, Silla half-moon". The king's advisers interpreted it as the foretold defeat of Baekje and the victory of Silla, as the half-moon follows the full moon, the full moon falls as the half-moon rises.

A rabbit, a turtle and the moon. The roots of Chuseok are found deep into the folklore, legends and the soil of Korea. Celebrating the harvest season, showing gratitude to the ancestors, reuniting with family, Chuseok is one of the three main holidays in Korea. The origin is probably found in a removed agricultural age when people would worship the Moon, giving thanks for bountiful harvest while sharing a table full of newly harvested rice and fruits.

This year, Chuseok will be celebrated on September 20th, 2021. Let's celebrate on Wattpad with AmbassadorsKR and kpop with a contest!!!

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🐇🐇 Happy Chuseok!!! 🐇🐇