Reenacting 'Traditional Coming-of-age ceremony' in commemoration of the 65th year anniversary of the Yeungnam University
10 international students experience Korean tradition wearing Dopo and Dangui
[May 15, 2012]
"Gwans were worn three times on the good day of the good year. Therefore, brothers shall live together and be virtuous and will sing to live a long life and receive great blessings from the heavens.(以歲之正 以月之令 咸加爾服 兄弟俱在 以成厥德 黃耈無疆 受天之慶)"
At 6pm on the 14th in the Gugye-Seowon inside the Folklore Park of the YU Gyeongsan Campus, the 'GwanRye'(冠禮, Coming-of-age ceremony), the first of the adulthood ceremony was reenacted. Lee, Hyo-soo, president of YU, who was invited as the venerable guest(賓), recited a message congratulating male students who have become 20 years old this year. Following this, they completed the Chipogeon and Yugeon and finally wore 'Gat'(冠, Korean traditional hats), which is the third ceremony, and tied Gatkken, the strings of the Gat to officially announce their adulthood.
YU (president Lee, Hyo-soo) held a 'Traditional Coming-of-age ceremony' on the '40th Coming-of-age Day'. 'Coming-of-age Day' is a legally designated commemorative date on the third Monday of May. It naturally tells young men and women who have become 20 years of age of their responsibilities and duties as an adult, while congratulating their physical and mental maturity out of adolescence.
The traditional coming-of-age ceremony held on the 65th anniversary of the university was co-hosted by the YU Department of Archaic Sino-Korean Education and the Dosan Traditional Manners Research Institute, and over 20 students, including 10 international students, wore traditional clothes called dopo and dangui to take part in the coming-of-age ceremonies called 'GwanRye' and 'GyeRye'.
'GwanRye' is a rite where men who have become over 20 years of age have gwans placed on their heads three times to emphasize their responsibilities to their family, community and country. The rite is started with the 'BunriUirye'(rite of separation) where the hair is tied up in topknots and 3 gwans are placed on the head three times while they changes their clothes. The rite is also made up of 'ChoRye' where it is announced to the heavens that they have come to age with a drink of alcohol, and in 'MyeonjaRye', 'Ja'(字, a new name) is given to be called instead of their original name so that they may preserve the body and name their ancestors gave them. 'GyeRye' is a rite where the braided hair of girls are undone and Jjoks are done with a 'Binyeo', a Korean hairpin to recognize them becoming an adult woman.
Jeon, Jin-seong (20, sophomore, Department of Archaic Sino-Korean Education), who represented the male students of YU who became 20 years of age, stated, "This solemn procedure and atmosphere that was conducted in front of adults made me feel a stronger sense of responsibility in that I have now become an adult" while adding, "I will try my best to become an adult so that the adults who gave me the new name 'Sung-jin' and placed the Gwan on my head can be proud of me."
Chaib Yacine (23, photo), a French student who is currently studying Korean at YU after coming to Korea in the fall of last year, stated, "I was able to learn the deep meanings and values of traditional Korean culture, and also see just how charming it is" and added, "Though I am over 20 years of age, after completing this meaningful adulthood ceremony, I feel a heavier sense of responsibility for the society. I will always remember what I have felt today so that I may become a respected adult."
Lee, Hyo-soo, who was present at the traditional coming-of-age ceremony carried out for an hour and a half amidst spring rains from start to finish, emphasized, "Rather than thinking of this simply as a rite of passage, we should preserve our traditional coming-of-age ceremonies as a rite for learning the pride and responsibilities as an adult," while stating, " I hope that our students who have become adults this year will be able to respect their selves, love us, and become a prized asset of Korea that fulfills his and her social responsibilities.
