Hwangab
Encyclopedia
Hwangab is a Korea
n traditional way of celebrating one's 60th birthday. The number 60 means accomplishing one big circle and starting another one in one's life as the traditional 60 year calendar cycle
of Korea.
In the past, average life expectancy
was much lower than 60, so it also meant a celebration of longevity. The celebration party is also a wish for an even longer and prosperous life. This party is customarily thrown by the children of the one who is turning 60. On one's Hwangab, family and relatives prepare a big birthday celebration with lots of food.
With the advent of modern health care this occurrence is much more common than it used to be. Many Koreans now take trips with their families instead of having a big party to celebrate their 60th birthday. Parties are also thrown when a person reaches 70 (called Gohi or Chilsun) or 80 (Palsun) years of age.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n traditional way of celebrating one's 60th birthday. The number 60 means accomplishing one big circle and starting another one in one's life as the traditional 60 year calendar cycle
Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
of Korea.
In the past, average life expectancy
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
was much lower than 60, so it also meant a celebration of longevity. The celebration party is also a wish for an even longer and prosperous life. This party is customarily thrown by the children of the one who is turning 60. On one's Hwangab, family and relatives prepare a big birthday celebration with lots of food.
With the advent of modern health care this occurrence is much more common than it used to be. Many Koreans now take trips with their families instead of having a big party to celebrate their 60th birthday. Parties are also thrown when a person reaches 70 (called Gohi or Chilsun) or 80 (Palsun) years of age.
External links
Brief information about Hwangab Yahoo! Korea encyclopediaYahoo!
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