Samshin Halmo'm
Koreans believed, from ancient times, in the Birth Grandmother who was thought to oversee the
birth of a child. The Mongolian spot, or blue mark, which is usually present on the sacral region
at the base of the spine of Oriental infants, was thought to be the place where the Birth
Grandmother slapped the child to bring it to life.
Before the anticipated delivery of a child, people placed straw on the floor to pray for the infant's
safe delivery and also set up a ritual table for the Birth Grandmother. After the delivery, it was
customary to offer white rice and seaweed soup to express gratitude, a practice that continued for
twenty one days.
The custom helped to obtain peace of mind by relying on an absolute being to prevent
misfortunes that are beyond the control of humans. It was also part of shamanism and strongly
associated with Korean worship of heaven.
Ku'mjul
Ku'mjul, meaning forbidding rope, was hung across the house gate after the birth of a child to
keep outsiders away and prevent any harm from being inflicted on the child and mother. Nonfamily
members were not allowed to set foot in a household where it was hung. The rope, which
remained for twenty one days, usually carried red peppers, charcoal, and straw tied on it to
indicate the birth of a son and charcoal, dried sea weed, pine branches, and paper to indicate a
daughter.
The rope was hung in the belief that the Birth Grandmother would become angry and harm a
newborn if outsiders frequented the household. It was actually a very scientific custom that
served to protect an infant with a weak immune system from contact with outsiders.
First Birthday, Tol
A child's first birthday is celebrated with a grand feast in Korea. Since the mortality rate of
infants was high before the advent of modern medicine, a child's first birthday was considered a
particularly joyful event since he/she had survived a whole year. The custom is still practiced
today.
The first birthday is celebrated with a table laden with various foods including white steamed
rice cake, honey cakes, stuffed rice cakes, noodles, jujubes, and a variety of fruit. Each food has
a special significance: the white steamed rice cake symbolizes a pure and clean spirit; honey
cakes are thought to ward off evil spirits; stuffed rice cakes shaped like a half-moon that are
steamed on a layer of pine needles wish for the child to be blessed with good things to eat
throughout life; jujubes and fruit for the child's descendants to multiply and prosper; and noodles
and thread for a long life.
Various objects such as money, a bow and arrow, and a writing brush, ink-stone and ink stick are also placed on the table to foretell the future of the child based on the first object the child picks up.
It was thought the child would become rich if he or she picked up money, a scholar if a
writing brush, and a courageous person if the bow. If the child is a girl, colored paper, a ruler,
and thread are placed on the table since sewing skills were highly valued in a woman.