Yeondong-ri is a village in Haenam-eup, Jeollanam-do, which welcomes its visitors with an endless stretch of fragrant tea fields.

This tea-growing village is also where the home of the heir of Gosan Yun Seon-do's lineage is located.

The history of this house named "Nogudang" goes back hundreds of years. The anchae, the main building, was built in what is today Baengnyeon-dong by Eochoeun Yun Hyo-jeong, Gosan’s grandfather four generations back and the founder of the Yun clan of Haenam. The sarangchae or the study was added later, followed by the Eochoeun Shrine and the Gosan Shrine. The sarangchae was bestowed upon Gosan by King Hyojong who was his former student. The shrine was originally built in Suwon, but was moved to the current location in 1669 when Gosan was 82 years of age. The name "Nogudang" was given to the house also during this same year.

[Interview] This being the household of the heir of Gosan’s lineage, we still observe most family customs as they were handed down to us by our ancestors. We scrupulously follow traditional practices.

With Chuseok around the corner, the home of Gosan's lineage heir is whirling with activities to prepare for charye, the memorial ceremony.

The details of the memorial ceremony are strictly dictated by family tradition. The ceremony is first performed at the Gosan Shrine, as this is a bulcheonwi shrine. Bulcheonwi is a special privilege conferred by the king on certain people so that upon their death, their spirit tablet can be housed in a shrine on a permanent basis, beyond the limit of four generations.

Only a distinguished personality who made remarkable contributions to the country was granted such a privilege.

In comparison, the Eochoeun Shrine is a shrine maintained on a bulcheonwi basis through a decision by the family clan, following the wishes of Yun Seon-do. No death-anniversary ceremony or Chuseok charye ceremony is held at the Eochoeun Shrine.

During the ceremony at the bulcheonwi shrine, libations are made using tea instead of wine. Charye, whose name means 'tea rite,' was indeed performed originally with tea. Charye is also known by other names such as "chasa" or "darye."

The tea brewed with tea leaves freshly picked around the time of Chuseok is presented at the altar, as a way of reporting to the spirits of ancestors on the status of the season's harvest.

The tea is brewed at the altar, in a tea pot placed on the right side of the spirit tablets before it is poured into a cup and offered to the spirits.

The tea is first served to male ancestors and then to female ancestors. Next, all participants bow their heads before the spirit tablets to pay respect to the ancestors.

After the charye service at the Gosan Shrine, they now head back to the main building of the house for another service.

The shrine in the main building houses the spirit tablets of four generations of ancestors; in other words, the great great grandparents, great grandparents, grandparents and parents. The tablets of the grandparents and the parents are accompanied by their photographic portraits.

The placement of food offerings on the altar is guided by the jinseoldo drawn by Gosan. A jinseoldo is a diagram showing the respective position of each dish on an altar. In Gosan’s jinseoldo, skewered meat is replaced by skewered fish.

Skewered fish is commonly used instead of skewered meat in coastal areas, although this varies somewhat from region to region.

During the ceremony held in the main building shrine, wine is offered instead of tea. The libation is made by the lineage heir.

During the ceremony held in the main building shrine, wine is offerThe ceremony performed in the main building shrine is usually attended only by direct descendants. ed instead of tea. The libation is made by the lineage heir.

When the charye concludes, all participants move to the hall while still wearing the ceremonial outfit to feast on the sacrificial that has just been removed from the altar.

After the repast, they ascend the mountain behind the house to visit the grave of Eochoeun Yun Hyo-jeong.

According to family tradition, Chuseok visits to ancestral graves are kept quite simple. The visit consists simply of bowing twice in the direction of the grave, with no food or wine offered at the altar.

This gathering to remember ancestors also provides an opportunity to catch up with extended family members and forge closer bonds with them.

The Chuseok charye ceremony, a seasonal custom that promotes family values, beautifully exemplifies the wisdom of Korea’s traditional culture.