PHOTOS: Traditional way of rice planting

SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - The staple food for Koreans is rice, a grain deeply interwoven with the nation's history and culture.

Each May, the paddies across the country come alive as farmers begin the arduous process of cultivating this essential crop. Traditionally, this involved flooding the fields, meticulously preparing the soil, and hand-planting delicate rice seedlings, known as "mo."

While modern machinery now dominates most of these tasks, allowing for efficient preparation and planting, the image of oxen tilling the land and farmers meticulously placing each seedling by hand is increasingly rare. These traditional methods, once the backbone of Korean agriculture, are slowly fading from view.

Yet, a recent surge of events aims to preserve and showcase these forgotten traditions. These gatherings offer a poignant glimpse into the past, highlighting the immense effort and communal spirit that once defined the rice harvest. We've gathered some photos from these occasions, capturing the enduring spirit of Korea's agricultural heritage.

모내기 — A demonstration of traditional rice paddy plowing, featuring two oxen, takes place near the National Agricultural Museum in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on May 21. This technique, where a pair of oxen pulled a plow, was a prevalent method for preparing fields in the mountainous areas of central and northern Korea. Yonhap

Cho Bo-hee jobo@ajupress.com

PHOTOS: Traditional way of rice planting

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