Cheoyongmu, a royal court dance, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. According to legend, Cheoyong, the son of a dragon king, returned home late at night only to find four feet in his room—two belonging to his wife and two to a spirit of plague. Instead of reacting with anger, Cheoyong sang a song and performed a dance. Moved by his generosity and noble character, the spirit was astonished and vowed never to return. This tale of Cheoyong is recorded in the Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms).
This year’s lantern is a traditional Hanji lantern inspired by one of the most beloved Korean folktales among children: Granny Red Bean Porridge and the Tiger . Once upon a time, deep in the mountains, there lived an old woman who cultivated red beans. She was so skilled at making red bean porridge that people called her “Granny Red Bean Porridge.” One peaceful day, a tiger the size of a house suddenly appeared and threatened to eat her. Granny pleaded, “I don’t mind dying, but if I do, who will make this delicious porridge? Come back in the snowy winter. You can enjoy the porridge then—and eat me if you still want to.” She barely managed to persuade the tiger to leave. Left with no one to turn to, the old woman wept alone. Just then, the items in her home—her carrying frame, a straw mat, an awl, some dung, an egg, and even a softshell turtle—gathered around and told her not to worry. When winter came and the tiger returned on the day of the winter solstice, Granny and her loyal “fri...
