환갑(Hwangap)

환 갑

Hwangap is a celebration to honor

a person's 60th birthday.

Much like tol, hwangap is considered a great milestone; before modern medicine,

living to be sixty years old was a rarity.

Coincidently, sixty years also marks the completion of the zodiacal cycle,

and the beginning of a new stage....

Sheng Xiao:

The Chinese Zodiac

briefly...

The Chinese zodiac is divided into 12 parts like the Western version (but by years rather than months) of twelve Earthly Branches...

• rat (자)
• ox (축)
• tiger (인)
• rabbit (묘)
• dragon (진)
• snake (사)
• horse (오)
• sheep (미)
• monkey (신)
• chicken (유)
• dog (술)
• pig (해)

Combined with ten Heavenly Stems...

• 갑
• 을
• 병
• 졍
• 무
• 기
• 경
• 신
• 임
• 계

It takes sixty years to run through the whole cycle! O.o

Example: my birthday

1992년 4월 19일 = Yang Water Monkey (임 신)

When I'm 60 (in 2052), it will be the Year of the

Yang Water Monkey again.

But again, the most important thing about hwangap is that it was considered a fortune to reach such a great age!

The Party!

The party is usually thrown by the children of the honoree. It may be held at home, or in a rented hotel or banquet hall if there are a lot of guests.

Common gifts for hwangap are clothes or cards filled with money.

While everyone might be formally dressed, the honoree and their family will be in traditional hanbok.

The sons and daughters, in order of age, bow to their parents, and offer them wine.

Guests are often given small gifts, such as rice cakes, as thanks.

In the past, guests would sing songs and recite poetry dedicated to the honoree as a competition. Song and dance can still be included in modern parties, too- karaoke is a common staple!

Even with modern additions, the meaning and the procedure of hwangap are generally still the same.

환 갑

yang

wood

}

yin

}

fire

earth

}

metal

}

water

}