This year, the ritual will cherish the memory of not just Yeonsan Ogye, but also deceased pets of the participants. (image: Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism)
NONSAN, Oct. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — The Yeonsan Ogye Foundation, preserving the Korean tradition of remembering animal spirits since 2003, announced Tuesday that it plans to hold ancestral rites for deceased pets in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province on October 21.
‘Yeonsan Ogye’ refers to a kind of chicken native to the Yeonsan region. The species is a natural monument designated by the South Korean government.
The memorial ritual began in 2003 to pay tribute to the Yeonsan Ogye. The ritual was designated as a folk festival of natural heritage by the Cultural Heritage Administration.
This year, the ritual will cherish the memory of not just Yeonsan Ogye, but also deceased pets of the participants.
Animal spirit rituals are conducted at universities or laboratories that experiment on animals. However, the Yeonsan Ogye ritual is known to be in closest line with Korean tradition.
Lee Seung-sook, director of the Yeonsan Ogye Foundation, said the ritual “can help people who lost their pets to mourn for their loved ones and lay down their sorrows.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
