ipchun taegil spring message written in calligraphy

What is a Korean custom on the first day of spring? ipchun

ipchun is the first day of spring. And ipchun daegil 입춘대길 (立春大吉) is a wish for good luck in the coming year. Traditionally, on this day handwritten messages in Chinese characters were posted on front doors of Korean homes.

But the calligraphy messages are a rare sight these days since so many people live in apartments. (And not many people practise calligraphy any more). But you can still see the calligraphy on hanok houses and some public buildings at this time of year).

I think a hand-painted sign on calligraphy paper really suits the wooden entrance of a hanok house. And I like how the paper is left to wear away over the year until it’s time to put another message up over it the following year!

My calligraphy teacher laments that people don’t follow traditions so much any more. Calligraphy was once a necessary skill and not just an art form. And there were lots of occasions throughout the year where good calligraphy skills came in handy.

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There are 5 styles of calligraphy. See ipchun written in different styles of calligraphy.

24 Solar Terms

ipchun is the first of the 24 solar terms in the Korean lunisolar calendar.

In the past, agricultural communities relied on the weather for a good harvest and so there were lots of superstitions and rituals carried out on these specific days throughout the year.

Here are the six solar terms for spring.

ipchun 입춘

Feb 4 立春 = 立(ip – start)春 (chun– spring)
This falls in the first month of the lunar calendar. And it’s the day families traditionally put up the ipchun spring message of good luck for the coming year. And farmers carried out various rituals hoping for a good harvest.

Actually there’s one tradition that hasn’t died out. And that’s spring cleaning! Well, the cleaning should be done just before ipchun.

Although this is the first day of spring, it’s still cold. So there’s still time to eat patjuk the sweet winter adzuki bean dish.

u-su 우수

Feb 19 (15 days after ip chun) 雨水= 雨(u– rain) 水 (su – water)
It was said that this is the time that the ice in the River Taedong melts and begins to flow hence the meaning of the Chinese characters.

gyeong-chip 경칩

around March 6 驚蟄 = 驚 (gyeong – startle) 蟄 (chip – hide)
The first day of the 2nd month of the lunar calendar. This is the time that the insects come out of hibernation.

chun-bun 춘분

around March 20 春分 = 春(chun – spring) 分 (bun – division)
Spring Equinox in the middle of the 2nd lunar month. The time when days and nights are the same length. It can still be chilly but getting warmer so maybe a good time to use the Korean idiom cold envies flowers.

cheong myeong 청명

around April 5 淸明 = 淸 (cheong – sunny) 明 (myeong – clear)
Temperatures reach over 10 degrees C and the flowers begin to bloom. The name cheong myeong refers to the weather being clear and bright.

gok-u 곡우

around April 20 穀雨 = 穀 (gok – crop) 雨 (u – rain)
Middle of the 3rd lunar month. At this time the spring rains come and the crops do well. So this is the time that farm work really begins. A saying goes that if there is no rain on gok-u, farming in that coming year will be disastrous.

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