Winter Solstice, Beginning Anew Sharing Warm Red Bean Porridge Filled with Compassion and Hope to Mark the Winter Solstice in a Traditional Korean Way

The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism Shares Porridge with Medical Staff and Citizens

The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year. Days begin to grow longer from this day on, and thus, Koreans have regarded the winter solstice day (Kor. “dongji”) as a “little New Year,” and practiced the tradition of making and sharing red bean porridge with families, friends and neighbors. The color red in red bean porridge is believed to ward off bad luck, according to folklore.

December 21, 2020 (dongji) arrived under an unprecedented pandemic condition, and the Jogye Order’s Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism (hereafter the Corps) celebrated its arrival by delivering red bean porridge (Kor. “patjuk”) to the medical staff in charge of COVID-19 cases at Korea’s National Medical Center and Seoul Metropolitan Dongbu Hospital. Choe So-yeong, executive officer of the Temple Food Team at the Corps, arrived early that morning at the Korean Temple Food Culture Experience Center, along with 10 plus colleagues, to make the porridge. She described the process, saying, “About 3 weeks ago we secured high quality Koran red beans and glutinous rice. Today we soaked the beans for 5 hours, cooked them, and added dumplings of glutinous rice. We also prepared dongchimi (white radish water kimchi), which goes well with the porridge. We hope you consume our porridge and feel energized.” Ven. Ji-o, head of the Cultural Business Bureau of the Corps, said, “Red beans help to clean out the bowels, and the glutinous rice dumplings supplement our energy. I pray that this red bean porridge help many of you to expel the bad and take in the good.”

The Corps also delivered red bean porridge on December 17 and 19, before dongji, to Seonam Hospital in Seoul and a welfare organization for the homeless. All in all, over three days, the Corps delivered 1,200 bowls of red bean porridge in a great sharing event of warm compassion. In addition, the Corps also shared red bean porridge with the general public with the aspiration to overcome COVID-19. Up until December 17, the Corps received personal testimonials online related to coronavirus, and delivered red bean porridge to selected winning stories. The Corps stated that many people, including healthcare workers fighting the pandemic, submitted their own stories of support, gratitude and hope.

A college student preparing for the national examination for registered nurses wrote, “My mother is a nurse and working at present as part of the COVID-19 response team. I want to share some red bean porridge with my family. The three of us, I who want to walk the same path as my mom, my mom who is dedicated to her work at the hospital, and my dad who works diligently to support us, will sit down together, eat, and share warm words of solace.”

An office worker in home quarantine wrote, “I came alone from outside of Seoul to work, but a confirmed case of COVID happened at work, and now I am alone in my small rented room. A bowl of warm red bean porridge will help me absorb the sound energy of temple food, and briefly escape the depression of home quarantine.”

A mother whose daughter runs a hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) rental shop wrote, “I want to comfort my daughter, who is exhausted from repeated openings and closings of her business due to COVID-19. I pray the red bean porridge extinguish all bad luck and the New Year will bring a smile and happiness back to my daughter.”

An office worker in home quarantine wrote, “I came alone from outside of Seoul to work, but a confirmed case of COVID happened at work, and now I am alone in my small rented room. A bowl of warm red bean porridge will help me absorb the sound energy of temple food, and briefly escape the depression of home quarantine.”

A mother whose daughter runs a hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) rental shop wrote, “I want to comfort my daughter, who is exhausted from repeated openings and closings of her business due to COVID-19. I pray the red bean porridge extinguish all bad luck and the New Year will bring a smile and happiness back to my daughter.”

Ven. Wongyeong, director of the Corps, conveyed his message of hope saying, “The whole globe is plagued with COVID-19. I offer this red bean porridge to mark the winter solstice. The porridge embodies my aspiration to share the Buddha’s compassion and the devotion of temple food. I pray that all bad luck be warded off, and that all of you have a comfortable end of the year and a New Year full of hope.”