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Confucian scholars propose simpler holiday memorial rite tables to promote family harmony

Published: 11 Feb. 2026, 14:26

An example of a charye, or the Korean ritual of preparing a full meal for ancestors, is shown in this photo from Sept. 5, 2022. [YONHAP]

A proposal has been raised to simplify the ancestral rite table for the Lunar New Year holiday to ease the recurring burden of preparing jeon, or Korean pancake, a common sacrificial dish. Confucian scholars emphasized that family harmony should take precedence over formality, suggesting that four to six dishes centered on tteokguk (rice cake soup) are sufficient.

The center on traditional Korean etiquette under the Institute of Korean Confucian Culture on Wednesday presented guidelines on customized Lunar New Year ancestral rites that reflect contemporary social conditions while preserving the spirit of tradition. The proposal aims to address the excessive labor and family conflicts that often arise during holiday preparations and to reaffirm the rite’s original purpose of fostering family unity.

According to the center, charye, or the Korean ritual of preparing a full meal for ancestors, initially meant “tea rite” and was far more simplified than what we know today.

Traditionally observed on Seollal, or Lunar New Year, and Chuseok, Korea’s harvest holiday, the rite consisted of a modest table featuring tteokguk or songpyeon (moon-shaped rice cake) along with three to four kinds of fruit.

The center also explained that commonly cited table-setting principles such as hongdongbaekseo — placing red fruits to the east and white fruits to the west — and joyulisi — arranging jujubes, chestnuts, pears and persimmons in a specific order — lack clear documentary evidence. Traditional Confucian texts do not strictly prescribe specific fruits or their placement. Rather, Confucianism emphasizes sijung, or appropriateness according to the time and circumstances.

An example of a charye, or the Korean ritual of preparing a full meal for ancestors, is shown in this photo from Sept. 17, 2018. [YONHAP]

Accordingly, the center suggested that a Lunar New Year ancestral rite table needs only four to six items centered on tteokguk. In particular, it noted that jeon, which requires significant labor and the use of oil, is not a food specifically recommended for the rite from an etiquette perspective.

The center added that offering foods the ancestors enjoyed during their lifetimes or presenting modern varieties of fruit should not be considered disrespectful but rather an “expression of contemporary sincerity.” It also recommended placing photographs of ancestors in lieu of traditional written memorial tablets, noting that this can help family members share memories and strengthen bonds.

“Preparing the rite as if it were a formal memorial service out of rigid adherence to form can actually harm family harmony,” a center official said. “What matters is not how much food is prepared, but the sincerity behind it.”

“Tradition is not a fixed relic, but a living culture that endures when it flows with the times,” Jung Jae-geun, president of the Institute of Korean Confucian Culture, said. “I hope families will spend this Lunar New Year honoring their ancestors while also cherishing time together.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]