Korean traditional food and culture_Korean Traditional Tea & Rice CakeCulture

Korean Traditional Tea Culture

History and Types

Korean tea culture is known to have started during the Three Kingdoms period. Tea became an important beverage among the nobility and Buddhist monks during the Silla and Goryeo dynasties. Although tea culture somewhat declined during the Joseon dynasty due to the influence of Confucianism, it still remained prevalent among the literati and scholars.

 

1. Green Tea: The most common traditional tea, made by steaming and drying tea leaves. Famous green tea regions include Boseong, Hadong, and Jeju.

2. Yellow Tea: A semi-fermented tea that naturally turns yellow during the fermentation process.

3. Black Tea: Fully fermented tea, which has recently gained popularity in Korea.

4. White Tea: Made from tea leaves that are minimally processed and dried in their natural state.

5. Pu-erh Tea: A fermented tea that originated from China and is also popular in Korea.

Tea Culture

Korean tea culture is more than just drinking tea; it is about calming the mind, focusing, and self-reflection. Traditional Korean tea ceremonies reflect this philosophy, turning the entire process of brewing and drinking tea into a form of art.

 

Korean Rice Cake Culture

 

History and Types

Rice cakes, or "tteok," are traditional Korean foods that play a significant role during holidays, ancestral rites, and celebrations. Made from rice, glutinous rice, beans, sesame seeds, and other various ingredients, tteok comes in a wide variety of types depending on the region and season.

 

1. Songpyeon: Half-moon shaped rice cakes eaten during Chuseok, filled with ingredients like beans, sesame seeds, or red beans, and scented with pine needles.

2. Injeolmi: Glutinous rice cake made by steaming and pounding the rice, then coating it with roasted soybean powder.

3. Jeolpyeon: Thinly sliced rice cakes made by kneading and steaming rice flour, often in various colors and shapes.

4. Baekseolgi: White rice cake made from rice flour, commonly used in weddings and first birthday celebrations.

5. Gyeongdan: Small rice cakes made from glutinous rice flour, rolled in honey, and coated with various powders such as soybean or red bean powder.

6. Yaksik: A sweet rice cake made from glutinous rice, jujubes, chestnuts, and pine nuts, seasoned with honey or sugar and soy sauce, typically eaten during holidays.

Significance of Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are not just food; they serve as a medium for connecting people. Sharing rice cakes during holidays symbolizes harmony and love among family and neighbors, while offering rice cakes during ancestral rites expresses respect and gratitude to ancestors.

 

Thus, Korean traditional tea and rice cake culture hold deep historical significance and rich meanings, continuing to maintain their value in modern times.