The Third of Lunar March

The third of lunar March is called Samjil.

In the historic records, this day was described as Sangsa or Tapchongjol, and people called it Samzitnal.

On this day, our people liked going hunting and on a flower pancake picnic.

During Koguryo dynasty, hunting and military arts contests used to be held on Rangnang hill as a national event on this day. Winners were appointed as military officers.

When Samjil came, our people made flower pancakes, Sumyon (mung-bean noodle in honeyed water) and Hwamyon (petal-mixed mung-bean noodle in honeyed water and omija-juice with pine nuts on top) and shared them together with their family members or neighbors. And they composed poems, sang songs and danced in praise of the beautiful flowers and mountain-river scenic attractions. In particular, women washed their hair, in the belief that hair-washing on this day would make their hair attractive and lubricant.

From the ancient times, our people used to go on a picnic this day. This picnic was called a flower viewing, a flower and willow viewing or a flower pancake picnic, for they ate flower pancakes on that day.

Flower pancake picnic was a folklore enjoyment of our ancestors.