스크랩 Ancestral Rites

[punuri]

Ancestral Rites

Koreans believed death was the separation of the soul from the body and that the power of the
soul continued to influence the living. Accordingly, the dead and the living were thought to be
closely linked with each other.
The Confucian rituals performed to pay homage to ancestors, were believed to be an encounter
between the living and the soul of the dead, and offerings of food and wine to the soul a
continuation of the relationship. In other words, treating the dead with respect was thought to be
conducive to the prosperity of the descendants with blessings from the souls of the ancestors.
The basic belief in ancestral veneration became more systemic and structured when increasing
emphasis was placed on courtesy towards elders, the heart of neo-Confucianism. Among them,
the direct form of expression‎ of ancestral veneration, became highly significant.