Arbor Day, cor. Sikmogil) was installed in connection with the Korean forest restoration campaign carried out by the government of Park Jung-hee. As you know, this campaign was extremely successful.
Until 2005, this day was a state holiday in the country, but even now the traditions of celebration have been preserved. On this day, many South Koreans take part in landscaping their areas and planting forests in the mountains.
In non-leap years, Tree Planting Day coincides with one of the important Korean holidays — Cold Food Festival, which in Korea is called Hansik, which literally means «cold food».
In modern times, people celebrate Hansik by associating him with inviting warm weather that will melt the frozen ground. On Hansik Day, from the very morning, Koreans visit the graves of their ancestors with their families. Since Tree Planting Day is celebrated on the same day, the cemeteries are filled with relatives and relatives planting trees around the graves.
In non-leap years, Hansik falls on the 105th day after the winter solstice. At this time of year, the sky becomes cleaner and clearer, farmers go out into the fields to throw the first seeds into the ground and pour water on the rice plots.
It is believed that the tradition of eating cold food on this day came from China, but recently the traditions described in Chinese legend have been gradually forgotten.