Why Some Koreans Skip Red Bean Porridge on This Winter Solstice
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
In Korea, the winter solstice (Dongji) is often associated with eating red bean porridge (patjuk), but when Dongji falls in early lunar November—called ‘aedongji’ (애동지, lit. 'child Dongji')—traditional communities commonly avoided patjuk and made red bean steamed rice cakes (pat-sirutteok) instead. Historical surveys show about 61% of regions observed the ‘no patjuk’ custom during aedongji. Scholars explain this by cultural associations: patjuk was linked to mourning and death, so feeding it on a day named for children (‘ae’ meaning child) risked transferring bad luck to youngsters. Making and offering pat-sirutteok preserved the ritual’s essence—honoring household deities and ancestors and praying for family health—while protecting children. Today, buying or making pat-sirutteok on aedongji can revive a fading seasonal custom and express wishes for children’s safety and family well-being.
